For all the advantages that come with a slim form factor, electric scooters tend to be quite a hindrance when it comes to storage indoors. Imagined as the perfect personal urban mobility solution on the daily commute, they’re definitely less than perfect for storage inside the oftentimes-cramped apartments in the city.
Enter Pure Advance, the recently introduced new lineup of e-scooters from former UK-based e-bike maker Pure Electric. The company is founded by Adam Norris, the father and manager of none other than F1 wunderkind Lando Norris, with an initial focus on electric bicycles and components. The Advance lineup represents a shift towards a new, more convenient future, that of electric standing scooters.
That said, the Advance is not your regular e-scooter. After all, you can get that without paying for ownership by simply using the Lime or Bolt ride-share machines that still dot many pavements across the world. Advance is a standing electric scooter that aims to enhance comfort, stability, and performance while also using quality materials and integrating smart tech for the ultimate city machine that you can easily take inside with you.
The scooter comes in two models, the standard Advance (offered with two battery specs for different ranges) and the Advance Flex, which is fully foldable. They’re the same in terms of weight, performance, and exterior styling but differ only in terms of foldability, with the latter folding in on itself in five moves and becoming so compact that it can easily be stored inside the desk at the office. By comparison, the standard Advance can only fold at the handlebar, which still makes it less of a hindrance in city apartments but not as compact as its more flexible sibling.
Photo: Instagram / Lando Norris
But you can’t disrupt the industry and propose a new, improved means of urban travel by simply downsizing the form factor of said means when not in use. Pure Advance does a bit more than a regular e-scooter, starting from the way the rider stands to the integration of all necessary features to keep you safe on the road and a new steering system that adds stability and safety.
Instead of a narrow deck, this e-scooter comes with two fold-out foot pads, one on either side. This means that the rider stands fully face-forward and has a more balanced, stable position while riding. It also means even novice users can ride it, though tandem riding will become a thing of the past.
The patent-pending Pure Control steering system makes steering easy and intuitive but also prevents a phenomenon too common in ride-shares, that of jittery handlebars. By integrating this steering system, the Advance handlebar remains stable and un-jittery on turns, even when riding on uneven ground.
Power comes from a 500W motor rated for a peak 710W of power, paired with either a 355-Wh battery or a 432-Wh one in the Advance, and a 345-Wh battery on the Flex. Range is estimated at 40 km (25 miles), 50 km (31 miles), and 40 km (25 miles), respectively, while top speed is electronically capped at 25 kph (15.5 mph) due to European legislation.
All three variants of the Advance weigh 16 kg (35.2 pounds) and ride on large, 10-inch air-filled tubeless tires. Stopping power comes from a combination of a front drum brake and rear e-brake, and you get a bright LED headlight, taillights, and turn signals. All Advance e-scooters are IP65-rated, which means they can still be used in a heavy downpour without any damage to the electronics. If you don’t mind getting wet, that is.
Photo: Pure Electric
“Balance, flow, super responsive. This new format is a game changer,” Lando Norris says on his social media of the new product. We have only his word for this because the Advance is not yet here for customers to see for themselves: pre-orders are now underway, with estimated delivery for March 2023.
If you got excited about it, there’s even more bad news, as the plan is to make it available in the UK only at first. On the bright side, it is priced affordably at £799, £899, and £1,099, respectively, or approximately $911, $1,025, and $1,253 at the current exchange rate.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News