Post Sale Update: This Eveready sold for the opening bid of $9,500 on eBay in Maggie Valley, North Carolina.
Wheels Through Time is continuing their sale of exhibit bikes, and this one’s my favorite so far! Meet the Eveready Autoped, the first mass-produced motorized scooter in the US.
Built between 1915-1921, the Autoped was marketed towards the well-off to provide a more convenient alternative to walking, though some companies (such as the New York Postal Service) saw commercial applications for it as well. Top speed was a claimed 35 miles per hour, though reports suggest that it was unstable above 20. The motor is a 4-stroke, 155cc unit and a electric version was briefly made available after the design was bought by Eveready, the battery company. For more information, check out this wonderful story on the Smithsonian – they have a 1918 model in their collection, and they note that the Autoped was even used by ‘delinquents who repurposed them as getaway vehicles.’
This example is said to be highly original – the seller notes that “the engine turns but I’ve never run it.” I’ve only seen a sale price for one other Autoped before – at Mecum Las Vegas 2016, an unrestored example sold for $12,500. Find this Eveready Autoped for sale in Maggie Valley, North Carolina with an unmet opening bid of $9,500 here on eBay.