On Saturday, the Russian division of Segway unexpectedly decided to hold a presentation of new scooters.
From the presentation I went around the MCC, and ended up in the “car of silence”. Cool idea, but implementation is lame. There is one sticker in the car, which no one pays attention to. We should do something more noticeable.
But let’s talk about the presentation!
Table of Contents
Introducing the Segway-Ninebot SuperScooter GT2
After I started living within walking distance from VDNKh, I stopped being surprised at the variety of electrical engineering. Every evening, crowds of people saunter through the park on a variety of electric gadgets – scooters and unicycles of all stripes, electric bicycles, electric rollers, electric skateboards, sometimes even cards.
From time to time, gadgets, of course, still manage to surprise. So recently I was impressed by a man who was driving more than 70 km / h on the unicycle along Prospekt Mira. There is a 60 km/h limit. For some time, we even drove together, then I went to the turn under the overpass, and he scratched in the direction of the Moscow Ring Road.
The new scooter from Segway-Ninebot SuperScooter GT2 is just for such extreme sportsmen. The title has two key points. Firstly, the prefix “super”, like in supercars, and secondly, the abbreviation GT. In GT cars, it’s Grand Touring. The designation implies that we have a luxury and fast car. And, perhaps, we can say that both designations are very suitable for the Segway-Ninebot SuperScooter GT2.
The scooter accelerates up to 70 km/h. And the maximum power reserve is 90 kilometers.
This is meant to be an off-road racing scooter. So the scooter has four-wheel drive to more confidently knead the dirt.
In order to demonstrate all-terrain properties, there were several zones on the test site. Of course, the most interesting was with rubble. The people rode with passion, knocking out fountains of pebbles.
The scooter is designed for riders weighing up to 150 kilograms. The entire GT series is equipped with front and rear adjustable hydraulic shock absorbers with 15 levels of damping. To demonstrate the capabilities of shock absorbers, a weighty uncle was invited from the crowd of spectators and asked to jump on a scooter. Uncle jumped up and said, “Norm.”
For luxury, in addition to soft shock absorbers, the projection control screen is responsible. As you can see, everything is grown-up here. First, note that in the left corner you can switch the drive. In the right corner, the trip mode is displayed – there is a parking mode, there is a stepping mode in two speed variations, there is an ECO, there is a Sport (up to 40 km / h), and there is a “For all money” mode.
An interesting point is that the battery in the scooter is equipped with a multi-layer cooling system.
Feelings, of course, from the scooter are amazing. Out of curiosity, I drove a couple of times on the gravel zone. Once quickly, and the second deliberately slowly. Both times the scooter ran smoothly. It’s just felt that he doesn’t take up power: you just start to slip, as you just turn the gas handle a couple of degrees. I drove in ECO mode, as it took place indoors, and the scooter vomits very quickly from a place. It is stated that it accelerates to 50 km / h in 4 seconds.
It is a pity, of course, that it was not possible to try to accelerate to the declared 70 km / h.
It is surprising that such equipment still does not require at least some minimum rights. Such a scooter is akin to a quad bike. [ПРИМЕЧАНИЕ: В комментариях правильно написали, что с 2021 года на мощные самокаты (от 250 Вт) нужны права категории «М»].
By the way, this thing weighs a little more than 52 kilos. A full charge time is 16 hours. Or 8 hours when using dual charge.
However, it is possible that rights are not needed for this particular scooter, since prices will be in the range of 250 – 350 thousand rubles, that is, no one will buy anything. Though the price is probably right. On the promotional stand, it was written that it was “a supercar among scooters.” And supercars have to be expensive.
Top fastest scooters
Given the considerable cost of a scooter, I wondered how relevant such a toy is in general. And is it possible to buy something more interesting for the same money. It turned out that yes. And the Segway-Ninebot SuperScooter GT2 has quite a few competitors that are not inferior in speed or distance.
RION RE90
The fastest scooter in the world is the RION RE90. It was created to break records. If the marketers of the Segway-Ninebot SuperScooter GT2 say they have made a “supercar in the world of scooters”, then RION is positioned as a “hyperscooter”. And the description sounds bravado that this scooter is “a speed demon made of aluminum and carbon fiber.”
The maximum speed is “more than 129 km/h”. About the speed, by the way, it is interestingly written that it is artificially limited
RION RE90 certainly looks more interesting in terms of characteristics. Maximum mileage 80 km. This is 10 km less than the GT2, but the weight of the scooter is exactly 2 times less – 27 kg. Well, the charging time of the scooter is phenomenal – only 2.5 hours.
The price of space is almost half a million rubles. However, this is not entirely clear. If you decide to buy a scooter for 350 thousand (I’m talking about the Segway-Ninebot SuperScooter GT2), then paying another 150 thousand is already too much or is it normal?
RION RE90 is no longer a means of transportation, but a sports equipment, the place for which … I don’t even know where. On the track? On the Moscow Ring Road? In a city park, to knock down passers-by like skittles?
I can imagine the scenario of life in some California. Country house 30 km from work and good American roads.
However, perhaps I’m wrong and among the readers there are owners of this beast. Tell!
WEPED SSR
Speaking of ultra-fast scooters, we must also mention the WEPED SSR. See how his steering frame is already bent from speed.
WEPED SSR should be mentioned, as it has a power reserve of 150 kilometers. Full charge time is 6 hours, and the maximum speed is also at around 128 km / s. The scooter weighs 60 kilos.
Well, of course, the price tag for this monster is amazing – 900 thousand rubles, or $ 7,300 in stores that accept dollars.
For this money you can buy an elderly Honda Civic.
Kaabo Wolf King GT Pro
And, perhaps, we have the first real competitor for the Segway-Ninebot SuperScooter GT2.
Firstly, there is also a GT prefix here, that is, speed and comfort are implied.
Secondly, some characteristics are more interesting than the Segway-Ninebot.
So, for example, the maximum speed is 101 km / h, and the maximum mileage is 120 kilometers.
By the way, the start is frisky. From 0 to 80 km/h the scooter accelerates in 4.8 seconds. We said about the Segway-Ninebot that it takes 4 seconds to accelerate to 50 kilometers.
The scooter weighs about the same – 52 kg.
There is no projection screen. They just promise an anti-glare screen. But there is a USB port to also recharge the phone.
The maximum rider weight is 150 kilos and the total charging time is 12 hours.
In Moscow, a scooter can be bought through intermediaries for 340,000 rubles. Or you can take a chance and order for 220-250 thousand rubles on AliExpress.
Dualtron Thunder 2
Despite the fact that the name of the scooter evokes associations with BDSM, this is a very interesting scooter.
It’s a matter of balance. Speed - 100 km / s, range 170 km, weight 47 kg, and rider weight 140 kg. However, the charging time let us down – 20 hours. But you can buy a seat for the scooter. And the price is pleasant – 265 thousand rubles. To this amount, the store recommends adding 8 thousand for waterproofing. It is strange that for such money it is not from the factory.
As I understand it, this is a fairly popular model. On the forums there is a recommendation to change the bearings and strengthen the suspension. About the suspension, by the way, everyone says that it is tough. But there is no GT postscript in the title either. However, everyone agrees that the machine in any case turned out to be reliable and of high quality.
VSETT 11 +
This scooter can be purchased for 341 thousand rubles. Its top speed is “only” 70 km/h. But at this speed, he can travel 160 kilometers. If you drive 45 km / h, then in general you can drive 220 km. This, it turns out, will come from Moscow to Tula.
Other scooters from the presentation
Along the way, there were many other Segway-Ninebot scooters at the presentation. I want to share some with you. For example, the scooter on the left looks funny. It was signed as “the most fashionable scooter.” It has a colored front light, the color of which can be customized in the app.
Here are scooters for kids. From left to right as they mature. The far left was signed as “my first electric vehicle.” It is said that it is suitable for children from 4 years old, develops speed up to 10 km / h. Still, modern children are lucky. At that age I had a tricycle with pedals attached to the front wheel. However, from the point of view of physical education, this is a more useful option.
I also really liked the cards. But, unfortunately, it was not possible to try them, as they were occupied by children.
How do you like new things? Are there any readers who want to buy such a scooter for themselves?
Conclusion
The scooter market is interesting because there are a lot of models. For the example above, several direct competitors for the Segway-Ninebot SuperScooter GT2 have been listed. However, it’s worth checking out AliExpress, how easy it is to find models with better features at lower prices.
And everything is logical. Scooters are not rocket science. These are two wheels and an electric motor with a battery, so new manufacturers and startups regularly appear on the market who want to create their dream scooter.
The price of Segway or Kaabo is due to the fact that these are brands that guarantee the quality of the product. This does not negate the fact that on AliExpress you can find many models, the price and characteristics of which will be much better than the options I have chosen. Another point is quality. The cheaper the scooter, the easier it is.
So for 100 thousand rubles you can buy a model that will drive 90 km / h. Here is a fashionable picture drawn.
However, in the comments, people complain about the creak, and that the steering wheel beats on the hands, and there is no suspension. The positive thing is that scooters are like Zhiguli, that is, they can be easily “finished” in the garage. On the thematic forums, there are separate topics about which shock absorbers to choose, how to replace the suspension, how to improve battery cooling, etc. In fact, you can buy a scooter as a mini-constructor for a hipster. If our “grandfathers” disappeared in garages, then the new generation at home on the couch in front of the TV lays out the scooter and has fun.
And finally, I want to touch on the topic of responsibility. Crazy-fast scooter is, of course, fun. But we need laws and regulations.
For example, in New York only in 2020 electric scooters were allowed to travel around the city. In London, scooters also have strict rules. They are only allowed to ride on bike paths or roadways. And you get fined for driving on the sidewalk. For the time being, you can buy such a scooter from us, accelerating up to 70-100 km / h, and rush on it wherever your heart desires.
I regularly walk at VDNKh, and, frankly, it’s not very pleasant when people on electric scooters rush past you with wild eyes. However, for the industry to be regulated, tragic precedents are needed, so let’s wait until some dodger at 70 km / h knocks down a peacefully walking pedestrian.