Vectrix Assets To Be Auctioned Off

An auction date of June 18 has been set for the assets of electric scooter maker Vectrix, the New Bedford, MA-based company that launched in 2006 but which ceased operating in January and filed for bankruptcy on March 31.

Paul E. Saperstein & Co. will auction Vetrix’s assets at the company’s former headquarters at 55 Samuel Barnet Blvd. Included are 75 complete VX1, VX2 and VX3 scooters and 100 new Lithium Ion batteries suitable for use in Vectrix scooters.

Back in the summer of 2008, the now-defunct Willow’s Motorsports in Cheshire became the first Vectrix dealer in Connecticut. I took one for a brief spin and reported that “the Vectrix displayed loads of pep, despite weighing in at 515 pounds. The company claims the scooter can accelerate from 0 to 50 miles per hour in 6.8 seconds. Handling is good, too, because most of that weight comes from the underseat batteries, which gives the scoot a low center of gravity. What was also surprising to me was the even fluidity of the throttle. With battery power there’s no lag and power is consistent.”

Back then, Vectrix had big plans, big dreams and seemingly realistic expectations. “Right now it’s very limited as a commuter bike,” Vectrix northeast sales manager Matt Biedka told me. “It’s not going to fit everyone’s needs.”

He explained that while the scooter’s range was listed as 35 to 55 miles, the actual range could vary widely depending on how the scooter was ridden. “You can get better than 55 and you can get a whole lot worse,” he said. If you ride it steadily at full throttle, the range can dip to 20-25 miles.

Biedka described Vectrix buyers as “an eclectic bunch.” Some are trying to save money and fight rising gas prices, while others are environmentalists who like the fact the Vectrix produces zero emissions. Biedka also said that electrical engineers are also buying the scooters out of sheer pride that a viable vehicle exists.

The auction listing, which includes equipment from Vectrix assembly plant and machine shop and more than $1.6 million in replacement parts, can be found here.