The Gogoro scooter has been receiving a lot of attention at CES 2015, and with good reason.
For starters the machine is entirely electric, and boasts an incredible set of smart features, as well as performing well on the road. Its top speed is almost 60 mph, and the cutting-edge design means that you’ll look the part too.
These design values are also apparent in the software used to control the smart scooter, which allows for huge amounts of customization. The Gogoro app is compatible with both iPhones and Android devices, which can be used for a number of tasks including locating a battery swapping station, calling emergency services in the event of a crash, or locating the vehicle if its owner suffers from a temporary bout of amnesia.
Gogoro scooters: Wireless charging
Those of you with a keen eye may be wondering why you would need a battery swapping station, and herein lies another revolutionary feature of the Gogoro. Instead of having to charge the internal battery, you just swap the two units contained under the seat.
When you are running low on charge, simply drive to a swapping station and hand over your batteries for two fully charged ones. The whole process apparently only takes 6 seconds.
The software monitors your vehicle for technical issues, as well as recording data on your driving habits in order to inform charging stations of when and where you are most likely to want new batteries. As a result the stations only charge the batteries when users are likely to need them, which extends their life.
Release date TBA
Gogoro CEO Horace Luke remained tight lipped on a potential launch date and price, but he did say that the company would charge users for access to the battery stations with a subscription, following the Netflix model, so prices should be reasonable for such a well-designed scooter.
Luke said that the company is targeting consumers in the 18-28 age range, and the Gogoro certainly looks to be an attractive package.