When it comes to two-wheel motoring, a small-engine gas bike is a great way to start out, but what if you want something smaller to get you around town? Sure, there are great scooters like the Honda Ruckus and Monkey that will do the job just fine, but for those looking for a more eco-friendly option, the Black Tea Moped could work just fine. But what is a Black Tea Moped anyway?

The BlackTea Moped is not really a moped

BlackTea is a an electric mobility startup company based in Munich, Germany. The company’s goal is to “inspire people to ride on two wheels” as they feel that lightweight two-wheelers are a better solution for everyday driving as opposed to electric cars. They might be onto something there, although it’s too bad that the U.S. is riddled with fast-moving freeways where 65 mph is the average speed and getting around with a car is almost necessary.

In any case, the brand’s founder, Viktor Sommer, noticed that there were no appealing electric motorbikes currently in the market, so rather than creating yet another motorbike that looks like a Vespa, he came up with the BlackTea Moped, which is more like an electric bike than an actual moped. We say that because it lacks functional pedals or a foot pedestal and instead has foot pegs like a regular bike. On top of that, the BlackTea Moped also gives off a cool vibe thanks to its 70s Scrambler-inspired styling.

The BlackTea Moped is relatively fast

Aside from the its cool, retro looks, the BlackTea Moped can get you scooting along in a relatively quick fashion. It has a top speed of 50 mph, which means that you can get around a suburban and urban sprawl pretty quickly, however, you won’t be going on any freeways. As far as practicality, there aren’t any storage spaces on this bike, but it does have an extra-long seat and passenger foot pegs for a pillion.

The BlackTea moped also features a steel tube-framed chassis and a 72-volt 24.5 Ah battery, which is stored in the body and should give you around 43 miles of range. No, that range estimate is not exactly staggering, but one convenient aspect of the battery is that it can be removed and charged – which should take around 3 to 4 hours – and there is also room for a second battery (available through BlackTea) to double the range.

Powering the Moped is an electric rear hub motor that produces around 6.7 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque that can get the bike from 0 to 30 mph in 4.2 seconds. It’s not exactly blazing fast, but again, the BlackTea Moped is made for the average lower speed commute as opposed to the two-wheeled hooning shenanigans like burnouts and wheelies as well as long-ranged sprints.

You can still get one at a discounted rate

If the BlackTea Moped is something that could work for you then now is the time to make a move. The BlackTea company is still currently taking backers on its Indiegogo posting and is offering up to 39 percent off its original MSRP of $4,950, which brings the price to $2,999. Considering what you get, that’s a pretty reasonable price for an electric bike, although, keep in mind that U.S. riders will likely need a motorcycle license to ride it legally.

There’s no word on when the Moped will go into production and be shipped out, but for anyone wanting to take the plunge on buying one of them, it does look promising and could indeed be the future of eco-friendly, electric two-wheeled motoring.