Electric motorcycles continue to become faster and more tech-loaded than ever before. From high-performance motors to IoT integration, it seems that e-mobility manufacturers never run out of ideas to make their products more capable and user-friendly than ever before. Take Gogoro, for example, with its Smartscooters and robust battery swapping network. Performance was never the name of the game for the Taiwanese company, but now, it certainly seems that this is no longer the case.
On January 30, 2024, Gogoro pulled the covers off its newest flagship scooter. Dubbed the Pulse, the new model is a testament to Gogoro’s commitment towards innovation, design, and now, performance. It goes without saying that the Pulse is Gogoro’s most high-performance model to date, but is still part of the brand’s Smartscooter lineup.
Diving right into the meat and potatoes, the Pulse is powered by Gogoro’s newest and most powerful powertrain aptly named Hyper Drive. With a maximum output of 9 kilowatts (about 12.2 horsepower), the Pulse is about as powerful as a 125cc scooter. However, it's in terms of torque where the Pulse really shines, or at least this is what Gogoro claims, with its supposed 378 Nm (280 pound-feet) which is sure to raise a few eyebrows. In the real world, this translates to quite a thrilling ride, with a zero to 50-kilometer-per-hour (26 mile-per-hour) sprint of just 3.05 seconds – pretty quick for a scooter.
To complement the scooter’s impressive performance claims, Gogoro pulled all the stops when it comes to styling. Unlike the other models in the Smartscooter range, the Pulse is markedly sporty, boasting chiseled bodywork and a rather menacing fascia that gives it a rugged look. Gogoro calls this design language “Aeroforce,” because it’s said to harness “maximum aerodynamic efficiency and motor cooling.”
On the tech side of the equation, the Pulse features an “active-matrix lighting system” which features 13 independent LED units all working in unison to enhance safety and visibility. It even has dynamic light adaptation, switching on lights automatically depending on ambient lighting.
While on the go, the rider is kept informed of all pertinent ride data thanks to a Smart Cockpit dashboard that consists of a large 10.25-inch panoramic HD touchscreen panel. For a scooter, that’s tons of real estate, considering an iPad has a screen size of 11 inches. Speaking of Apple, the scooter even has Apple Wallet and Apple Find My integration, allowing users to seamlessly integrate it into their active list of Apple devices.
Indeed, the Gogoro Pulse’s spec sheet is quite a handful, and it’s safe to say that it’s packing way more tech than is sensible for any scooter. It’s interesting how far scooters have gone from their humble beginnings. From point A to B runabouts made up of little more than two wheels and an engine, scooters are now marvels of engineering filled to the brim with technology. Let’s just hope that the Pulse will be priced attractively once Gogoro releases pricing information. For now, all we know is that it’s set for a Taiwan launch in late Q2 of 2024, with other markets likely to get it later in 2024 or early in 2025.
