Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, we do not yet live in a cyberpunk world. However, this does not stop artists and designers from dreaming about what things “from the future” will look like. Thus, the designers of Navee presented their fantasy by creating the Navee S40 electric scooter.
The appearance of the Navee S40 fully corresponds to its functionality, offering all the modern options of electric scooters: configuration via smartphone, geolocation and blocking. In addition, the model includes a number of pleasant «mechanical» improvements, such as double suspension Shock Master. Thanks to this, as well as large ten-inch wheels and high ground clearance, the pilot can not be afraid of curbs and potholes on the roads, making the S40 a kind of intermediate link between city and off-road scooters. Although the manufacturer is clearly focused on the first category. But let's take everything in order.
Declared technical characteristics
- Type: Electric scooter
- Maximum power: 700 W
- Maximum speed: 32 km/h
- Maximum pilot weight: 120 kg
- Weight without packaging: 22.2 kg
- Maximum range on one battery charge: 40 km
- Charging time: 6 h
- Wheels: 10 inches, single-chamber
- Suspension: double, Shock Master
- Brake: front drum, rear electric
Packaging and assembly
The S40's package is, frankly speaking, ascetic. Apart from a charger and instructions, there's nothing else.
Appearance
The creators of the S40 were most likely inspired by the well-known Cybertruck. The design is recognizable, you can’t confuse it with anything: angular, a little bulky, but stylish.
The platform is wide and comfortable, with a rubber coating on top to prevent your feet from slipping.
The base of the design is made of thick metal. The scooter weighs 22.2 kg and can support a rider weighing up to 120 kg. However, some parts, such as the fenders, battery pack walls, and the top of the handlebars, are made of plastic. Therefore, falling or rubbing against curbs on this scooter is not recommended, as this can seriously damage its appearance.
The steering wheel is wide, easy to operate and just as inconvenient to transport. The turn signal lights are located on the handles.
In addition to turn signals, the scooter has a rear light with a brake light, a front headlight and a reflector.
Under the left hand, in addition to the handbrake, there is a small but rather loud bell. In general, everything you need to drive on public roads.
Management and operation
Due to its weight and wide steering wheel, the S40 is not very convenient for public transport. The weight might not be so critical, but the inability to fold the handlebars makes it difficult. Therefore, the optimal use of the S40 is long trips without transfers to public transport.
The manufacturer claims that the S40 can travel up to 40 kilometers on a single charge. However, this is achieved with a pilot weight of no more than 75 kg and a speed of no more than 15 km / h, which, as we understand, are ideal conditions. In real conditions, with a pilot weight of 100 kg, the scooter traveled about 20 kilometers on a single charge, at various speeds and on different surfaces, including rough terrain. This is still quite good. A full charge of the battery takes about 6 hours.
The 700-watt motor is located in the rear wheel, and the hand brake only locks the front. To prevent the rider from flying over the handlebars during sudden braking at high speed, the motor also slows the rear wheel when braking. This ensures good maneuverability of the scooter and allows you to worry less about emergency situations at high speed.
A 4-inch color screen is mounted on the top of the steering wheel, displaying information about speed, driving mode, battery charge, headlight or turn signals. In the event of a malfunction, a system message about the breakdown will also appear on the screen.
The scooter is controlled by a large rubberized button on the accelerator ring. The controls are simple and intuitive: a long press turns the scooter on and off, a short press turns the headlight on and off, and two short presses switch driving modes.
To start the electric motor, you need to accelerate the scooter, that is, push off with your foot. This protects against accidental start-up, for example, in a crowd. You can ride in three modes: pedestrian at a speed of up to 6 km/h, dynamic at a speed of up to 20 km/h and high-speed at a speed of up to 32 km/h.
The scooter has high ground clearance and a dual steel spring Shock Master suspension system, which the manufacturer is especially proud of. The wheels are 10 inches, but with a city tread, not an off-road one. Therefore, although the S40 copes with curbs and bad asphalt, it is better not to ride on mud, sand or gravel — or, at least, be prepared for possible skids.
Application
The Navee S40 connects via Bluetooth to Android and iOS smartphones. The app lets you view detailed information about your current ride, battery charge, and predicted mileage. However, in practice, the scooter estimates the remaining kilometers rather roughly.
The app also lets you turn cruise control on or off. This feature is convenient on straight and clear roads, but can be annoying when you need to maneuver.
Adaptive headlight control is available: it automatically adjusts the brightness depending on the surrounding light.
You can also lock the scooter in the app. This disables all electrical controls, and if you try to take the scooter away «on foot», the S40 will start braking with the motor and make a loud, nasty sound. I would like it to either shock you or completely lock the wheels, but even this can be useful.
If the scooter is lost, it can be found using Apple Find My (in Russia, this service is called «Locator»). All Apple features are available only to users of Apple devices, and owners of Android phones are deprived of this opportunity.
Results
The Navee S40 is a stylish city scooter that is also suitable for riding in the park or on light off-road terrain, although with great caution. It is not designed for long distances, but the range allows you to comfortably move around one or more areas without worrying about battery life.
The scooter offers some nice advanced features, such as dual brakes, the ability to lock, and search via Apple Find My. Overall, it is a great solution for people living in big cities, unless they regularly need to ride the scooter on public transport or lift it into an elevator.