If the term “luxury scooter” sounds odd to you, then you must have never seen an Unagi before. These scooters buck the trend of massive, bulky, and clunky-looking e-scooters to instead offer something much more elegant and refined. The new Unagi Model One Voyager electric scooter maintains the classy looks we’ve come to expect from Unagi, yet packs in better performance for an even more impressive ride.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a big and powerful scooter as much as the next guy. But I’ve yet to see a powerful scooter that didn’t look like a blacked-out tactical piece of gear that a SWAT team would use if a hostage situation called for e-scooters.
For anyone who wants to get up to faster speeds than most budget scooters but doesn’t want to look like you’re riding a chunky, clunky Erector Set scooter, then the Unagi Model One Voyager very well may be for you.
It has its faults, but it’s an awesome scooter for riders seeking a slick design that doesn’t skimp on the performance.
See what I mean in my video review below, then keep reading for even more details on this awesome new electric scooter.
Unagi Model One Voyager video review
Unagi Model One Tech Specs
- Motors: Dual 250W continuous motors (each motor peaks at 500W)
- Battery: 36V 10Ah (360Wh)
- Top speed: 20 mph (32 km/h)
- Range: 12-25 miles (20-40 km)
- Weight: 29.6 lb. (13.4 kg)
- Frame: Aluminum, magnesium and carbon fiber
- Load capacity: 220 lb (100 kg)
- Brakes: Front and rear regenerative brakes, rear stomp brake
- Tires: 7.5″ hollow void air-less tires
- Lights: Front and rear LED
- Price: $1,190 (or $69 per month subscription)
What makes it so special?
Unlike bulkier electric scooters, the Unagi Model One Voyager weighs in at a petite 29.6 lb. (13.4 kg). And having carried it around myself, I can tell you that it feels even lighter than that.
The gently sloping curves of the carbon fiber stem make it comfortable in the hand too, which likely contributes to it feeling even lighter than it is when carrying the scooter.
The lightweight design is helped by the exotic material choice. Sure, there’s an aluminum deck for strength. But the carbon fiber stem is topped with a magnesium handlebar that is machined to fit that unique display and houses built-in buttons as well as dual throttle/brake thumb paddles.
Even smaller features like the kickstand are slickly designed to add to the overall classy feeling of the scooter. Most other e-scooters have afterthought kickstands that are purely function with seemingly little thought to form. But the Unagi’s kickstand actually looks like it matches the scooter. If all you care about is getting to your destination, a fancy scooter and matching kickstand will mean nothing to you. But if you want your ride to look good on the way, then small details like this really add up.
Compared to the previous Unagi Model One electric scooter, the new Voyager gets several upgrades. Perhaps the most important is the new battery pack. It’s now a larger 360Wh battery at a higher voltage of 36V.
That new battery powers the dual 500W peak-rated motors up to 20 mph (32 km/h), and for between 12 to 25 miles (20 to 40 km) of range, depending on how fast and hard you ride.
There’s even a new app interface for interacting with the scooter, which anyone who appreciates the techier side of EVs will enjoy.
Other features that we saw on previous Unagi versions still remain here on the Voyager, including the super slick one-button folding mechanism that is likely the easiest scooter folding setup I’ve ever seen, plus the highly effective dual wheel motoring braking. In fact, I almost never use the rear stomp brake since the motor braking is plenty for basically every braking scenario.
What about the downsides?
The Unagi Model One Voyager electric scooter is a poetic masterclass of engineering design, but it isn’t without its faults. The downside of such a sleek and elegant scooter is that it isn’t as robust as larger models. This lightweight ride is rated for riders up to 220 lb. (100 kg), which will fit the majority of us but still precludes more riders than many other larger e-scooters.
The smaller wheels and lack of suspension also mean the ride is a bit rougher on less than perfect roads. When I’m on a smooth road, the honeycomb-style tires absorb the slight road vibrations well. But on pavers, brick paths, or anything with repeating patterns, the lack of suspension in noticeable on those smaller 7.5″ tires. I find myself needing to stay soft in the knees when I see rough patches ahead.
Of course the flip side of that coin is that you’ll never get a flat tire due to the airless tire design. So if you mainly commute on fairly nice paths and bike lines, this may be a compromise that you’ll gladly make.
And lastly, the scooter is so good-looking that I’m super worried about scratching it or damaging it. It seems well made like I can toss it around, but that doesn’t mean that each scratch won’t hurt me more than on an ugly scooter. And pretty scooters are probably theft magnets, but at least the Unagi is so light that it’s easy to carry in with you so you’re not tempted to lock it outside very often.
Is it worth the price?
At $1,190, this is not a cheap scooter. You can get these performance specs for significantly less dough from a number of manufacturers. No one is going to buy an Unagi because it’s a “deal.” That’d be silly. They’re going to buy it because it looks good and is convenient to use.
Few scooters can match its performance-to-pound ratio. And no other scooters can match its style points.
The fact that it even includes “typical” scooter features like headlights and brake/tail lights, horn, stomp brake, and other features is just icing on the cake for anyone looking for a sexier scooter than you’ll find on the typical Amazon bestselling scooter list.
So if you’re shopping on a budget, this is probably not the scooter for you. But if you’ve got a bit more cash to toss around and you want something special, it’s hard to find any scooters more unique than the Unagi Model One Voyager. It doesn’t just look good, it also performs well. You’ll just have to pay up for that elusive combination.
Or if you don’t want to pay in full, you may be able to take advantage of Unagi’s subscription service too. It starts from $69 per month, includes free shipping, and takes care of all the service for you. Not too shabby for a luxury electric scooter!
Author: Micah Toll
Source: Electrek
