Socovel stands for SOciété pour l'étude et la COnstruction de Vehicules ELectriques (Company for research and construction of electric vehicles). The company name was Ets. Socovel, Bruxelles. Founded in 1938 and active until 1956. After that, the spare parts were used until 1960 for the manufacture of gocarts under the name Socovel-Kart. Socovel was the only motorcycle company that was still allowed to make (electric) motorcycles for the private market during the war under German rule. They were allowed to make 500 of them and this is the reason that one can find several of this war model with an equal number. When they were almost at the production of number 500 they used the previous numbers twice to bypass the German license.
This Belgian Socovel is of the latter type and is probably from 1955 or 1956. Motorcycle is in original paint and very good condition. The motorcycle is an English Villiers type 8E.