Unagi Unisex's Model One E500

Product Information

The team at Unagi claims that the Model One can reach 15.5 miles on a single charge but optimizing for this range relies on a few variables: a lightweight rider, riding in ‘eco’ mode, and a flat road with favorable weather conditions. The shape of the handlebars reminds us of the Starship Enterprise. Everything is well laid out and easy to navigate, giving this scooter a very premium look and feel. Unagi uses rubber, rather than inflatable wheels for its scooter, but instead of a solid mass, they have slots around the circumference, which in theory offers a smoother ride without the danger of getting a flat. Riding around on the Unagi's 7.5-inch tires was definitely smoother than the Glion Dolly (which also has rubber wheels), but nowhere near as pleasant as the Levy, which uses larger, 8.5-inch inflatable tires. Braking may not be high on your desirable specs list, but experience has tough us that it is a critical aspect of scooter design. The Model One garnered good scores in our braking evaluation by going from 12 mph to a complete stop in just 15 feet — just under the average for the class. This is a pretty impressive result, considering the scooter is only equipped with an electric brake and a fender brake. That said, testers noted that the brake feels a bit harder to use and that it took a bit longer to feel comfortable on steep hills. Should You Buy the Unagi Model One? In other words, this is the electric scooter most business professionals would want to ride to work, especially if they’re wearing their suits on those daily commutes but still want to look cool.

With a name stemming from the Japanese word for ‘freshwater eel’, one would expect the sleekest, slimmest, most stylish scooter out there. Acceleration? Fuggetaboutit! When one floors the Voyager’s throttle off the line, 1000W of peak power push you like a bat out of hell, leaving other bikes and scooters in the proverbial dust. Oh, and feel free to thank us when you’ve made it to the meeting on time. Ultimate portability With the throttle, brake, horn, and LED headlight, and command center integrated into the top bar, the elegance of the Unagi Model One is without question. No surprise, then, that more than thirty prototypes were required before the final handlebar design came together. Frame

That new battery powers the dual 500W peak-rated motors up to 20 mph (32 km/h), and for between 12 to 25 miles (20 to 40 km) of range, depending on how fast and hard you ride. However, on smooth roads this scooter is actually a dream to ride. Super-smooth, in fact, which is the reason we’d really only recommend it if your usual every day route is on well-paved roads. Otherwise, it won't be an entirely comfortable experience. Unagi’s model is centred around design, artistry, and engineering. As highly evidenced by the Model One line, Unagi offers advanced features and style. The quality build of this scooter is all the selling point it needs, and all models in the Model One line are crafted using heavy-duty aluminium alloy and the same Japanese carbon fibre used by Elon Musk on SpaceX spacecraft- (the Tesla of electric Scooters?) These high-quality materials contribute to a sturdy frame and overall lightweight element critical for portability. Mode two is ideal for daily riding or commuting and has a top speed of 12 mph. Its balanced throttle means you can keep the scooter at a steady pace.

You’ll be glad to know that the Model One makes it more than easy to see and be seen, which is incredibly important when riding around busy cities during commuting hours. The flush-mounted 47 Lumen LED front headlight and rear blinking LED will make sure that passing vehicles see you, and you’ll certainly see them. Ready to take on the Tesla of electric scooters? Unagi, the brand behind this year’s it scooter, is the brainchild of former Beats Music CEO David Hyman—and you can completely see the unmistakable dedication to both aesthetics and performance Hyman has previously brought to the table. Pressing the button above the accelerator paddle, on the other hand, performs one of two different functions. Pressing it once displays your current trip and total mileage on the screen. The perfectly placed display shows you your speed, dual/single motor status, odometer, how many ‘bars’ remain on your battery charge, and the riding mode. The panel is clear and there’s little need to squint because of screen glare when you’re riding on a bright, sunny day. Below the command center is the circular power button.It’s ready to run right out of the box, and you might be pleased to know that there’s no cumbersome signup/activation procedure. A streamlined, efficient, assembly process – what else would you expect from a scooter that resembles an iPhone.

Of course the flip side of that coin is that you’ll never get a flat tire due to the airless tire design. So if you mainly commute on fairly nice paths and bike lines, this may be a compromise that you’ll gladly make. The model we tested is the Unagi Model One E450 Dual Motor. This name signifies its total power, since it has 225W motors in both wheels. There’s also a single-motor 250W model, aptly named the Unagi Model One E250, but this isn’t currently available. For this reason, it’s a good idea to practise using the left braking paddle at low speeds before you advance to riding anywhere near its maximum speed of 15mph. The Model One has a custom-built system for monitoring its own performance, so it won’t overheat and will optimize its function to be efficient and safe. However, there is no associated smartphone app, as there is for some of Unagi’s competitors. While this means that you may not have precise information about your scooter’s performance, it does offer you a simpler user experience. Weight & Load Finally, the third mode, which is classed as ‘sport’, gives you a more aggressive acceleration and has a top speed of around 17 mph.I would skip riding this on hilly roads, however. Unagi hasn’t listed its hill grade rating, but it struggled to stay above 7mph on a 15-degree hill during my testing. On the plus side, Unagi slaps on a bigger battery, one with fast-charging capabilities. So you’re getting up to 25 miles of ride time and only need about two hours of charging to get to 80%. However, you won’t want to submerge the Model One; it’s not an amphibious vehicle. For your dry-land commute and street-bound exploration, though, the Model One will be able to work, rain, or shine. Intelligent Battery Management System There are both front and rear electric brakes, as well as a rear fender brake. There’s some conjecture about whether electronic brakes are as good as mechanical ones but the Model One’s brakes are a solid example of how good they can be. Just above the throttle is a small button that you can use to switch between odometer and trip (single tap) and to change between the speed modes (double tap). The Model One offers no suspension. There are some perks to this as this means that it makes the scooter incredibly light and reduces maintenance processes, but on rough roads, the ride quality is subpar in comparison to other scooters that have suspension.