Motoring on many electric kickscooters can have riders twisting their bodies to fit both feet on fairly narrow decks. UK-based micromobility company Pure Electric is looking to encourage a more natural stance with the launch of the Advance e-scoots.
"Transport systems across the world are broken," said company CEO and founder, Adam Norris. "Millions of people waste countless hours trapped in congestion while indirectly damaging our environment, through lack of choice. We are driven by a fierce ambition to reinvent personal travel and today, we’re immensely proud to launch Pure Advance and Pure Advance Flex, specifically created for people striving to get the best out of city living."
We have seen electric kickscooters that position riders in a forward-facing stance before of course, mostly across crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo. This makes for more stability during travel, as well as improved comfort, and the Pure models feature a central chassis with a footpad on either side.
Advance e-scoots come in three flavors. The £799 (about US$899) basic model sports a 355-Wh battery that's reckoned good for a per-charge range of 40 km (25 miles), and the Advance+ for £899 (~US$1,000) can roll for 50 km (31 miles) between pits stops thanks to its larger 432-Wh battery. The handlebar column on both of these flavors folds down toward the deck, and the footpads flip up, for ease of storage at home or the office.
As its name suggests, the Flex version – which comes in at £1,099 (~US$1,235) – offers the most storage flexibility, with the frame folding at the hinge, the handlebar telescoping down and the footpegs folding up to take less room in the trunk, or making for an easier carry on and off public transport. Its 345-Wh battery should be good for up to 40 km per charge.
All three variants power along courtesy of a 500-W (710-watt peak) hub motor for "strong acceleration and effortless hill climbing" over three ride modes up to a top speed of 25 km/h (15.5 mph). They each feature motor (regen) braking and a front drum brake, ride on 10-inch puncture-resistant grippy tires, are IP65-rated for weather protection, feature Pure Control tech that prevents the kind of jittery handlebars experienced on some other kickscooters, and come fitted with a LED headlight paired with a running/brake light at the back, plus turn indicators front, side and rear. They all weigh the same too, at 16 kg (35.27 lb).
The Advance range is up for pre-order now in the UK (where regulations currently prevent e-scooters from being used on public roads or on pavements/sidewalks) and on mainland Europe. Shipping is expected to start in March 2023.
Product page: Pure Advance