PRODUCT REVIEWS
Explore Faster AND EASIER WITH A FLUX MOPED
by Ari Adler
Matt Brueggeman is an entrepreneur finding success doing what many don ’ t have the nerve to do : ignore the financial experts and stop pursuing venture capital funding .
Brueggeman is the co-founder of Flux Mopeds , manufacturer of the Flux EM1 , an electric moped that tops out at 38 mph and can travel up to 50 miles on a single charge with an optional second battery installed .
“ We ended up having to bootstrap the whole operation because investors were telling us we needed to go to the big cities and provide mopeds for ride-sharing ,” Brueggeman said . “ But we knew from our research there was a market in small towns and that people still want to own a vehicle rather than always borrowing one . We have found success with that model of doing our research , talking to people to find out what they want , and then delivering to meet that need .”
The latest research led to a new market for Flux Mopeds : RVers . Brueggeman found them to be kindred spirits who want to buck the status quo and do things differently , even when everyone around them is telling them they ’ re a little crazy .
Flux is looking to serve all RVers , starting with those who own motorhomes and don ’ t want the hassle and expense of figuring out all the complexities of towing a full-sized vehicle . But even purchasing and owning a moped will come with its set of challenges .
That ’ s why Brueggeman decided to offer a “ Local Ride Package ,” where Flux does all the work and the owner gets to enjoy the ride .
“ Without a car , if an RVer wants to pop out to the store , the question becomes , ‘ Do I want to spend time breaking camp or just go without ?’ ‘ Do I want to drive a 4,000-pound truck a few miles to buy a quart of milk ?’ Those are logical questions that often didn ’ t have a good answer ,” Brueggeman said . “ Besides your traditional ‘ toad ,’ there are bicycles , which are fun for exercise but not great for all trips . And golf carts are good for families or hauling supplies but are overkill for individuals and challenging to transport .”
With the Local Ride Package , Flux has figured out the answers most RVers immediately have about electric mopeds : how to haul , how to register , how to charge , and so on .
“ We listened , we learned , and we developed Local Ride Packages that completely solve many problems RVers anticipate they will face when trying to purchase a vehicle to get around the campground or for short trips into town ,” Brueggeman said .
Brueggeman is no stranger to seeing things one way and then opening his eyes to something completely different . Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago , his family had three large SUVs .
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