Baidu guy makes $900 18650-Lithium 100km-range 45kph scooter

[4LivesPerGallon]

The logic behind electric rides is mostly for our own health, because gas scooters, especially the 2-strokes, have a smog cloud that catches up with the rider when he stops.

When I rode my Keeway and Kmyco 50cc's, I would shut off the engine at 20 yards from the stop lights. However, the battery would drain down after 10 stops or so. Breathing the oily smog was affecting my health.

So, I gladly pay more, per mile, for my health, with an electric ride.

The genius of Baidu has now put his millions into making the Tesla-scooter for China, one that is 5X more expnsive than the Chinese scooters there, $900 instead of $175 street price. Unlike the $4100 Gogoro in Taiwan, the NIU N1 scooter actually comes with a Panasonic 18650 battery pack. The construction, on video clips, looks solid, and there is a water-torture test on YouTube, too.

I would like to get one, please.

Could Motorino in Vancouver -- please import the N1 scooter? (These guys have a great service department, with parts and service people who know something.)








http://qz.com/416350/a-tech-entrepreneur-is-trying-to-make-scooters-cool-in-car-obsessed-china/

 

[4LivesPerGallon]

There are several comparisons already between the Gogoro and the Niu N1 on the 'net, but they are all in Chinese.

Imo, the Gogoro electric scooter is an expensive gamble (risk) for an early adopter -- their BMS is unproven. We all know about BMS blues. Imo, only the Tesla elecric car has a time-tested BMS for high-voltage series/parallel battery packs.

The Gogoro also costs $30/month, plus the owner will have to buy a battery pack in the future, with prices still unknown. The Gogoro scooter's $4100 price does not include a battery pack!

In comparison, the $900 Niu N1 electric scooter's price is worth the battery pack, alone, imo.

Let's see ... 100 km range x 45 KPH .. the Niu N1 will have to have a very decent, high discharge rate battery pack, but not as big as the Gogoro's.

The Gogoro is a very, very fast scooter, there are videos of the Gogoro overtaking everything on Taipei's roads:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4U_7wIMPWQ

However, the Gogoro, imo, has tires that are too small and too skinny for 95KPH ... my Kymco Super 9 is the best example of what a 90KPH scooter tire/wheel should be like, for quick stops, high-speed handling, and potholes.

Did you notice that Taipei, in Taiwan, seems to have no potholes on their apparently-smooth roads?

Tons of scooters parked in Taipei...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwbgXMBSCxE

 

[sk8norcal]

http://technews.co/2015/06/18/sales-of-niu-electric-scooters-over-40-million-rmb-on-first-day-of-crowdfunding/

Chinese company Niu Technology’s first electric smart scooter went on sale on June 15. Helped by the attention the company has garnered, sales of the first batch of the e-scooters broke several records in crowdfunding in China. Sales of the vehicle exceeded 20 million RMB (US$3.22 million) in the first hour and reached 43.8 million that day. The products are expected to be delivered within 30 days.

Li Yinan, former chief technology officer of Chinese internet search company Baidu, introduced his first electric vehicle on June 1. The electric scooter uses a Panasonic lithium battery and BOSCH dynamical system and can reach 45km/h with a range of up to 80 and 100 kilometers, depending on the version. The two versions cost 3,999 and 4,999 RMB, respectively. Li stirred up much discussion when he started the company, and hence his electric scooter became a popular topic over the Internet instantly after its announcement.

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