I'm a fan of transport using two wheels. Now, this has been almost solely focused on the motorbike, getting two wheels and an engine between my legs, but I can't deny the advantages of any other two-wheeled transport. From generally being more environmentally friendly, and the reduced damage they have on public roads, and simply being a smaller size means you can safely - if done right - nip through built-up traffic. Still, I'm used to that on a motorbike, so what about an electric scooter? Well, that brings us to the Inmotion S1 Electric Scooter.
I need to make something clear. At the time of writing this, privately-owned electric scooters are banned from the roads of the UK. Classed as a personal light electric vehicle (PLEV), e-scooters are held to the same standards and requirements as a car by the DVLA, which immediately disqualifies all e-scooters. So, you can only legally use a privately-owned e-scooter on private land with the land owner's permission. Now, the reality is this doesn't stop people from using them, and the UK government has been going through trials, with recent news suggesting they could be legal this very month. Time will tell.
With that out of the way, let's talk about the scooter. At first glance, the Inmotion S1 Electric Scooter doesn't look like anything overly special. It's grey, simple and relatively understated. It doesn't want or need to be flashy, with the only colour being the Inmotion name in a lovely orange on the footrest. You have some yellow reflectors on the front and sides, with the blue LED around the display offering some of the only other colours on the scooter. This simplistic design is excellent simply because it knows it doesn't need to be flashy, but at the same time, it looks better. I like understated, with the only other colours being a blue and red LED on the foot stand, to indicate running or turning.
Beyond the understated look of the Inmotion S1 Electric Scooter, there are other things to praise. The base is broad and sturdy, with the silicon mat offering a good grip and a level of water resistance. While the wheels and tyres aren't going to be on the status of a Hankook or Michelin, they look well made and should hold for many years, considering this is a scooter. Everything about the scooter feels sturdy, holding my nearly 115kg with no qualms. The stated 150kg weight capacity is something I can believe.
There is one issue, that being the handlebars. I'm just under 6ft, so the height was more than acceptable. A relative at around 5ft 9 was fine on it. However, there's no doubt that this would be too high for those who are shorter or for children. You could say that the scooter is a little large in general, possibly a little bulky, but I wouldn't necessarily agree. Coming in at 24kg, it's certainly portable enough, and you could fit it in your car if visiting somewhere else and wanting it with you for more effortless mobility.
I would always recommend correct safety gear when riding around on any scooter, electric or not - as I would also recommend it on a bicycle. Safety equipment for the Inmotion S1 Electric Scooter or any other electric scooter is more critical due to the speeds you can reach. Inmotion states this can hit a maximum speed of 18.6mph; that's not entirely correct as it does depend on the terrain and generally where you are riding. Downhill, while I didn't take a screenshot at the exact time on the app, the scooter went above 19mph, though only just. This activates the electric rear brake, which should kick in once you surpass the top speed. Only this brake can give you a bit of a startle if you're not expecting it.
The speed you can hit does depend on more than terrain and if you happen to be going downhill. Once paired up with the app, you have full access to move between the three modes: eco, general, and sport. The single battery for the scooter holds a capacity of 675wh, with the official specs giving the scooter an impressive range of 56 miles. I can only imagine this being in eco mode and frugal with the accelerator. In reality, using drive mode, you could get 35 miles out of the scooter, with a 7 hour recharge time from empty.
I like a few extra safety features, though they wouldn't mean much to random people on the street. I've mentioned the LEDs on the foot stand. When riding, both sides are blue. When turning, the direction you are turning in goes red. It's a decent indicator for those behind you, even if it is not the most visible. It's still better than nothing. As for the use of the scooter, it's simple and easy. There's one button within the large display. Hold it to turn the scooter off or on. Press the button once to turn off or on your front-facing light. Double press it to move between modes.
Another thing to remember while riding this is that the max incline it can take is 30%. Even hitting that, you'll struggle depending on your weight and many other factors. One such factor is the weather. While the scooter is water-resistant, IP55 for the body, IPX7 for the controller and IP67 for the battery, the cold weather that comes with water (here in the UK) naturally impacts battery function.
There are only two other things I want to speak about. The first is building the scooter up. When I first built it up, I had made a mistake, one quickly noticed. Essentially, the handlebars weren't correctly attached to the base, which could have led to a dangerous situation. I can put this down to two things: my eagerness to build and use it. The second is the instructions that, while used, weren't the clearest. The diagrams were too small, particularly when looking at the spacers (and others) where the handlebars connect to the base.
Finally, there's the app. It's a simple tool that keeps track of your travelling and other stats. Quick and easy to download and set up from google play and, presumably, the Apple store, which then connects to your scooter via Bluetooth. There's not much else to say; it does what it's designed to do.
That's =what you can say about the Inmotion S1 Electric Scooter; it does what it's designed to do. It also does it with a bit of style and feels solid and stable. Coming in at £750 or your local equivalent (under $1000 in the US), there is certainly a price to this, but it's not as expensive as one may think for what you get. Would I recommend it? I couldn't think of much better for short trips in urban areas - all I'm waiting for now is confirmation that these will be legal here in the UK.
Sample provided by Inmotion for review purposes.
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