Solid's MX Electric Moped Looks Like a Box on Wheels and It's What the People Want

Let's face it; if you ever saw someone roll up next to you on the Solid MX, you'd turn and look just to figure out how it's all put together and actually works. That's precisely what happened to me when I first lay eyes upon this machine, and frankly, I had to dive deeper to see what was happening here. Here we go.

To understand a bit more about what's going on here, it should help to get to know the hands and minds behind the design, none other than Solid EV Rides. If you ever run across their website, you'll first notice garments and apparel. However, this crew goes back several years, initially operated under the name NXT Motors, and is responsible for a couple of prototypes dubbed the One and Rage.

According to The Pack, the MX is this crew's attempt to "stay ahead of the ever-evolving two-wheeled electric vehicle industry," and as a result, it can be ordered right now starting at €5,850 ($6,300 at current exchange rates). But is the bang worth the buck? Let's find out.

Starting with this EV's design, it comes across as one of the most minimalist scrambler motorcycles I've ever seen. Come to think of it, I've met such ideas before. Everything starts with that full-suspension frame to which that battery compartment is attached. But before we get to any other components, let me point out how that frame is made. Overall, steel is the metal of choice, and by the looks of it, cubism is the name of the game for everything on this EV, including the steel beam used as the backbone for the moped.

At the front, that beam meets a fully adjustable inverted fork, and at the rear, a swingarm is supported with another adjustable system, this time, a mono-shock with a near-vertical compression. This results in a wheelbase of 137 cm (54 in), a seat height of 86 cm (34 in), and a width of just 76 cm (30 in). Perfect for moving around town through tight traffic.

Speaking of tight spaces, one way the MX can yield such small dimensions has to do with how electronic components are mounted. For example, the battery pack is that square box you see hanging underneath the frame. By the looks of things, steel and wood are used to craft the space. Some versions have aluminum plates instead of wood for paneling. In all, 3.3 kWh of juice is available, and the system is shockproof and weather and dust resistant. With this pack, up to 140 km (87 mi) of range is possible. Of course, that's in an optimal testing environment, so in reality, you can expect a drop of at least 30%, as is true for most two-wheeled EVs I've tested.

As for what this battery is meant to feed, it's all for that motor mounted to the rear wheel. I've seen this sort of design before, and Super Soco is one brand to display a similar motor and mount. In all, this little powerhouse is limited to 5 kW (6.7 hp) and has a torque output of 150 Nm (111 ft-lb). Quite the power if you ask me, but the top speed is limited to no more than 45 kph (28 mph). Again, that's a limited speed, so you can probably crank out a bit more, possibly getting this thing up to 90 kph (56 mph). Just make sure you know how to operate the brakes. Speaking of which, 240 mm (9.5 in) discs are found at the front, while the rear sports 220 mm (8.7 in) discs.

As for the rest of the MX, a few traits clearly indicate that it should be used in an urban setting. For example, the saddle follows a similar square pattern as the rest of the bike, and because of this, riding the MX on anything but asphalt may prove to be quite painful. Just imagine hitting a bump in the road and racking your inner thigh on the battery box. However, if it's a light dirt road, it looks like the MX can handle it.

Now, there's just one question on my mind: how the heck am I supposed to dress to look like the MX and I fit together? After a couple of hours, I'm still trying to figure out if I should be in all white, all black, or even if I should be wearing pads. Questions questions. As for the most important question on everyone's mind, how this thing rides, there's only one way to answer it, with a test drive. To do that, you'll need to travel to the Netherlands because, so far, that's the only place you can find one. As for shipping outside the Netherlands, we're standing by for that information.

At the end of the day, it comes across as a moped but looks like an urban-ready enduro bike. If only that motor was mid-mounted. In short, it's a Frankenstein, but that's what the market seems to like these days, and if you do, too, you know what to do.