World's Smartest Electric Scooter Debuts At CES 2015 + Video

At the Consumer Electronics Show 2015, Gogoro introduced what might be the most intelligent electric scooter to date. It’s name? The Smartscooter. Boasting a claim of 6,400 watts at 3,250 rpm, 8.5 hp, liquid-cooled motor and motor controller, 60 mph top speed, 0-30 mph in 4.2 sec, and a range of approximately 60 miles, performance, in the traditional sense, is not its main priority. Instead, what makes Gogoro and the Smartscooter innovative is the advanced tech embedded within the scoot, along with the ability to swap batteries in about six seconds at Gogoro Energy Networks to be placed in several cities. Gogoro’s aim is to “reimagine the energy infrastructure” in the world’s megacities.

Lofty claims, sure, but before getting into the company’s background, let’s take a closer look at the Smartscooter. Clearly, its design is very modern, bordering on futuristic. According to Gogoro CEO, Horace Luke, the scooter is aimed at millennials aged 18-28. Designed from the outset to be individualized, Gogoro gives unique control to each rider to select the specific ride feel and throttle acceleration, the dashboard screen color spectrum and the lock-and-unlock audio and lighting themes. There is also a broad variety of practical and designed-oriented accessories to add enhanced functionality or customized body details.

Under the skin of the Smartscooter, we’ll find more features likely to appeal to this younger crowd. Equipped with 30 onboard sensors, cloud connectivity, and an integrated mobile app, the scooter learns your riding habits, giving the rider a new way to connect with their machine.

The Gogoro iQ System is a wireless network that synchronizes across the Smartscooter, Gogoro app, Gogoro battery, GoStation and the Gogoro Energy Network to find the closest GoStation, deliver detailed scooter diagnostics, adaptive throttle control, customized regenerative braking, and the ability to track ride details like top speed and range, so the rider can view and analyze their riding patterns.

When the batteries are empty, riders can perform a six-second swap for new ones at GoStations. Batteries can be reserved in advance, and a subscription-based payment model offers unlimited access to as many charged batteries as needed. Also, with Smartscooter’s hyper-connectivity, if vehicle servicing is needed, the rider is immediately alerted via the Gogoro mobile app or at the GoStation when swapping batteries.

If this all sounds too good to be true, we understand. However, the people behind Gogoro have some impressive credentials. Company Founder and CEO, Horace Luke, previously served as chief innovation officer at HTC, helping to make HTC cell phones some of the most desirable in the world. Before that, he worked at Microsoft and Nike. Co-founder and CTO, Matt Taylor, also spent time at HTC and Microsoft.

Gogoro has already secured partnerships with Panasonic, as well as securing $50 million in Series A funding from a variety of Asian investors. The company is currently finalizing $100 million in Series B funding. Gogoro’s initial product rollout for both its Smartscooter and infrastructure system is planned for 2015. Price for the Smartscooter is yet to be determined.

Visit www.gogoro.com for more information about the company and the scooter. Also, watch the videos and view the pictures below to learn more about the Smartscooter.