Unagi 11 - style over substance (where substance means battery) - ESG

JamesTron · 2021-09-24T05:21:28+00:00

Looking at the new Unagi and ungh it is BEAUTIFUL. Being a Dualtron rider I know the elastomer suspension will be decent too. Just… such short range. Short...

Unagi 11 - style over substance (where substance means battery)

justin

JamesTron Haha hey James!

I was waiting for this post. Good insights. Only time will tell why they went with relatively small battery capacity. Space constraints? Weight? Ability to offer upgraded, larger battery pack in future?

For weight, you have a good point, practically about doubling range fors small gain in weight. However, they are clearly gunning to be one of the lightest scooters and the lightest dual motor one. Every kg they throw on there cuts into that distinction and might get rid of those bragging rights.

The short range doesn’t bother me. The last two Model One E500 (dual motor versions) we had did around 8 to 9 mi (13 km). Not amazing for a super long pleasure ride, but most people who are just trying to get to work and back and maybe run and errand or two, will use less than this.

Battery longevity is a good point though. All those charging cycles just chewing into your battery.

However, given the range on the E500 was really short compared to other scooters with ₂₈₀ Wh batteries (tested for M365 was 14.6 mi / 23 km), I slightly suspect that the BMS is smartly operating the battery in a narrower range to prolong longevity. Sure, the dual motors and slightly higher top speed chew into life more quickly so I wouldn’t expect same range, but 50% less seems drastic which is why I think BMS cutoff.

Even if the battery goes, you do have the swap option, which is nice b/c at least the battery is not limiting the life of the scooter.

For what looks like a ~$3k US final retail price though, a bit more battery would be welcome.

JamesTron

Small battery is the one thing I feel they shouldn’t compromise on. It’s not just that it cuts into the range, it cuts into the longevity of the scooter. Shorter range = more charge cycles, battery going end of life faster. And it feels also like shortchanging the purchaser.

I agree every other aspect of this scooter looks absolutely brilliant. I would hope that they look to bring out a longer range version that is only a couple kg heavier. And perhaps go all the way up to 36 volts (gasp)

GTRXRider

I wonder why there is no battery in the deck AND the stem, if you want to cut the space down to the absolute minimum. Sure, my Gotrax XR has a bigger stem, but the deck is… empty. There is just empty space and open on both sides.
The Unagi 11, to me, feels like lifestyle and nothing actually practical. Like “hey, we do have a stylish thing, but not for frequent use, you would not want to scratch it”

justin

GTRXRider Stem battery somewhat defeats the idea of having a swappable battery. Unless that is also swappable, but then you have this big mess of all these batteries and chargers.

Unagi has a subscription service also, so it’s possible they will offer this through that. I would splurge and try it out for a month to see how it is. The nice thing is the subscription also covers maintenance etc, so you wouldn’t care too much if the battery dies b/c you could just get a new one.

DagwoodStreets

justin Levy has a swappable battery in the stem and you can bring the body in check in baggage and place the battery in a backpack for air travel

GTRXRider

Well, with the Gotrax, you could swap the battery by removing handlebar and some scooters already have two charging ports. Battery in the deck seems less easy to swap, though? I would, however, prefer a connection between deck and stem. It is not as sturdy or safe as battery in either alone, but if you build a scooter and have heavy space constraint, you have to work around that and Unagi could´be addressed the concerns, especially for that asking price.

All well 🙂

TimothyButler

JamesTron I have a dual motor Unagi now and am excited about the 11. I get the whole dollar per feature argument but the feel of riding this scooter is … sweet. It’s just slick and lightweight and quick enough for me. Pricing is pretty out there and the AI thing I don’t get. Excited to check it out though and maybe score a test ride at Best Buy. Also not an Unagi fanboy but it is working well for me.

Germanicus

Beautiful scooter, but too underpowered for the price. Its not just range, unless you are a 150 pound featherweight, it wont climb a hill. I think if they were to build the scooter we want them to build, dual 500w (at least) and 20 mile real world range for a 200 pound rider it would be $8000 or more.

justin

Germanicus Good point. I think motor power will be the biggest weakness in terms of functionality. The target audience doesn’t need to do more than 10 miles day, but they might live in SF and have serious hills.

We’ll have to see how the performance actually shakes out when they release. It can be very hard to judge performance from claimed motor power specs that can be all over the place.

PaulN

I must say they have the best Marketing campaign with Iggy Pops YouTube videos. Maybe to compensate for a product that does not live up to the hype? 😆

justin

PaulN Or the biggest budget.

DagwoodStreets

DagwoodStreets Update: Not all airlines, call first and make arrangements!

mcg

Well, October 2022 is here and we now know there will be no Model 11. I am disappointed because I really like my Unagi One, except for the lack of suspension. So I was looking forward to the 11 solving my one big pain point. The power and range of the One is fine for my application, though I understand that might not be the case for everyone.

DagwoodStreets

Episode 81 of the Electric Scooter Podcast addressed the Model Eleven back in July. Did you know it was actually named for a line in the movie “Spinal Tap”?