Panmi is an Australian distributor of Segway-Ninebot products and the latest Kickscooters on the way are absolutely insane. Last September, I reviewed the F40A and was suitably impressed, but the new GT series is on a whole other level.
Coming in early June, the Segway-Ninebot GT1 and GT2 are a real demonstration of what’s possible in electric scooters when the engineers are given a virtually unlimited budget cap. Often in consumer technology, the gadgets we buy are not the best that could be built, as the marketing department has set a target entry price for the product.
“Panmi is a leader of micro-mobility products in Australia. We are paving the way and revolutionising the Australian market with the introduction of both the GT and P series. Unless companies are official Panmi distributors there are companies out there falsely advertising these new products and consumers need to be weary and carefully select where they buy their products from”
George, Chief Operating Officer at Panmi.
When you set the goal simply to make the best scooter possible, these are the kinds of electric scooters you end up with.
The GT2 is referred to as a SuperScooter and it’s easy to see why when we take a look at some of the specs. The scooter has a crazy top speed of 70km/h and can accelerate from 0-48km/h in just 3.9 seconds. That performance is matched by a crazy 90km of range.
The GT1 features specs that are marginally saner, with a top speed of 60km/h and a 7.5s time 0-48/h. The range is still an incredible 70km.
Both scooters can support a very generous payload of up to 150kg, much more than your regular electric scooters.
After more than 2 years of development in cooperation with professional riders, more than 37,000 KM were accumulated in testing.
When it comes to powering the scooter to these kinds of speeds, you need a serious electric motor (or two). The GT2 features 2x 3000W motors, combining for a max total power output of 6000W and as much as 50Nm peak torque. The GT1 offers just a single drive motor on the rear wheel.
The battery sizes are different between the models, with the big brother GT2 housing an incredibly 1.5kWh (1,512 Wh) and a wicked multi-layer cooling system. The GT1 is still impressive with a 1kWh (1,008 Wh) battery.
With a battery pack that large, it could take a long time to charge, except they’ve thought of that. To reduce charging time, the GT2 contains two chargers in standard, allowing “Twin-Charging” simultaneously.
When it comes to speed, the first thing many of us think about is bumps. To connect with the road, the GT series features 11″ wheels, 3.6″ wide tubeless tires with unique self-sealing function, providing an ultimate road-gripping capacity and risking down tire punctured in any road condition.
These absorb some of the bumps, but the real work is carried by a really impressive suspension. Starting with a Front Double Wishbone Suspension – GT series design the supercar level front double wishbone suspension structures, which ensures the suspension stability as well as handling.
The load on the desk (aka you) is also supported by a Rear Trailing Arm Suspension – GT series design the supercar level front double wishbone suspension structures, which ensures the suspension stability as well as handling.
Finally, the suspension is complete with a Hydraulic Shock – The GT series are equipped with front & rear 15-level damping adjustable hydraulic shock, which can be personalized according to various environments. No matter on flat asphalt roads, or off-road exploration on country lanes, GT will be always in the perfect state.
These also feature the best of Segway technology, meaning they are engineered with a unique Segway Dynamic Traction Control System (SDTC) to prevent wheels from sliding on gravel or slippery roads and to obtain better handling while turning at high speed.
Another concern at speed is the ability to stop whenever you need and fast. To address this, Segway-Ninebot includes a Hydraulic disc brake, the GT series equip 0.8″ front & rear dual-pistons and a 5.5″ diameter hydraulic disc brake, 0.1″ thickness perforated brake pad.
The scooters also feature a nice transparent PMOLED (Passive Matrix OLED) Display which offers many of the normal eScooter information including current speed, battery remaining drive mode, and if your lights are on or off. Speaking of lighting, there’s a powerful headlight upfront, offering an impressive 900 lumens of brightness.
On the back, you have ambient lights and with a smartphone app, you can control the colour and as many as 11 light modes (check your local laws on this one).
When it comes to transporting these scooters, there’s a quick 2-step folding process that means fitting it into most car boots is possible, while having confidence it’s strong when in the upright position.
Understanding the capabilities and specs of these amazing electric scooters will hopefully prepare you for the premium price tags.
The SegwayNinebot GT 1 will set you back a healthy $4,799.00, and the GT2 costs a substantial $6,499.00. Yes, that is the cost of a small motorbike, or a cheap, second-hand car, but assuming you are looking for a very different experience, it’s hard to find a great comp for something of this quality and performance.
Now comes the big warning. These kinds of speeds should never be used on public roads, with many states having top speeds of 25km/hr or below. This means electric scooters like these are best used on a race track and with plenty of protection, as you could easily take a trip to the hospital if you were to come off at these speeds.
