Straight from Estonia, tech startup Äike is previewing its next electric scooter that focuses on durability and respect for the environment.
O Äike T is currently available for pre-order (opens in new tab) with a fully refundable booking fee of €69 (about $70), although at the time of writing we saw the price at a discount of €58. The final price starts at €999 (just over $1,000) and will increase depending on whether you add insurance or change the color. Shipping starts in November 2022, but you better act fast because there will only be 500 pre-orders.
We asked Äike if there are any plans to launch their scooter outside of Europe, specifically the US. They haven’t gotten back to us, but we’ll make sure to update if Äike responds.
Specifications and features
Coinciding with the pre-sale launch, Äike posted a pretty goofy preview video (opens in new tab) starring the company’s CEO, Kristjan Maruste, which hits the main features. The “über strong” Äike T has a sturdy foot deck that can support up to 150 kg (about 330 lbs) and 10-inch puncture resistant tires. have a water resistance rating of IPx5, which means it can survive small gusts of water and pass through shallow puddles; just don’t throw it in the ocean.
As for security, Äike T has theft protection that locks the brakes, sounds an alarm and sends a notification via the official app (opens in new tab) (available on iOS and Android) alerting you to what just happened. The app can also be used to change scooter settings. For example, you can control how fast Äike T can go, enable regenerative braking (opens in new tab) recharge the battery a little or lock the scooter. In addition to adjusting settings, the Äike app also provides customer support and a 24/7 live feed of the scooter’s location via GPS.
The 583.2 Wh battery has the distinction of supporting USB-C cable charging, which the company claims is the “first light electric vehicle” to do so. Plus, the battery is removable so you can plug it into a phone charger while the Äike T remains in your garage. As you ride, you can look at a small circular screen behind the handles showing a speedometer and the scooter’s battery life.
The Äike T is, at 19 kg (about 40 lbs), a bit heavy. The machine is 1149mm high (about 45 inches) and 1185mm long (about 46 inches), but the scooter can be folded to fit easily in the trunk of your car. The battery has a range of up to 40 km (just under 25 miles) with a top speed of 25 km/h (about 15 mp/h). However, the maximum speed is subject to government regulations, so it may be slower in certain locations.
Sustainability
Äike has also put a lot of thought into the materials used to manufacture their new scooter. according to one recent Bloomberg article (opens in new tab), 42% of the Äike T is made from recycled material and 92% of the machine itself can be recycled. The company is proud that the Äike T is easy to repair thanks to its interchangeable parts. That said, it’s hard to know how that claim will hold up outside Europe without easy access to European manufacturing.
What works well internationally is the USB-C cable support. O European Union has been working on establishing a universal charging standard using USB-C as a base. Apparently, the EU was unhappy with the lack of cooperation between the tech giants to set something up, so now they are taking matters into their own hands. It looks like Äike is capitalizing on this.
If you are interested in purchasing an electric scooter, published a “best of” list back in May.
