E-mobility firm unu is looking to ride the growth wave of electric scooters – which it says rose by 51 percent in 2018, while sales of conventional scooters fell by 40 percent – with the upcoming release of its second generation electric scooter, which boasts enough storage for two helmets and removable batteries.
The latest unu Scooter represents quite a modern-looking overhaul on the company's first generation e-scooter, now called the Classic. Thanks to a Bosch motor integrated into the rear wheel, the company has managed to offer what's it's claiming is one of the largest storage spaces in the electric scooter segment.
That storage is where riders slot in the portable battery units – one will roll you along for up to 50 km (31 mi) per charge, while two will take you to the unu Scooter's maximum range of up to 100 km. This puts the new e-scooter in the same sort of ball park as the (much more expensive) Vespa Elettrica, though the latter might just be a little faster in the long stretches – topping out at 30 mph compared to the unu's 28 mph (45 km/h).
The Scooter features an integrated display for trip info, but unu has also developed a mobile companion app for unlocking smart features like remotely checking on the scooter's location and charging status. If someone tries to make off with the unu Scooter, anti-theft protection kicks in and the owner gets sent a notification through the app, and friends can be given permission to ride via a shared digital key. Over-the-air updates will add more functionality to the scooter in the future.
The unu Scooter is up for pre-order now ahead of September availability. There are three models on offer and seven color options, and the starting price will be €2,799 (about US$3,125) – though early adopters are being tempted by a pre-order package worth about €330, including a ticket price discount, a free helmet and extended warranty.
Source: unu
