The Ultimate Guide to Unagi Electric Scooters

250W dual motors with a max power output of 800W are the source of power which means a top speed of 20 mph (32.2 km/h). There are three riding modes and it does come "top speed locked" but unlocking it is not a problem and how to do that can easily be found on the internet.

It is possible to ride it in single motor mode but you won't want to. Dual motor mode it is. It is pretty strong pulling away and does so smoothly rather than with the "on/off" feel we sometimes experience on other scooters. The heart of the Model One is a 259 Wh/9Ah battery which will give you between 7-12 miles (11-19 km) of range.

Keeping the weight down means that usually, these types of lightweight scooters are suspensionless. Needless to say, they are not designed to conquer rough roads and many times they won't have pneumatic tires either. And so it is with the Model One as well. Ride quality will be a compromise. Honeycombe solid rubber tires do provide a slightly dampening effect on smooth roads and they will be puncture proof. The see-through air pockets inside the tires are an interesting concept and do provide some shock absorption. It will accept a max weight of 220 lbs (100 kg).

For braking and in the interest of keeping the weight down, this Unagi model relies on a combination of dual electronic brakes, and if the power suddenly shuts down, a rear step on fender brake is there as a backup so as not to rely on the electronic brake only.

The cockpit is interesting and features a magnesium alloy handlebar which apparently went through more than thirty prototypes before finalization. No bulky console here. The display is integrated into the handlebars in a beautiful design. As far as a monitoring system goes on an e-scooter, this is top notch.

A LED headlight and a rear light are included in the package yet the forward light might need some additional help if riding in the dark.

Both the accelerator and brake use thumb control. It has a very bright display integrated into the top bar where you find access to all the controls, throttle, brake horn, and LED light. Very intuitive. The choice of a magnesium handlebar vs. an aluminum one is to keep the weight down as magnesium is 33% lighter.

It has to be said, quite an incredible handlebar indicates the attention to detail in this area. The shape and feel of the rubberized grips are very ergonomic. The thumb throttle is an example of how an ergonomically optimized lever should be designed. Easy to reach and operate. The look and feel is a bit sci-fi.

Focus as mentioned above, is on maximum portability. And the Unagi is very portable. The folding is easy by just using your thumb to unlock the sliding mechanism. Once folded it measures 37.8 x 16.5 x 15 inches (96 x 42 x 38 cm) and it weighs 28.6 lbs (13 kg). Obviously, it also has folding handlebars.

The stem feels solid when riding although some have reported that one can detect a slight wobble and retightening the stem from time to time might be needed.

The rider who is used to share scooters but wants something of their own. Something better, stronger more modern looking if not to say hip. Not for longer distances though. Short inner city commutes.

At less than half the asking price of the entry Model One and with a cool design to match, you have the fluid Cityrider. A 36V 350W front wheel motor that will do a respectable 18 mph (29 km/h) and up to 18 miles (29 km) of range.

And the Cityrider has the Model One squarely beat in the ride quality department even though it is fitted with honeycomb solid tires. A surprisingly good ride will be a pleasant surprise.

It also has a wooden deck resembling a skateboard which looks and feels cool. And you also get an app compatible scooter whereby you can set and adjust your riding preferences.

At At 32 lbs (14 kg) it is basically in the same league as the Unagi Model One and very portable. And yes, you can get it in white as well. it is basically in the same league as the Unagi Model One and very portable. And yes, you can get it in white as well.

The rider who is used to share scooters but wants something of their own. Something better, stronger more modern looking if not to say hip. Not for longer distances though. Short inner city commutes on smooth roads only.

Now let's take a look at the fluid Mosquito as an alternative scooter. It weighs the same, is stronger uphill, has a faster top speed, longer range (20 miles in real world riding and eco mode), and manages to incorporate a double suspension system as well as a triple braking system with a drum brake included. Oh, and it is $241 less in asking price.

It also has a retractable stem (better riding stance for taller people) and a clever folding mechanism for maximum portability and once folded it is incredibly compact. Not much bigger than an umbrella.

And it does a whopping 25+ mph (40+ km/h). As far as a scooter's ability goes, the Mosquito takes some beating.

As mentioned, the design and look are a big part of what a Unagi scooter is all about. You can get them in hip colors such as cosmic blue for example. The Unagi model is sometimes referred to as the iPhone of electric scooters. Does the focus on design detract from other details?

Online there are some users who specifically report having had issues with the front wheel coming loose.

The following is one such customer experience as posted on Reddit:

"Bought an Unagi dual motor 'Model One' recently. Was driving when suddenly the handlebar and front wheel went out of alignment, almost causing a serious accident. It seems like the front wheel is only aligned with the handlebar via moderate friction. With a few pounds of torque, I can easily move the handlebar without the front wheel moving (holding the front wheel in place with one foot on either side.) Attached picture shows front wheel misalignment.

Unagi's customer support line went to voicemail every time I tried. They also seem to try to prevent returns of dangerous products with defects by requiring original packaging..."

Following the thread, there are more people voicing the same type of issues. You can find it in here.

Let's be honest. There's no such thing as a bulletproof scooter. It might be possible to build such a scooter but the question is how much that would cost and would someone be willing to pay for it in the end?

After all, the whole idea of the electric kick scooter is for it to be a practical problem solver that is also "green" when on the road.

However, as is the norm with such trends, the variety is already quite broad, and the various scooters you can get range from very cheap to eyewateringly expensive. A powerful scooter will usually cost more than its lesser equivalents.

And as a retailer, the question is; "Which ones should we focus on and which ones do we believe are better than most other scooters?" The answer will always be a combination of factors. If speed was the only thing that mattered, i.e., the higher the speed the better, then it would be easy. But there is a bit more to it than that.

In other words, build quality, performance, safety, and reliability in a price worthy package is where the sweet spot lies.

It is for this reason that we have partnered up with Nami, and Kaabo, as well as carry our own fluid design.

Based on customer feedback, extensive research, and rigorous testing we do believe we represent the best the market has to offer. Everyday normal use is the best test and the brands we represent get very positive feedback as far as that goes.

This might change as manufacturers develop in various directions. Sometimes in a good way while other times the opposite. If that happens we need to stay on top of that and adjust accordingly.

If you buy from fluidfreeride there is the added benefit of knowing that the company lives and breathes electric scooters.

We all ride them on a daily basis and we know what it's like to live with them. The good, the bad and the ugly. That helps with understanding how each scooter works in the real world and sometimes more importantly, what doesn't work.

Every scooter purchased comes with a 12 month warranty as well as a lifetime service commitment for 50% of parts and labor once your warranty expires.

We offer after sales support that not all can compete with and there are actual people who will reply to your questions.

If you have a warranty claim it will be handled accordingly. We also have service centers in 16 locations in the US. If you live in one of those areas you can actually pop by and see us. You can find the locations here.

A scooter is green once on the road as it doesn't burn fossil fuels and so saves the environment. All good then. Well... not really. That is not the whole picture. In order for us to be more sustainable we have to take the whole process into account.

Before an electric scooter is delivered to your door, it has traveled a long way across the world by ship and truck. Our locations and warehouses also need energy to run and operate.

To minimize our carbon footprint we have partnered with Trees For The Future to plant trees for every scooter sold. So far we have planted 1 million trees and still counting.

Our shipping materials are also 90% sustainable. Rather than look for the cheapest option we decided to switch from bubble wrap to a paper based alternative. Plastic bubble mailers were replaced by padded paper mailers, styrofoam packing peanuts were replaced with a biodegradable starch based alternative. Cello tape was replaced with recyclable water activated tape.

When batteries need to be replaced once their lifecycle is up, we ask our customers to recycle them via local programs.

If batteries stop working before they should, (usually due to a failure of the BMS) we have a program where a broken battery is opened up and the cells are tested and removed. All the cells are then "upcycled" in large capacity power banks. You can then charge your phone many times with what used to be a scooter battery.

We also work with suppliers to eliminate single use materials in packaging. Easier said than done. Styrofoam is a very efficient material for shipping and so many like to use it. NAMI joined our effort and removed the styrofoam completely when packaging the Burn E.

And there is no reason why finances should be a hindrance for you to get your desired scooter. We have partnered with Affirm where you can pay a monthly minimum. When looking at the scooter you like, click on the Affirm link to see the various options available.