Unagi’s new electric scooter, known as the Model One Voyager, will benefit from an unprecedented monthly rental offer. Like what can already be seen in the world of electric bikes.
In recent years, all forms of rental have developed in the world of electric urban mobility. Self-service rental via fixed terminals (example: Velib), self-service rental via a fleet in free floating (example: Lime, Tiers, etc.), or monthly rental.
This latest offering differs slightly from the others. In this case, the electric vehicle you rent “belongs” to you. This is the case, for example, of Veligo or Swapfiets for electric bikes or Dance for electric scooters. A formula that also applies to the electric scooter sector.
Scooters, more affordable prices to buy
Unagi is proof of this, since this young American company is launching a new model of electric scooter – the Model One Voyager – only for monthly rental – via TechCrunch. At the time of writing these lines, the manufacturer’s French site does not mention it anywhere. It does not seem to be available from us at the time of its launch.
If the idea is interesting, does it make a lot of sense when applied to electric scooters? Indeed, the average price of these two-wheelers is lower than that of trendy bicycles and scooters. Buying an electric scooter entails a more modest financial outlay than a VAE, whose average price has exceeded 2000 euros.
Today, it is commonplace to find relevant models – in terms of autonomy, weight and power – between 500 and 800 euros. This is for example the case of the Xiaomi Electric Scooter 3, Xiaomi Electric Scooter 4 Pro or the Segway Ninebot G30 LE II, to name a few.
At 67 dollars a month all the same – integrated theft insurance – the Unagi Model One Voyager would cost around 800 dollars a year. Or the cost of a very good electric scooter that is easy to find on the market. Admittedly, monthly rental can be an interesting first step, but it becomes unprofitable in the short or medium term. Isn’t it, in this case, more advantageous to cross the course of the purchase immediately?
Unprofitable in the short term
At Swapfiets, the entry-level electric bike costs the monthly sum of 59.90 euros, or 720 euros a year. At this price, it is clearly difficult, if not impossible, to find a good e-bike. References exist, of course, at 1000 euros, but the products again belong to the entry level.
To find a VAE equivalent to an electric scooter revolving around 800 euros, it will rather be necessary to pay a sum sailing around 2000 euros. In this case, keeping a rental bike for only one year – or even 6 to 9 months for Veligo – immediately makes more sense to start.
Chinese manufacturer Okai has launched two new electric scooters called Neon and Neon Lite. Their main differences are in terms of autonomy and price.
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