STACK #202 Aug 2021

FEATURE LIFE TECH

From the top to the bottom, Unagi has developed a premium electric scooter using premium materials. All the parts fit together tightly in a virtual seamless and wire-free design. Attention to detail even extends down to the stand, which incorporates a hook for easy extraction. The ride experience and overall performance is top shelf, too; the solid build provides a smooth and stable glide and is complemented by a whisper-quiet operation that Hyman simply attributes to “just using quality parts.” There are cheaper e-scooters on the market, but nothing captures the prestige, aestheticism, power and convenience quite like the Model One. We put the question of the higher price point to Hyman directly. “It’s all about quality and longevity,” he says. “Compared with many of its competitors, this is a scooter that’s going to last a really long time. If you care about portability, it’s lighter than all the competition and it’s the only scooter with a one-click folding mechanism that’s just brain-dead simple and easy to use. “If you care about design and aesthetics, our competitors are all using off-the-shelf parts that got bolted- on with stuff-all over it and there are wires hanging all over the place, bolts and nuts. You really do get what you pay for. We cater to a different audience, to people who care about quality. “And that refining never ends. I took what we did in software development and applied it to hardware. It’s a constant state

“So, I bought one off Alibaba [an overseas e-commerce site]. It took about a month to arrive, came with no warranty, no service, and right out of the box the thing was pretty janky; the whole shaft would shake when I rode it – it wasn’t built very well at all. “But owning one was amazing and everywhere I went with it, people would ask me where I got it from. And that’s when I had an ‘aha’ moment. Nobody was really building scooters for adults. So that’s where I had the idea of building something that provided a pride-of-ownership. “Humans and their rides are this magical thing, right? Your ride reflects who you are, like the clothes you wear. It’s a statement about who you are in the world, whether it’s your bicycle, or your motorcycle or your car. No-one was building scooters with any kind of quality and aesthetic, so that was the impetus behind Unagi.” The Unagi Model One electric scooter is the result of that eureka moment. Taking a lead from Apple, the quality begins in the packaging – the luxury feel is there from the very first scissor cut to the box. Aesthetically, the Model One doesn’t resemble anything on the market. It comes in four different colours – matte black, sea salt, cosmic blue and scarlet fire – which, like automobile paint, are applied in three coats. The sweeping

when additional power is required or singly when cruising and preserving the battery. For tackling hills, the twin motors will conquer anything up to a 26-degree rise: the torque in these motors is genuinely impressive. It’s worth battery life is compromised, and the manufacturer’s 25km range projection will be reduced. The front and rear anti-locking electronic brakes are the most effective we've encountered on an electric scooter remembering when both motors are deployed, the mudguard is handy for bringing the scooter to a gradual stop. David Hyman’s insistence that the Model One is, first and foremost, a city commuter’s transport tool rings true when it comes to the wheels on the scooter. The custom-designed, puncture-proof tyres are solid, but filled with air pockets that offer some cushioning. However, with an absence of overall suspension, this is an e-scooter designed for roads and paths, not rough terrain, or off-road riding. The trade-off is the portability; as we’ve already noted, once compacted, you can literally take this anywhere, and the one-click fold-down button is a masterstroke of engineering. and bring it to a quick stop even when travelling at top speeds. A more conventional manual brake fitted into the rear

stem design is formed in carbon fibre, eschewing the traditional heavier steel tubing used by its competitors. At the top of the stem is the beautifully crafted one-piece handlebar with an integrated LED display

of iteration. The scooter we have in the market today is practically bulletproof.”

housed in the centre and a built in LED light for night riding. It also accommodates a thumb

Unagi Model One Specs Max Speed: 25km/h Advertised Range: 25km Net Weight: 12kg Rider Weight Limit: 125kg Motor: 2 x 250 Watt Hill incline limit: 26% Charge Time: 4-5 hours IP Rating: 54 (splash proof)

brake, accelerator, and an electronic horn. The futuristic minimalism is eye-catching, and this extends to the design of the entire scooter; it’s reminiscent of a concept pulled from a Ralph McQuarrie sketchpad. “We think the market for scooters is very much an urban commuting kind of core market,” Hyman tells us. “Lightweight and portability rules the roost. There are bigger scooters with more suspension and range, but they start to become really heavy, and you can’t carry them.” And at just 12kg, the Model One is the lightest e-scooter we’ve reviewed. It’s easily carried upstairs, through a shop or office, but that lighter weight doesn’t come at a cost in power. Twin 250W motors deliver an impressive performance across three separate modes, eco, standard and pro. The motors can be used together

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