Electra Ponto Go! Review 2024

Intro

As e-bike motors have grown in power, that extra muscle has created opportunities for e-bike makers and riders alike. One outcome is that people who might not have considered an e-bike before because they didn’t want to suffer through pedaling. Equipped with a 750W motor, e-bikes like the Electra Ponto Go! give riders a machine that recalls mopeds. With a comfy bench seat, easy reach to the handlebar and the ability to plant both feet on the ground while seated, some riders are choosing these moped-inspired e-bikes as an alternative to a car.

In our Electra Ponto Go! review, we will take a look at this moped-inspired e-bike. Powering that 750W motor is a 650Wh battery Electra estimates can take riders as far as 60 mi. on a single charge. A Microshift drivetrain provides a quality set of gears—eight of them—and Tektro hydraulic disc brakes keep the speed under control.

Whether someone is looking for a fun time on weekends or a more cost-effective way to commute to work, the Electra Ponto Go! is equipped to serve in any conditions, thanks to a solid accessories package that includes front and rear lights, fenders, kickstand, foot pegs and a passenger grab rail. Electra offers a number of accessories that can be added as well.

We don’t often encounter e-bikes that can carry a passenger and are equipped to do that without purchasing additional accessories. The Electra Ponto Go! is, as its name suggests, ready to go so far as taking a passenger is concerned.

The style of frame on which the Electra Ponto Go! is constructed gives the e-bike and rider a lower center of gravity than we see with most e-bikes, which can make for a very confidence-inspiring ride. Let’s take a deeper look inside the Electra Ponto Go!

E-Bike Category: Moped

Who the Electra Ponto Go! Electric Bike Is for: The Electra Ponto Go! is ideal for riders who want a comfortable ride with minimal effort.

Electra Ponto Go! E-Bike Specs

• Battery: 650Wh lithium-ion
• Expected Range:
• Charger: 2A
• Motor: 750W brushless, geared hub motor, 60Nm of torque
• UL Certification:
• Pedal Assist: 5 levels
• Throttle: Included, thumb button
• Display: LCD
• Headlight: Herrmans H-Black MR9-E
• Taillight: Sate-Lite M-13 with brake and turn-signal function
• Frame: 6061 Aluminum
• Fork: 80mm-travel coil-spring suspension fork
• Fenders: Included
• Kickstand: Alloy, rear-mount
• Handlebars: Alloy
• Grips: Electra custom, lock-on
• Drivetrain: 8-speed Microshift, trigger shifter, 11-34t cassette
• Brakes: Tektro hydraulic disc brakes with cutoff switch, 180mm rotors
• Pedals: Resin with reflectors
• Saddle: Electra custom
• Tires: 20 x 4.0 in.

In-Depth Electra Ponto Go! Review

Electra Ponto Go! Review: Comfort, Handling, and Ride Qualities

Any time we review one of the moped/motorcycle-styled e-bikes with a bench seat, we know one thing instantly: These are e-bikes that are aimed at riders who won’t pedal much. Why is that? Riders can’t adjust the saddle height up or down and pedaling comfortably means having the saddle height set so that there is only a slight bend in the leg at the bottom of the pedal stroke. If the saddle is too low pedaling can feel like being in an eternal squat.

All this is to say that the Electra Ponto Go! is comfortable, so long as the rider doesn’t intend to pedal all that much. Also worth noting is that for riders who want to be able to place their feet flat on the ground when they come to a stop while sitting on the seat, the Electra Ponto Go! makes that easy, thanks to its low-slung design.

Sharp-eyed shoppers will notice that the long bench seat isn’t one saddle, it’s actually made up of two different seats. That’s because this e-bike is intended to make taking a passenger easy. Fold-out footpegs give the rider a place to put their feet as they zip along.

The box-style frame allows the battery to be positioned just above the bottom bracket, as well as position the seat lower than we would see with more traditional e-bikes. What this adds up to is a very confident ride thanks to an unusually low center of gravity. Also contributing to the Electra Ponto Go!’s low center of gravity and maneuverability is their choice to go with 20-in. wheels. A larger rear wheel would have lifted the saddle height.

Thanks to 4-in.-wide tires and an 80mm-travel suspension fork, the Electra Ponto Go! will give folks a comfortable ride, so long as they don’t set the tire pressure too high (>40 psi). We would give the suspension fork higher marks if it used an air spring, rather than a coil one. While good at reacting to bumps, the rebound can be rather aggressive; air-spring forks have rebound damping that eliminates the feeling of being on a pogo stick.

Electra Ponto Go! Review: Motor, Battery, and Drivetrain Performance

E-bikes aimed at riders who plan to favor the throttle over pedaling need a powerful motor as it will be doing most of the work. The Electra Ponto Go! is spec’d with a 750W brushless, geared hub motor that produces 60Nm of torque. That’s powerful enough to let riders zip around at 20 mph on the throttle, or go as fast as 26 mph for those willing to put their legs to work.

Powering the Ponto Go! is a 650Wh battery which Electra estimates will offer riders a range of up to 60 mi. This is a figure that reflects a rider pedaling in PAS 1 and pedaling. Riding solely on throttle won’t offer the same sort of range; throttle range could be half that, or less.

E-bike manufacturers have some creative ways of keeping costs in check for more value-oriented e-bikes. Electra does that by spec’ing an 8-speed Microshift drivetrain. Microshift isn’t as well known as Shimano, but they make good quality drivetrains, and at some price points their drivetrains might be better.

Electra Ponto Go! Review: Braking, Safety & Warranty

Buyers considering these moped-style e-bikes need to be aware that there is more to the frame with these e-bikes and they can weigh more than a commuter e-bike. The Electra Ponto Go! proves this, as it weighs 80 lbs. We mention this because we would be concerned if this e-bike wasn’t equipped with hydraulic disc brakes paired with 180mm rotors. These are powerful enough to give a rider a confident sense of control.

Any time we encounter an e-bike meant to carry a passenger in addition to the rider—the person pedaling—we consider just what provision is made for the passenger. The Electra Ponto Go! is equipped with two bench seats to hold two riders, seat pegs to give the passenger a place to put their feet and a small handrail wraps around the rear of the seat that the passenger can hold on to. It is a setup that we would give some consideration to with children and maybe teens, but with a second adult aboard, our concerns would be doused.

Electra is owned by Trek and as such, they carry what may be the best warranty offered on an e-bike. The frame is covered by a lifetime warranty, while all the parts are covered by a two-year warranty. They even offer a limited warranty to people who buy an Electra used from another individual.

Electra Ponto Go! Review: Recommendation/Final Verdict

With the Ponto Go!, Electra has made an e-bike for a particular kind of rider. Due to its moped-inspired design, this is an e-bike that will appeal best to a rider who wants an e-bike to get around, but isn’t looking for much in the way of exercise. As we mentioned earlier, it isn’t easy for a rider to find the right position on the bench seat to make pedaling comfortable. And for what it’s worth, those bench seats, while more comfortable to sit on than some bike saddles, are wide enough to remind riders that they aren’t made to be comfortable to pedal.

That’s not a knock; criticizing this e-bike for not being easy to pedal and prioritizing a design that favors the throttle is like criticizing a minivan for not being a sedan. This is a well-designed e-bike from a manufacturer with a reputation for making quality e-bikes. It’s just not suited to the rider looking for a workout.

Rider comfort is bolstered by the suspension fork and 4-in.-wide tires, in addition to the bench seat.

The Electra Ponto Go! is priced outside the $1000-$2000 range that dominates the e-bike market. There are reasons for this, including the well-designed (and stylish) frame, 8-speed drivetrain, suspension fork and included accessories, but when we look at similarly equipped e-bikes with moped-inspired designs, they tend to run north of $2000 as well, so this isn’t overpriced.

How much someone wants to pedal an e-bike or not is their business, no one else’s. The only risk with this e-bike is that it might be purchased by someone who wants a real workout; this isn’t that bike.

The genius of the Electra Ponto Go! is that it takes an old design and improves upon it in multiple ways. Compared to the mopeds of a bygone era, this doesn’t pollute the air, is lighter and therefore easier to manage, is less expensive to maintain and is arguably more fun, in part, because it is quieter. And compared to a car, it’s way more fun.

Thank you for reading through our review of the Electra Ponto Go! Still have further questions? Wondering how it compares to a similar e-bike we’ve reviewed? Let us know in the comments below!