It's brand after brand and model after model for electric bikes. Big names like Zero and Energica have already made their presence known throughout the world, and even countries like India are seeing some high-profile investments into companies like Ola Electric.
While the rest of the world has been shouting, let’s head back to Europe for a bit because Naon is yet another name to add to the list of brands to watch for the upcoming electric revolution.
Based in Germany, the Naon brand just fielded its first-ever electric scooter prototype, dubbed the Zero-One. Again, it is a prototype so there are no pre-order forms just yet. However, the model does look promising with its unique design and its rather premium positioning in the market.
Naon plans to have two versions of the Zero-One, the first is the L1e, which will have a price tag of €4,920 EUR (about $5,600 USD). It’ll serve as the base model for the lineup, and it’ll have a claimed top speed of around 28 miles per hour, that’s 45 kilometers per hour in metric.
A bump in price means a bump in power, and the L3e, which will retail for €6,420 EUR (about $7,300 USD), will reportedly be able to achieve a top speed of 62 miles per hour or 100 kilometers per hour. It’s said that the motor will feature a 7-kilowatt output, which should be plenty for in-city duties.
The Zero-One is built on an aluminum frame, with its swappable batteries placed near the floorboards to allow for storage space and a low center of gravity. It also has disc brakes in the front and rear and has ABS. What’s surprising about its feature set doesn't have a display, and uses the rider’s smartphone to provide information.
On top of it all, the manufacturing process is also green because Naon states that the Zero-One is made from recyclable materials that are simple to break down, repair, and remake into more raw materials.
