ES20 Neon Is the Result of 17 Years of Micro-Mobility R&D. Here's What's in Store for $600

You've probably noticed that the two characters above are disputing interest in a scooter. Yup, a scooter. The reason is that urban mobility is just so dang hot right now, and since spring is here, it's the perfect time for manufacturers like Okai to unveil the goods they have for this year. Never heard of Okai? That may be true, but if you dabble in e-scooter and e-bike rentals, chances are that you've touched an Okai product.

In truth, Okai is one of the most prominent designers and manufacturers of e-scooters in the world, having been in this industry for over 17 years now. In that time, they've managed to rack up over 100 different patents, all aimed for use in the urban mobility scene.

Now, what's so dang special about the e-scooter you see here today is that it's the first one that this crew has unleashed for consumer sales. This is the ES20 Neon, and the reason it's such a big deal is that it showcases 17 years of specialized R&D. Aside from capability, which we'll get to shortly, the main feature that should grab your attention is this machine's price, $600 (€560 at current exchange rates). That's an amount I'm sure you can save over a month or two if you have slightly lighter lunches.

So the price has gotten your attention, and another feature that's sure to feed your orbital cortex is this sucker's design. Keeping in touch with modern minimalist design, the Neon doesn't come off as gaudy, nor does it instill a feeling of fright; it looks rather inviting. A blend of matte white paint covers most of the structure and touches of grey highlight the footboard and grips. Clean is the word I'm looking for here.

Since riding around on a white scooter can seem rather dull, there's a little trick up the Neon's sleeve and possibly one of the reasons for its name. The steering column and footboard feature integrated RGB lights. Sure, it may seem a bit childish, but wait till you take it out on the town one evening; it may just spark a tiny subculture. Oh, those LEDs are programmable by the user, affecting things like the actual color, speed, and illumination style.

Ok, so we've got a reasonable price and a clean design with a touch of fun, but what about my riding experience? Okai is enticing new or veteran riders with nothing more than a brushless and gearless motor with a peak output of 500 W (0.67 HP) and 16 Nm (11.8 lb-ft) of torque. This is enough to pull you around town at speeds upwards of 15.5 mph (25 kph) and do so for up to 25 mi (40 km). What I found rather neat is that the Neon can even climb hills up to a 20% gradient which is nice if you live in a rather dynamic city. With thumb throttle, all you've got to do is sit back and enjoy the ride.

Other features aimed at the rider's comfort and safety include a long footboard, an integrated suspension that allows the rear of the Neon to absorb shocks and bumps, and a pneumatic front tire that offers some vibration reduction. As for braking, there's a disc brake mounted to the rear, but an electronic brake also kicks in and stops the front wheel; if you've got dimes around the house, now's the time to use them. There's an LCD screen integrated into the steering post to keep an eye on your diagnostics and speed, but your phone can also be connected to the scooter via an app. There are many other features too, but I feel we're going to be discovering those together; I may be getting my hands on one of these myself.

At the end of the day, figure out how to take a test ride on one of these trinkets and see what the fuss is all about. Just be warned, you may be leaving your local e-scooter dealership without $600 but with a new ES20.