Relaxed, quiet and clean with the unu scooter through Berlin

In a society where environmentalism and sustainability are becoming increasingly important, but where people require mobility, flexibility and comfort, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a mobility solution that combines these aspects. The unu scooter is an optimal solution. Especially in big cities such as Berlin, which suffer from exhaust gases, noise and long traffic jams. 

In our beautiful capital city, the driver’s patience is often truly put to the test regardless of how much CO2 is emitted. According to the INRIX study, car driver spent almost a week in traffic jams or slow-moving traffic in 2018. More precisely – six days and ten hours or 154 hours. Berlin is the leader in the ranking of the most congested cities followed by Munich and Hamburg. In these cities car drivers "only" lost 140 or 139 hours of time in traffic jams. Overall we shouldn't complain in Germany. Let's look at cities like New York, London or Moscow. I don't want to be a driver here.

Back to Berlin. I have to admit that I am a passionate car driver and also like to take the car to get from A to B in Berlin. BVG is expensive and not reliable, it often smells unpleasant – a pure spinner in winter and unbearably hot in summer. If I do decide to take public transport, I always get disappointed. The bus does not run the usual route and I have to get out beforehand, I get sick again because of the catastrophic air in the train ... and the whole thing is not cheap either. 2.80 € each way or 7.00 € for a day ticket (tariff zone AB). So I rather  take my car or I use one of the many sharing offers that are now available in Berlin.

I am aware that big cities suffer from exhaust gases, traffic jams and noises. Of course, the environment is important to me. Therefore we must focus more on sustainable mobility. New incentives must be created for people in order to ensure a lower environmental impact and a higher quality of life.

For a big city like Berlin I found an extremely attractive mobility solution. This option is practical, convenient, quiet, no emissions are generated, I get from A to B quickly, I am very flexible and above all independent. The unu e-scooter offers all of this and enables me to fully exploit the potential of the city life.

I spent a day exploring Berlin with the unu scooter. The company recently launched the second generation of its e-scooter. In addition to the very clear, minimalist design, the new model has many new smart features. The model is fully networked, keyless and can be shared with friends via app.

The tour through Berlin took place with the unu’s previous model, the unu Classic. I'm very excited and I look forward to testing the new scooter soon. Of course you will find everything then here on ellectric. 

But now back to my test drive. I've been living in Kreuzberg for several years. But I have to admit that on this day I re-experienced my neighborhood, discovered new corners and got to know new people. The unu scooter is a real magnet. I was often asked about the scooter and came into contact with many nice people. 

In the morning I started my ride in the beautiful Bergmannkiez. From there I drove to Tempelhofer Feld to the building of the former airport. From there I went to one of my favourite coffee spots in Berlin Chapter One.

The coffee here is delicious. Definitely worth a visit if you are coming to Berlin and if you are a fan of coffee culture. Afterwards I went with the scooter to the König Galerie – a gallery that is located in a former church. The building alone is very inspiring and interesting. Contemporary art by international, emerging and established artists is presented. It is always worth visiting the König Galerie.

It is so much fun driving the unu scooter. I just let myself go and explored corners where I hadn't been before.

The wonderful thing is that at no time did I have to worry about how much CO2 is emitted by my trip. I was never faced with a parking problem. I was able to park the scooter anywhere without any problems and above all directly at my destination. I could have driven 50 km with a fully charged battery. But I didn't need that. Even if, no problem at all. The portable battery is super easy to remove from the scooter and it can be easily connected to any socket, e.g. be loaded in a cafe while enjoying your coffee.

My conclusion: The unu scooter is extremely practical for a city like Berlin. It is very easy to use, easy to drive, quiet and above all: no exhaust gases are produced. I can park it right in front of my entry door so I don't waste time looking for a parking space. The scooter is compact, light with only 57 kg and moreover it looks very nice.

Technical details about the unu Scooter Classic

Maximum speed – 45 km/h (= scooter of class 50cc)
Up to two passengers
Range – 50 km (mit 1 battery) / 100 km (mit 2 batteries)
Extended range by recovering the braking energy
Charging costs – ~0.80 € / 100 km (based on the average European electricity price)
No exhaust gases
Almost no noise
Weight– 57 kg
No gear shift – only one gear

Pictures: Coralia Glavas for ellectric
Text: Britta Reineke