Äike – First e-scooter developed and assembled in Europe
rideaike.com
rideaike.com
"It is absolutely impossible to turn your Äike on and ride without turning it on through your personal account on our app."
Ouuufffff.....this will be proven wrong in about 4 hours after release
"Don't worry, we will notify you if someone is dumb enough to try abducting your Äike. In fact, we'll notify the whole street with our built-in alarm system."
Yes, because that totally worked great for car alarms.
"With our connected app and custom GPS tracking system, you'll always know where your scooter is."
GPS/GSM jammers are about $50 on many foreign trading sites. Obviously illegal to use but I doubt thieves care.
"run smoothly on air: our pneumatic tires are shock-absorbing things that make for a less bumpy ride" No proper shock absorber is a deal-breaker. Especially in Europe with stone paved streets.
"Setting new standards for user experience with customized end-user App" What a nice way to spell "vendor lock-in"
Why can't these things just use a key like most other powered vehicles!
Not to the millions of cyclists in Europe.
I have both a bike and an electric scooter, and any small bump, twig, or slightly deteriorated road can be felt much more to the point that I specifically avoid a part of my way to work to avoid a deteriorated road. With my bike before having my electric scooter, I didn't even notice the road was bad.
I simply can not drive on stone paved streets more than 5min, its really insufferable. And my electric scooter have shock absorber on the front but not the back. My next one will have shock absorber on both wheels, it's non-negotiable.
Or "this thing costs us $300 to make, we can replace it 5 times and still make a profit".
I don't know how these ones are made but the electronics can be made hard to remove without damaging the scooter. Or say the manufacturer can make the cost of the operation so high that it won't make sense to steal them. Or, the tracking and control components can be so tightly integrated that removing the tracking ones you'll make the scooter inoperable.
Not saying these particular scooters are well protected from all this because I have no idea, but theoretically possible to achieve.
In hacks, it's always about the costs. Make the device cheap enough to make the hack expensive enough to discourage theft.
At least in Europe, nuisance car alarms are extremely rare nowadays. This is likely at least in part due to them being extremely regulated. The most error-prone sensors have been banned altogether, and there are limits for how long it is allowed to make noise, and how often it can make noise before it has to turn itself off until it is manually disarmed and re-armed.
I hope police will confiscate scooters that violate these rules and "notify the whole street" (or issue guidance that self-defense is allowed against such nuisance noise after some point).
Also, operation of a bicycle does not need it to connect to a phone running an app. This is a guarantee that the device will be unusable within 5 years, when the app is abandoned, cannot be used with the iPhone 50, and Bluetooth 200.0 is incompatible with old devices, whereas I happily ride my 90's bicycle with minimal maintenance on a daily basis, while getting the additional benefit of a light exercise.
EDIT: Related to the actual product:
> With our connected app and custom GPS tracking system, you'll always know where your scooter is.
What does this mean? Is there a SIM card and an LTE subscription coming with the scooter? Or will I "know where my scooter is" while I am actually standing on it, with the phone in my pocket connected to the scooter via bluetooth?
I would have loved an electric scooter while travelling around in an expedition truck a few years back.
That said, all the "smart" and "connected" features reduce its appeal for me. Just give me a simple ESC and im happy.
Is a bicycle superior in ease of learning? I know in Denmark there are a larger number of people untaught in using bikes in immigrant communities than in the native Danish community.
Also in a country where nearly everyone bikes if you don't know how it can be really embarrassing to learn.
on edit: I am supposing it is easier to learn ( could certainly be wrong but it looks easy) and if so it might just be easier to use for someone with accessibility issues in learning to bike?
It's an incomparable experience.
Yes. It takes a few hours to learn to ride an EUC. But I'd wager that EUCs are safer because of that. Most accidents on rental scooters happen to first-time/occasional users. The fact that you need to learn how to ride an EUC gives you an appreciation of how bad things can go if you push farther than your skill allows.
In the end, EUCs are safer (larger wheel doesn't get locked in small potholes), more comfortable even without suspension, break faster due to more powerful motor, and are more compact.
Security is really the same as any bike, though it's much harder to steal the wheels!
On acceleration & max speed, obviously it depends on the particular scoot, but mine is much better than a typical human on a bike. That's a Ninebot Max, costing about £600 ish
https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F308
Electrically powered vehicles (scooters, hoverboards, gyropods, monowheels) must use the bike path when it exists. Bicycles must travel on the roadway or on the bike path (if there is one).
The user must ride on the bike paths. If there are no bicycle lanes, the user may ride :
- on roads with a speed limit of 50 km/h, - on pedestrian areas, provided that they ride at a moderate speed (6 km/h) and do not obstruct pedestrians. Sidewalks may not be used unless authorized by the Mayor. In this case, the user must ride at a moderate speed (6 km/h) and not interfere with pedestrians.
Parking on sidewalks is permitted, provided it does not interfere with pedestrians. However, the mayor may decide to prohibit it.
Use is also permitted on private roads (e.g., private property road, driveway of a private residence).
The user must be at least 12 years old and must not exceed a maximum speed of 25 km/h. The vehicle cannot carry more than one person at a time.
The driver must wear retro-reflective equipment when
- traffic at night - or insufficient visibility during the day.
As of July 1, 2020, your vehicle must be equipped with a braking system, a horn, lights (front and rear) and rear and side reflectors.
- speed limits are not enforced in practice
- steady 25 km/h on a bike path is still too much, where you can see 8 year olds on their first bikes, runners, animals, roller bladers and all kinds of distracted and inexperienced bikers; 25 km/h is faster than most other users on the already narrow path; 25 km/h + 25 km/h = 50 km/h in possible frontal collisions
- headlights of the e-scooters are pointed straight ahead and cannot turn away; on a straight path they basically blind other users
- in the dark, it's very difficult to estimate the distance to an approaching e-scooter, because it has only one (blinding) headlight, and it moves at a constant speed, and it moves _fast_
Also, in many cities taking bikes in public transit is restricted (e.g. only outside rush hour) and/or you have to pay for the privilege. Scooters often don't fall under this rule.
Price is another factor. A non-electric scooter costs $50, new. That makes it cheap enough that you don't have to worry too much about theft, which makes handling it a lot simpler (no fiddling with a lock). This increases convenience, making it more useful. A normal electric scooter is still cheaper than an electric bike. Doesn't apply to this model obviously.
Also: Safer
This is an October 2018 article from the Financial Times. Reading it changed my opinion on E-Scooters:
Global rise of scooter use sparks safety fears: https://www.ft.com/content/5a0c6226-c809-11e8-ba8f-ee390057b...
Non-Paywalled Version: https://archive.md/9FwzH#selection-1665.0-1665.46
Note: E-Bikes are known to be quite dangerous. I would not ride on one unless I had both an /airbag vest/ [1] and an /airbag helmet/ [2]. At least if you injure yourself, you are less likely to have a spinal cord injury or head injury from using it.
The e-bikes I've ridden had much better brakes and wheels than regular bikes too.
This was a December 2019 article:
E-bikes show distinct pattern of severe injuries: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-ebike-injuries-idU...
> "The authors analyzed emergency department data collected from 2000 to 2017 by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission’s National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), on injuries involving all three types of vehicles."
> "While people riding e-bikes were more likely to suffer internal injuries and be hospitalized compared to the other riders, powered scooter users had higher rates of concussion. E-bike injuries were also more than three times as likely to involve a collision with a pedestrian than either scooter or traditional bike injuries, the researchers report in the journal Injury Prevention."
Hence, this is why I recommend an airbag vest. While bones can heal, other things cannot.
Probably its caused by e-bikes being far more popular amongst the elderly. Here, in the Netherlands, typically only the elderly ride on e-bikes.
Also, e-bikes allow the rider to go far faster than they would normally do. Probably more fair to compare moped vs e-bike (and corrected for the age of the driver).
But, I should point out that your two paragraphs contradict each other, via logic.
Also, I have a physical disability due to a 2 rare immune mediated neurological diseases affecting my peripheral nervous system. Somehow, I have reflexes in both my ankles and knees. The emphasis is on somehow.
Unfortunately, the people that can often benefit the most from an E-Bike are frequently the ones who probably shouldn’t be using one. It is not just neurological impairment, either.
There are kits to convert your bike into an E-Bike, which I imagine can be used for handbikes, which is good news, as it is a lot safer. The problem is that it definitely cannot be taken on public transport.
In that case, the best option is a manual wheelchair (often paid for by national/public/private health insurance) with a Batec Electric Cycle [1] that attaches to the wheelchair. Still, a full helmet (covering jawline) and a wheelchair seatbelt would be advisable.
[1] https://www.49bespoke.com/index.php/products/batec-mobility
I used to use a manual scooter to get to work and it was a lot of fun and good exercise - although the harder wheels back then were hell on my knees.
That's a huge generalisation. There are many reasons why it might be quite impractical for somebody to walk or bike to work, yet perfectly fine to take an electric scooter.
A bicycle needs to be parked somewhere. Leave it in the streets of Paris, it is guaranteed to be stolen in less than 24h in some shady neighbourhoods, a few weeks in most places.
https://www.leparisien.fr/paris-75/itineraire-d-un-velo-vole...
Some buildings have bike storage, but not all of them, by far.
OTOH a foldable e-scooter (not the ones that we're discussing here, though) can be stored in an apartment.
2. No perspiration
3. No physical exertion
4. As already mentioned, good for taking on trains/public transport then using for the last couple of miles.
I'll be getting an e-scooter in London as soon as they're legal.
Of course the downside of this convenience is stealability.
On the other hand, anyone can hold a scooter with one hand. They go about the same range somehow as most ebikes I see on the market that are below $2000 (~20 mile range), and cost generally around $400 or less if you go on craigslist.
"It is absolutely impossible to turn your Äike on and ride without turning it on through your personal account on our app."
I don't feel like that's a feature. For €1,890 I would not even properly own it. It's a no from me.
How it compares with Ninebot (i.e. Segway)?
Have been using ninebot for a long time and its been very stable and been happy with it. Right now given new e-bike regulations across large cities in Asia, it's almost impossible to ride an e-bike to office.
In Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong it's completely banned except for designated areas and paths given people modified their e-bike to go above 70 km/hr and run into deadly accidents with pedestrians or riding on main road with deadly accidents involving cars.
The price of this e-bike is quite high not sure how to justify it against Ninebot.
I guess it's an aberration of the HN ranking algorithm.
And for my sibling comment:
> If you flag, please don't also comment that you did.
(And I see no option to decline cookies. Is that compliant with the law?)
single handbrake instead of dual
no smartphone holder
The larger platform to stand on makes it quite stable and the brakes are much better as well. Just my two cents.
It's even more affordable, if you're in India: https://www.revoltmotors.com
Can't be stolen my ass... They steal motorcycles (weighing over 150kgs) with audio alarms every day of the week. Toss em into a van with a GPS blocker and drive off! Done. Bye bye 1890 euro scooter.
let's keep empowering foreign companies, and forget about our local one even more
that's how you build future proof civilizations, by depending on foreign countries
hopefully you are american
At least with conventional cars there is an option to skip BMWs and get a dumb car. There are vacuum cleaners which don't need an app to work. e-bikes can be used without an app. If I need anything online, I have a phone.
So the information which they collect may be the same, but my trust to different entities is completely different. Like most people, I go for a compromise, and I trust some of them, and accept what I can't change. I just want to keep the number of trusted entities as small as possible. The vendors of my car, my bike, my fridge, my vacuum cleaner, and my t-shirt are not among those I want to have any role in my life after I paid them money.
Also I would like to know how easy it is to change the tires. I had a Xiaomi scooter, which got a flat on the front wheel. Unfortunately trying to change that tire proved itself so hard that I in the end scrapped it.
If you're wondering that somebody is going to steal your scooter, bring it always with you or lock it. Worst case scenario you loose 400 USD.
They're giving you an "insurance" for those 1800 USD that's valid only a year. Think about it, you can (for the same price) buy 4 scooters and therefore get them stolen 4 times. With the remaining 200 USD you can buy a GPS + LTE module, attach it to the battery and always see the scooter location in real time. Heck, you can even count the LTE subscription in that remaining part.
I'm not saying it's a bad product, I'm just saying that's not worth the price (yet).
"Our scooters are manufactured in China and Germany. Our factories are all certified with the international quality standard ISO 9002. Our products are all manufactured according to the ASTM, EN, ANSI and TUV standards to guarantee maximum quality." [1]
Also absolutely no details on this 'theft insurance' available prior to purchase. The terms of service state that this is done under the "terms of the insurance provider" which aren't anywhere to be seen prior to purchase. Second Oof.
No suspensions
Probably not rain friendly (removable battery done that way, makes it hard to be water resistant)
Unclear brakes system (and likely bad).
No way to drive if you're phone-less (or battery died)
VERY expensive.
It's a full no.
And I am an European loving Europe.
"Tires with air" What an innovation!
But it is priced like it is made in Europe too...
Why would I pay 6 times the price for something I can get for a fraction of the cost?
I'm not very good at making sense in comments anymore, but I hope I'm getting a point across. TL;DR, cost always trumps quality and provenance. Unfortunately, the only way to combat this is by restricting the free market and becoming more insular - like Trump and his administration tried to do with raising more taxes on stuff from China.
I believe in Europe the current approach is to push for state subsidies and -funding. Lots of companies I've worked for did a bunch of administration to be eligible to get money from a European innovation fund, for example. It's because a lot of products just aren't as much a runaway success, and there's not nearly as much money flowing from rich investors.
There is another way than taxes: impose (or, where they exist, drastically increase) minimum standards upon products and manufacturing practices, similar to how we have existing laws about e.g. animal care, and actually enforce them both inside the market (to prevent locals from short-cutting, e.g. by using undocumented immigrants as farm labor) and outside the market (to combat stuff like outright slavery).
> Factory farming is bad, animals are bred to grow chomnk within weeks and it's atrocious, but this organic meat is twice as expensive for the same product, so ????
For food especially, there is another problem - minimum wages are way too low and rents too high, both in the US and EU. Way too many people have to "choose" low-quality or exploitatively-made food simply because they already are struggling to make ends meet.
And of course people are going to get annoyed at politics if they can see rising food prices, which means (together with legal bribery aka "donations" from Big Ag) politicians don't like to impose or tighten standards in agriculture.
Fix minimum wages and people will automatically go for healthier food.
Or a blingier car. Never underestimate the bling factor of an object everyone sees you in ;)
Anyway, most countries have import taxes (customs tax + VAT in Serbia is paid on both shipping cost and item cost), so while some items are still cheaper to get abroad, getting a 33.90GBP raspberry pi for me would add 12 GBP for shipping, and then 30% of 45.90GBP, or another 13 GBP for a total of 59 GBP: not so cheap anymore.
Items from China are similar, and with COVID, shipping charges are frequently bigger than the item cost itself (you get a small $10 item, with a total coming out to like $31).
But I'd definitely like to see a move towards higher standards of production, but they are hard to standardize across the world.
Still, as a thought experiment, I wonder how it would work out for the global economy if every country/economic block in the world would simply match prices of imported products with comparable locally produced items. I guess one of the big issues would be how to assure comparisons between products are fair.
Also "It is absolutely impossible to turn your Äike on and ride without turning it on through your personal account on our app." This is a no-go. No way! It is like one of those "security measures" which complicates lives of users without adding much if any to security.
And why is it 10kg heavier than the corresponding Xiaomi?
In Vietnam, I just bought an electric motorbike (https://xemaydien.vinfast.vn/en/klara-s/) for half of that.
Granted, it's Vietnam, but still.