It’s called the GUGU ONE. But even with a cute name like that, this electrically powered skeletal build can register a top speed of 110 kph on its digital instrumentation screen. Conceived and designed to aid the global shift towards electric transportation, the GUGU ONE electric scooter might look spindly but can put many conventionally powered scooters to shame with its abilities. What are those? Let’s take a look.
The electric scooter is built using high-quality aluminium vs heavier mild steel which is used in the production of the current breed of scooters. This keeps weight low and the Gugu One tips the scales at just 75 kilos along with its batteries. For that reason, it is agile too and will sprint from 0 – 60 kph in under 7 seconds. You’d say, it performs alright, but what about the battery?
The makers of the Gugu are the first in the Industry to employ a Lithium Ferro Phosphate battery which provides a lifetime of 10 years or up to 60,000 km at 100% utilisation! It can operate in temperatures of up to 60degrees, is small in size and doesn’t catch fire. What’s more, the battery lends the Gugu an applaudable range of 120 km on a single charge and once you plug it in, it replenishes 80% of its capacity in under 60 minutes. This is possible because of a 15 amp onboard charger which is 10X faster than current scooters. The revolutionary battery provides 110 Wh/kg of power per cell, where most other battery technologies provide about 65 Wh/kg.
The mid-mounted battery pack is IP65 rated for water resistance and its ideal placement aids handling and acceleration. Its performance is monitored by a Battery management system which is developed in-house and sends the charge to a brushless, permanent magnet direct current motor and controller which dispels continuous power of 5KW and peak power of 15 KW. That’s 6.7 bhp and 20 bhp respectively. The Gugu One features 220 mm front and rear disc brakes and can come to a halt from 60 – 0 kph in under 3 seconds. Suspension duties are handled by telescopic forks up front and a dual spring setup at the rear.
A 7″ digital screen acts as an instrument cluster and features smart connectivity, a digital speedometer, and a navigation system. The makers guarantee that the keyless, digital security system is so good, stealing the GUGU electric scooter is tough. If it does get nicked, they can track it via GPS and shut it down. If all goes well, the Gugu One could be slated for amid-2019 launch.