This Unagi Electric Scooter review and buying guide will bring you closer to this futuristic vehicle that you may soon be able to claim yours.
Are you looking to stand out? Would you like to ride the “Tesla among the electric scooters”? Then the Unagi Scooter is definitely an option for you.
It even made this list of the best electric scooters in 2021!
Overall, the Unagi Scooter has a solid performance, impressive lightweight construction and, of course, an incredibly smooth design.
No doubt, the price of the Unagi Model One is above most standard scooters – but it can be excused with its high-end features.
In any case, let’s dive straight into the Unagi Scooter’s review.
Performance – Unagi Scooter
Top Speed
According to the official website, the Unagi Model One has a top speed of 17mph, which is slightly above average for standard electric scooters that often cap at 15mph.
Riding the Unagi Scooter however we found that it went up to 20 mph!
It has three riding modes, going from beginner, to intermediate, and finally advanced. These modes allow you to change the top speed of which the Model One goes.
The beginner mode has a speed that ranges from 9-11mph, the intermediate goes up to 11-13mph, and the advanced one takes you to 15-17mph.
Acceleration/Kick-Off
It may not go from 0 to 60 in a single second, but the Unagi Scooter still has a pretty impressive kick-off of 0mph to 15mph in 4.4 seconds.
What that means is you can start up the Model One at any time without having to worry about waiting for it to build up speed.
Hill Climbing
The Unagi Scooter doesn’t do well on 20% inclines.
Although it may eventually be able to go up a 20% incline when shifting into pro riding mode, you’d be very slow and quickly burn through the battery charge.
Hence, the standard incline that Unagi recommends is 15%.
Range
The Unagi Scooter is built for casual commuting, and if properly utilized then its 9000 mAh battery will last for several days of long commutes
According to the official website, the Model One has an estimate range of 15.5 miles.
Other articles will say that it can go up to 16 miles and some user reviews say that it can even go over 20 miles.
These varying range results are a product of different user weight, undergrounds as well as different stress testing methods.
Braking & Safety
The Unagi Scooter Model One will bring you to a gentle and steady stop with its ergonomically optimized electronic brakes.
It is built with dual electronic anti-lock brakes, as well as an intuitive friction brake located in the rear for those who are more comfortable with the classic “foot braking” position.
The braking distance of the Model One is a short 3-4 meters. And with full pressure control on its electric brakes, it allows for a safe and smooth stop.
In addition to great brakes, the Unagi Scooter also comes with a monitoring system that tracks the condition of its motor, the charge on the scooter, and it riding mode.
This is pretty unique in an electric scooter.
Another feature found in its sleek handlebars are its LED front light and in its rear is its red LED rear light to make sure that you can see and be seen at nighttime.
And it may not be a classic bicycle bell, but the Unagi Model One comes with a horn that you can use to produce a sound to let others know you are coming their way.
Ride Quality – Unagi Scooter
Unagi is confident in its thick 7.5-inch tires that ensure you will never ever suffer a flat one when riding their scooter.
The problem with using solid rubber tires though is that it makes for a rather bumpy ride.
However, they attempted to reduce that by customizing their tires to have air pockets spread around the wheels to provide shock absorption.
Looks pretty fancy, too!
Although the air pockets will mitigate some of the bumpiness in your daily commute, having a suspension would’ve been better. But less stylish.
A superior element of riding comfort that the Unagi Scooter has are its three riding modes, which we discussed above. Switching into a lower riding mode will automatically provide more comfort.
Design – Unagi Scooter
If you told me that this was designed by Tony Stark then I might just believe you because of how crazy futuristic the Unagi Scooter is.
The carbon fiber deck and handlebar stem are beautifully swung and elegantly slim.
The most aesthetically outstanding feature, though, is the cockpit.
It took over 30 prototype designs to finally perfect it.
We’ve mentioned before how sleek and seamless the monitor of the Unagi Scooter fits into the handlebar of the scooter.
It’s an impressive feat of engineering to be able to compress an intuitive LCD that displays a lot of information into such a form.
By doing that, the Model One strikes a cleaner and smoother appearance than any competing product.
What all this shows is that Unagi is a cutting edge brand that develops state of the art scooters with quality features inside a sleek design.
Portability, Weight & Dimensions
The Unagi Scooter Model One weighs only around 26.5 lbs.
It is fairly lightweight because of the choice of materials put into its construction, especially the carbon fiber.
In addition to its lightweight build, the Model One has an intuitive one-click folding system.
Holding and carrying the folded Unagi Scooter is particularly easy thanks to its thin carbon fiber stem, which you can wrap your hand around easily.
Feature Deep Dive – Unagi Scooter
Battery
The battery has a total capacity of 9000 mAh and is tucked inside the deck of the Model One.
Now you would think that the Model One’s large battery capacity will take a long time to charge.
However, you’d be gladly surprised to know that it only takes 4-5 hours for it to fill its charge.
Unagi also prides itself in the longevity of its battery and they’re still hoping to improve upon what’s already there.
Part of Unagi’s standard in their batteries is its intelligent management system that protects it from short-circuiting, temperature abnormality, overcurrent, and over discharge.
And speaking of charging, you can find the power inlet on the left side of the rear-end of the scooter.
A little downside to the Model One though is the maximum range it offers. Despite its large battery capacity, you’re only given 15.5 miles as its maximum range.
It’s not impressive if you factor scooters that can be upgraded to have an extra battery back, such as the Segway Ninebot E22.
However, standard scooters are left in the dust against the Unagi Model One.
Motor
The Unagi Scooter we are reviewing here has dual motors. This means that both wheels have a motor.
It seems excessive, but this dual motor is what gives the Model One the ability to tackle hills and inclines that most scooters dread.
A single motor produces a nominal output of 250W. If you use both then it bumps up to 500W and is very quiet.
There is also a cheaper version of the Model One with only one motor.
Wheels
The 7.4-inch wheels that Unagi’s design team developed are said to function as front and rear shock absorbers.
In their specifications Unagi says that it should be used on surfaces with no more than 0.78-inch bumps.
We all know that this is quite utopian.
It’s best to be prepare for a rather bumpy ride as that’s what you will get if you bring the Model One on any rough tarmac road or cement sidewalk.
However, despite the rather bumpy ride, at least you won’t have to suffer a flat tire that will completely ruin your commute.
Cockpit
In the Unagi Model One, its wide LCD display is smoothly integrated into the intersection of the handlebars and the handlebar stem.
This is certainly the most outstanding feature of this electric scooter. I mean, look at it! Simply beautiful.
It projects the speedometer that can be changed from kilometers to miles, the different ride modes, distance covered and an indicator for when you’re using both motors.
Of course it also has a battery charge indicator as well as a few other indicators that lets you know the scooter’s condition. It’s truly intuitive!
With a press of the right button, it will change its riding modes. Even after turning it off, it will remember your preferred riding speed when you turn it back on.
The left button is simply the horn. Pressing both the horn and the riding mode button at the same time changes the speedometer from kilometers to miles.
The levers on each handlebar are the brake lever and power throttle.
Finally, the power button is the one you can see at the bottom, seamlessly embedded into the wide LCD display. Beautiful!
Handlebar
Combined with the cockpit, Unagi’s Scooter’s handlebar is this vehicle’s highlight.
Made from a magnesium alloy that not only gives it its strength but also adds to its visually pleasing aesthetic and lightweight construction.
In addition, Unagi’s engineering team created a seamless transition from cockpit to handlebar grips, making it look like one single unit. This not only serves to be visually appealing (though it is) but also to provide comfortable gripping.
Thinking about it, it’s a wonder that it only took them 30 prototypes until they were able to perfect it.
Lights
The Model One has a front and rear LED light.
The headlight is a 1.8 watt power LED light that produces 47 lumens. You wouldn’t be able to see it at first glance as it is flush-mounted into the cockpit.
100% seamlessness!
What you will see though is its bright red taillight that’s always on whenever you’re using the Model One.
The taillight also flashes when you are braking to alert those behind you to pay attention.
Deck
Another element of style that the Model One prides itself on is its flawlessly designed deck. Made from aluminum with embedded silicone for traction that replaces the standard sandpaper grips.
The deck of the Model One is made by combining machined aluminum with embedded silicon on the top to replace the sandpaper grips you usually find in regular scooters to provide traction.
Weight Capacity
Despite being made from lightweight materials, the Model One can hold up anyone around a 100kg and still maintain a constant speed of 15mph.
They settled for a TORAY carbon fiber stem to keep the scooter lightweight while also giving it heavy-duty strength.
Even when tackling 15 degree hills, the Model One will smoothly go up the hill with barely any loss in speed.
But the Model One is by no means a heavy-duty scooter. If you are above a 100kg then we recommend the EMOVE Touring 2020.
Resistance
The Unagi Model One has certified IP54 water resistance. This ensures that the Model One is safe from splashes and rain. However this does not mean that it will come out fine if its dunked in water.
Outside of its amazing paint job that is. On the note of its paint job, the Model One was treated like a luxury car with its triple-coat that Unagi says will make the Model One rust-free.
Awards
Tom’s Guide Award for the Best 2020 Electric Scooter of 2020.
Unagi Scooter: Review Conclusion
Most importantly, the Unagi Scooter is the most beautiful electric scooter out there, in our opinion.
In terms of ride performance, it is an apt choice for an entry-level model scooter, that is best suited for standard daily commutes on flat tarmac or sidewalk.
Unagi still needs to work on its wheels, but that can be said with a lot of scooters that use solid rubber wheels.
And it does make up for any deficits with its very intuitive LCD display and luxury car-like design.
In addition to that, the Model One is by far one of the lightweight scooters there is which allows it to have impressive hill-climbing ability and acceleration.
The fantastic combination of light weight, zooming acceleration and breathtaking, unique design have earned the Unagi Model One Scooter a spot in our list of the best overall electric scooters on the market, as well as the best light electric scooters out there!
However, if you are more into power rather than design, the same amount of money can get you something much quicker.
Full Specifications: Unagi Scooter
Thank you for reading this Unagi Model One Electric Scooter Review all the way to the end! See you in the next review.
