Vietnam’s Bandit9 has dropped a new two-wheeler into the e-scooter pond it’s not quite like anything we’ve seen before. Part urban mobility solution and part fashion statement, the shiny, stainless steel Nano e-scooter looks like it was plucked straight out of sci-fi movie set in outer space, but could be coming to the streets of Earth sometime in the not so distant future.
So far as out-of-the-box, retro-futuristic stylings go, Bandit9 has form. In 2016, we looked at a limited edition custom motorbike from the Saigon-based builder that wouldn’t look out of place on an X-wing fighter, and last year it rolled out an audacious two-wheeler called the Supermarine that looks like it was built for Batman.
In turning their attention to the world of e-scooters, Bandit9’s designers are looking to tempt style-conscious urban folk into a new way of getting about town. The company’s website is quite forthright regarding its target market for the Nano, reading “Vespa has gone uncontested for decades. There simply is no other choice; they’re beautiful, classic and affordable. We love, fear and admire them. And now we’re going to fight them.”
The Nano might look like its bringing an upside down high-heel to this gun fight, but with a 904L stainless steel fairing polished to a sterling silver, it will at least look good while doing it. Within this shimmering exterior lies a 4.2-kWh removable battery that can be recharged in four hours of plug-in time, sending power to a 4-kW electric motor built into the rear hub.
On the base model, this allows for a 45-km/h (27 mph) top speed and range of 60 miles (96 km), while the pricier Nano+ can scoot along at up to 70 km/h (43 mph) and offers the same range. Despite its steel frame, both versions of the Nano tip the scales at 120 kg (264 lb), very similar to the 125-kg (276-lb) Ola S1 being rolled out in India.
Bandit9 has opened up preorders with the Nano priced at US$4,499 (€4,499) and the Nano+ priced at US$4,990 (€4,499), though it is yet to publicly outline a shipping date.
Source: Bandit9
