GenZe 2.0 Electric Scooter Generates Zero-Emissions Fun

How many times do you smile on the way to work? Every day would be the answer if you rode the newly-released GenZe 2.0 all-electric scooter. It is zero-emissions fun.

The GenZe 2.0 is designed as a solution to urban pollution and gridlock. From Atlanta to Beijing, the world’s cities have hit the wall in terms of cramming more fossil-fueled vehicles into their borders. Sitting in traffic and blowing out fumes is now a high and unnecessary urban cost measured by lost human productivity and health impacts. The growing number of electric vehicles like the GenZe 2.0 offer cost-effective, and fun, solutions.

Made in America for Americans

I test-drove the GenZe 2.0 at ScooterWest to gauge if Americans are really ready for electric scooters. One thing this vehicle has going for it is that it is manufactured in Michigan. The design is rock solid built around a cast aluminum frame. The GenZe 2.0 boasts large suspension springs and substantial tires. It’s not a Harley or a full-size pick-up, but there is nothing wimpy about this machine’s design and construction.

The GenZe 2.0 also addresses the American need to haul a lot of stuff. Its best-in-class, 75-pound payload storage bay is what drew me to test-drive it. A backpack loaded with computer gear easily fits inside the storage area located behind the seat. Or you can load two carry bags of groceries. The GenZe 2.0 is the pick-up truck of scooters.

Cool with a purpose

Cool with a purpose defines the millennial generation. It also defines what sells in terms of green products. The GenZe 2.0 is definitely cool with a purpose.

Just starting it is cool. The scooter is operated through a touchscreen pad on the handle bar. You punch in a personal code to access the scooter just like you would your smartphone. The display provides a digital dashboard and a digital owners manual. And, of course, there's an app to access the scooter remotely. Everything you need to know about, or do, with this scooter is digitally accessed.

The GenZe 2.0’s obvious purpose is to provide low-cost, zero-emissions transportation. This scooter costs less than $3,000, or a tenth of the average retail price for a car. And it costs about 17 cents using California’s high electricity rates for a 30-mile trip. Insurance is only a couple of hundred dollars a year. In short: The GenZe 2.0 is a zero-emission, cost-effective solution for urban trips.

Electric fueling is plug-and-play easy

Let’s face it, fueling an electric car can be a pain. Finding a recharging station often ranges from an inconvenience to a challenge. Recharging often takes more time than we Americans want to spend.

I love the GenZe 2.0’s solution. The battery pack can be easily unlocked from the frame. It is the size and weight of a heavy briefcase. Recharging it is as simple as carrying it to a standard 110-volt outlet. It only takes about an hour and a half to fully recharge. I can image those who use the GenZe 2.0 for daily commuting will just walk their battery inside their work location and plug it into an electrical outlet. When the work day is over, they will carry the battery back to the scooter, insert the fully-charged battery and take off.

GenZe limitations

The GenZe 2.0's obvious limitation is the idea of riding a scooter. We like our vehicles large and enclosed. We like them fast. And we like a driving range that is longer than our bladders can last after drinking a Big Gulp. So, our inherent biases will be the biggest limitation to GenZe 2.0 sales.

That’s too bad, because it's is a fun way to get around town. I had a blast riding it around San Diego. I felt safe. The GenZe 2.0 is a very stable platform. The ride is comfortable. Even riding it on San Diego’s infamous pot-holed streets was not uncomfortable. There is no gear shifting. Just turn the throttle and smile. This clumsy old economist never felt like I was going to fall off. I am probably safer riding the GenZe 2.0 than my mountain bike.

But the GenZe 2.0 does have significant negatives. It does not protect the driver from inclement weather. Plus it only has a 30-mile battery range, and 30 miles per hour is the top speed.

The GenZe 2.0 is perfect for short urban commutes on nice days. For a town like San Diego, the GenZe 2.0 is a breakthrough in urban transportation. If you live in Detroit, it will be a fun way to do urban trips for about half the year.

GenZe 2.0 and smart cities

Cities across the nation and around the world are "defaulting to green" to achieve cleaner air and gain competitive efficiencies. The push toward smart cities is based on integrating renewable energy, artificial intelligence and Internet-of-Things technologies to accelerate economic growth while reducing environmental impacts on human health.

The GenZe 2.0 is part of this smart-city tech revolution. Its zero emissions obviously align with smart-city goals. So does its ability to move people with a lower space footprint. It is an enabling technology that will fit inside community-scale tech systems that move people efficiently and cleanly. And the fact that those who use the GenZe 2.0 will be smiling and having fun is the definition of cool with a purpose.

Image credits: Bill Roth