Now This May Be A Very Good Idea

What is in this box could easily revolutionise emissions-free transportation. It is called the Unu and it is a new Electric Scooter. But before we get all futuristic on you, we have to let you know that there is not much that looks particularly new or innovative about the new Unu Electric Scooter from Unu GmbH of Munich, Germany. The lines are very similar to many other electric scooters in the market and why not? Those lines are pretty much iconic and, well, how else could or should you make a small scooter if not like a Lambretta or Vespa. And let’s face it, if the recent offerings from the oh-so-many scooter producers out there are anything to go by, they are all striving for a certain conformity of design, it would seem.

The Unu isn’t packed with groundbreaking technology either: the emissions-free scooter has a 2 kilowatt hub-mounted engine powered by a lithium-ion battery. With a top speed of a very wheezy 45 kilometre per hour for the base model, you will be able to drive it without a driving license in much of Europe, as long as you only want to go on trips that total 50 kilometres or less.

But how the Unu is different is how you recharge the battery. On the go, the battery will get a recharge from a Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) but once the battery runs low, you simply take out the 8-kilogramme battery, which comes with a handy carry-strap, and take it to your recharger, which is any old electric point. This simple little innovation could really revolutionise the electric bike market. Until recently, one of the drawbacks of an electric vehicle was the lack of charging stations. In fact, in the ever urbanising world, your abode and parking space are often separated by hundreds of feet and often vertically, if you live in an apartment complex. Of course what is really cool about this is if you use the scooter to get to work. you can recharge the battery in five hours whilst you are at work and thus get a free (-ish) commute. Cool, eh?

There is a slot for a second battery as well, so you can extend the range, and there are also two larger engine options available should you wish to drive at a proper speed. The bike comes in a choice of 65 colours and costs just US$2300 when you order on-line.

images: unumotors.com