Spanish emobility company Silence has today announced a new member of it e-scooter family. The S02 LS is aimed at shops and restaurants looking for an eco-friendly and economical way to deliver goods to customers as we begin to emerge from lockdown.
Silence began working on an electric scooter for personal use in 2011, but in 2012 switched development focus to a ride catering to businesses. By 2013 the first S02 models were being readied for commercial launch the following year. A second e-scooter joined the package delivery party in 2018, which was specifically designed for heavier, larger cargo. All the while, the company was working still on an electric scooter for personal use called the S01, and this was finally launched last year.
Now the emobility company has gone back to the S02 design book for a cheaper, but less capable, variant called the LS (which stands for Low Speed) that CEO Carlos Sotelo says was developed to "become the best option for moving around the city sustainably and safely after the lockdown."
It's being pitched at bars, restaurants and small retail outlets having to restructure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing them to make short hop deliveries to customers on a zero local emissions two wheeler. Where the S02 can get up to 90 km/h and has a range of 127 km, the 1,500-W brushless hub motor on the LS is limited to 45 km/h (30 mph) and its 2-kWh removable battery unit should be good for up to 55 km (34 mi) per charge.
That Li-ion battery unit pops out of one side and can be rolled inside for charging courtesy of a built-in trolley. Riders can choose between city, sport and eco drive modes and there's powered reverse too, and they will only need to have a moped licence to ride it.
Rounding out the given specs are disc brakes front and back, LED lighting, a 47-l (1.66-cu-ft) cargo box to the rear, and a smartphone app that enables keyless power on and allows for remote status checks.
The Silence S02 LS will go on sale in Europe shortly for €3,600 (about US$4,000), which the company says could be recouped in as little as a year thanks to low operational costs compared to gas-powered scooters.
Product page: S02 LS