I'm Not Saying it's a Unicorn-Scooter, But…

The Taiwanese wizards at Gogoro have churned out yet another magical little electric scooter that's breaking records left and right. They call this one the JEGO Smartscooter, and let me tell you, this thing is no joke. It is tiny, zippy, offers battery-powered fun, and all for less than the cost of your average second-hand sofa.

Let's talk numbers for a second, because with electric scooters, it's all about the juice. The JEGO rocks one or two swappable batteries, which means you don't have to sit around for hours waiting for a charge like some kind of electric peasant. Even better - roll up to a Gogoro swap station, plop those bad boys in, and you're back on the road. It's like magic, I tell you, only better for the environment.

Gogoro claims the batteries in this puppy last a good 12 years, which sounds pretty wild to me. It takes my husband that long to find matching socks in the morning – seriously, it’s an ordeal. Meanwhile, the scooter itself is about the size of a large houseplant, measuring up at a petite 74 inches (188 cm) long and 45 inches (114 cm) high.

Power-wise, the JEGO isn't going to win any drag races, but hey, it wasn't designed to. It's got a 6.4 kW motor, which is like calling a terrier a "compact guard dog". But for nipping around town, it's perfect, especially since you can zoom from 0 to 31 mph (50 km/h) in 4.3 seconds.

Now, the best part? The Gogoro JEGO, in all its adorable glory, costs a measly $760 after government subsidies! That's pocket change in the world of EVs, and probably less than many second-hand electric bicycles out there.

Gogoro's betting big that the JEGO will tempt those stubborn gas-guzzler folks into the electric future with its low price tag and swappable battery setup, and from the sound of things, they might be onto something. The first batch of 6,500 JEGOs sold like unicorn-shaped hotcakes, making it Gogoro's fastest-selling scoot since the pandemic began. 

And for all those speed demons out there – I know, I know, electrics can sometimes feel a little tame – Gogoro hasn't forgotten about you. They've also got their new Gogoro Pulse up their sleeves, which looks like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. I hear it has all sorts of fancy features usually found on cars, not bikes.

Frankly, it sounds a bit overkill for scooting down to the grocery store, but who am I to judge? I've been known to wear a full ballgown to the drive-through on a bad day, so I can't really criticize anyone's life choices.

Gogoro's expanding its empire into both ends of the electric scooter kingdom, proving that going green doesn't have to break the bank or put you to sleep. Now, if only they'd make a battery-powered minivan to haul my kids and a week's worth of shopping without breaking a sweat… maybe next year?