Unagi Model One (E500) Review
Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
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Unagi Model One (E500) | |||||
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Awards | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | |
Price | $990 List $990.00 at Amazon | $1,099 List | $650 List $669.99 at Amazon | $599 List $499.00 at Amazon | $350 List $389.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score ![]() |
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Star Rating | |||||
Pros | Easy to fold, lightweight, good-looking | Lots of features, customizable settings, fastest in the test, very smooth ride, long distance range, good headlight, additional lights for enhanced visibility | Lithium-ion battery, measured 22 mile range, 350-watt motor, fast and smooth ride | Easily transportable, great range, good braking | Pneumatic tires, cruise control feature, really solid safety latch |
Cons | Relatively rough ride, weird fender brake | Heavier weight - more difficult to carry, settings can be confusing - had to look up instructional video, 8hr charge time if you don't use the fast charger (sold separately) | Heavier weight, long charge time | Dolly wheels affect turning, poor handle design, not very fast | Carrying latch failure, not very fast, limited range |
Bottom Line | An average-performing scooter that looks cool but lacks performance proportional to its high price tag | A very comfortable ride that checks all of our boxes and truly impressed us with its speed and range | A smooth driving, high-end electric scooter with an impressive range and a pep in its step | This scooter has great features for commuters needing range and portability, though it lacks somewhat in power | A great budget-friendly scooter with unique upgrades rivaling some high-end models |
Rating Categories | Unagi Model One (E500) | Apollo City | Gotrax G4 | Glion Dolly 225-22 | Gotrax GXL V2 |
Range (25%) | |||||
Power (25%) | |||||
Ride Comfort (20%) | |||||
Portability (15%) | |||||
Braking (15%) | |||||
Specs | Unagi Model One (E500) | Apollo City | Gotrax G4 | Glion Dolly 225-22 | Gotrax GXL V2 |
Measured Maximum Speed | 14.9 mph | 22.5 mph | 19.8 mph | 13.9 mph | 12.5 mph |
Measured Effective Range | 12.5 miles | 23 miles | 22 miles | 24.5 miles | 7 miles |
Measured Charge Time | 4 hours 10 minutes | 8 hours 30 minutes | 5 hours 50 minutes | 5 hours | 4 hours 15 minutes |
Brake Type | Electronic brake and rear fender brake | Front disc Rear drum Rear regen |
Rear disc brake and E-ABS braking system | Anti-lock electronic located inside rear wheel and rear fender brake | Front regen Rear disc |
Tire Type | Solid rubber, maintenance-free | Pneumatic | Pneumatic | Solid (honeycomb) | Pneumatic |
Tire Size | 7.5" | 10" | 10" | 8" | 8.5" |
Lights | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Screen | Yes | Yes | Yes | Battery indicator only | Yes |
App | No | No | No | No | No |
Maximum Load | 275 lbs | 260 lbs | 220 lbs | 255 lbs | 220 lbs |
Bell | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Measured Weight | 28.6 lbs | 42.8 lbs | 37.8 lbs | 30.9 lbs | 26 lbs |
Battery Type | Lithium Ion | Lithium | Lithium | LG Lithium Ion | Lithium |
Motor | Dual 250 Watt | 600 Watt | 350 Watt | 250 Watt | 250 Watt |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Unagi Model One (E500) is a space-age-looking scooter that is easy to use, break down, and store. It's also relatively light, making it realistic to carry if needed. All told, the unit received an average appraisal. However, we were not impressed with the performance in light of its price tag.
Performance Comparison
Range
The range metric is the first thing most consumers consider when considering a scooter. The Unagi Model One does pretty well in this metric though there are areas that can use improvement. Our range assessment looks at a variety of factors. First, we want to know how far the scooter goes and if the scooter can do those miles at a consistent rate. The Model One can run at around 13 mph for 12.5 miles with just a little power fall-off at the end of the battery charge. The result is a scooter that can run near full tilt for about 60 minutes. Unfortunately, the Model One takes four hours and 10 minutes to recharge — not what we'd call a great run time to recharge ratio.
Power
If you didn't think about range first when considering buying a scooter, then you probably thought about power. Unfortunately, the Unagi Model One doesn't have a lot of power, though it's certainly not at the bottom of the class. We look at two factors when assessing power. Hill climbing is the first and most demanding portion of our assessment. The Model One ascended the second most challenging hill in our test (10.5% at its steepest), but just barely. However, the Model One reached nearly 14 mph—about 1 mph below the class average.
Ride Comfort
For those planning on making longer rides on their scooter, the ride comfort metric will be one to pay attention to as it covers the overall feel of the vehicle with a particular focus on rough surfaces. Simply put, the Model One was one of the least comfortable scooters to ride in the class. This appraisal is largely the result of its sold rubber "never flat" tires. Adding to this effect is the scooter's lightness, which offers little dampening on rough surfaces. All told, the ride on the Model One was rather rough compared to the other scooters in the class.
Portability
Portability is an important metric for those needing to carry their scooter or store it in a tight space. This metric looks at the scooter's folded dimensions, weight, and how it is transported. The Model One does pretty well in this metric on account of its relatively light 28.6 pounds and slick folding mechanism. Once the unit is folded, it is easy to carry using the steering column as the handle. It's too bad that the handlebar on the Model One does not collapse as well. Yet, the unit easily fits in the trunk of a compact car.
Braking
Braking may not be high on your desirable specs list, but experience has tough us that it is a critical aspect of scooter design. The Model One garnered good scores in our braking evaluation by going from 12 mph to a complete stop in just 15 feet — just under the average for the class. This is a pretty impressive result, considering the scooter is only equipped with an electric brake and a fender brake. That said, testers noted that the brake feels a bit harder to use and that it took a bit longer to feel comfortable on steep hills.
Should You Buy the Unagi Model One?
While the Unagi Model One is a decent quality, simplistic scooter, it is fairly expensive for what you get. As such, we recommend you look at other models in our review before settling on the Model One.
What Other Electric Scooters You Consider?
We would suggest a few models over the Model One. If you'd like decent performance but would also like to keep the cost to a minimum, check out the Gotrax GXL V2. Its performance is slightly lower than the Model One, but its price is significantly less. If you want to ramp up the performance, check out the Hiboy S2. The S2 has all-around better performance though the ride comfort isn't much improved.
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