Navee EasyRide 20

Before I moved out of Copenhagen several years ago, the "electric scooter revolution" was in full swing. Rental companies such as Lime and Voi burst onto the scene, and at the time it was impressive, to say the least, that you could always get home fairly quickly by using an app. Legislation was supposed to make it a little more difficult for these scooters to offer the ubiquitous, smooth transport that was the whole point of the concept, but electric scooters are not only here to stay, they continue to have an ever-growing presence in both the cityscape and even out in the suburbs where I live today.

The new EasyRide 20 from Navee is flawless, and you can even get this more affordable model for around £250, but looking back on it all these years after I first started renting them when I had to get home from the city to my flat, I'm a bit surprised at how little has happened with the design, usability, and features.

No corners have been cut when it comes to the basic functional expectations a modern consumer might have. It weighs 15 kilos and is easy to "break", fold up, and possibly carry on a bike. It is surprising that we have not yet found a way to reduce weight or mass to such an extent that a user can quickly fold a model into something that is relatively portable, possibly via a built-in handle, or a more foldable design that offers smaller dimensions.

The motor is 250W, but with what the manufacturers call a "peak power" of 450W. This means reasonably decent acceleration, but since you will probably be riding in traffic most of the time, there is a fixed top speed of 20 km/h, so regardless of peak power, you are limited to the same speed as everyone else. However, the motor means that you can handle steep slopes, and I did not experience it slowing me down or running out of juice in the hilly landscape around me or near the Gamereactor editorial office.

20 kilometres on one charge does not seem to be particularly much. It did not take many Google searches to find electric scooters that weigh roughly the same (E-Wheels E2S V2 Pro weighs 15 kilograms - one more) but have a range of 50 kilometres. It seems that range is the primary area where savings have been made, but here Navee seems to have gone a step too far.

On the other hand, the build quality is surprisingly sublime. It has IPX5 certification, so you can easily ride in the rain, puncture-proof tyres, and a rock-solid ABS system that convincingly brings you to a complete stop without skidding or losing traction, even if the braking is sudden and hard. But perhaps most of all, no expense has been spared on the quality of the practical materials that make up where you stand, where you hold, where you look. And the accompanying app is also responsive with a stable Bluetooth connection, fine driving data and the option to unlock directly.

Although I miss a little innovation, perhaps in design or even just in functionality, it's hard to argue against such a low price. EasyRide 20 doesn't reinvent the concept and is close to the first electric scooters I roared through Copenhagen on many years ago, but at the same time, it's hard to deny how much more accessible this form of transport is becoming thanks to such competitive prices, and I have to admit that you get a lot for your money, even though I personally would be willing to pay a little more for a little more flair.