Five months after its first official appearance in Malaysia, the Blueshark R1 smart electric scooter is finally available for purchase by the public. As opposed to the launch back in October which only features the standard model, there is now the Lite variant as well.
One of the easiest ways to tell the R1 Lite and R1 standard models apart is by looking at their 10-inch displays. Specifically, the standard variant is equipped with a full-colour HD IPS screen but the Lite model features a monochrome instrument panel instead.
The standard variant R1 also comes with cameras and ultrasonic sensors on both its back and front area which work together to deliver features such as a driving recorder as well as blind spot & reverse assistant for the bike. It also comes with the company’s proprietary Linux-based ArkRide operating system that includes over-the-air update capability, on-scooter GPS navigation, media playback, and Bluetooth connectivity.
All of these are not available on the R1 Lite and there is also a matter of colour options. The standard R1 can be obtained in Blueshark Blue, Seashell Pink, Coconut Brown, Coastal Beige, Pine Green, Darksea Black, and Spindrift White but the R1 Lite is only available in Darksea Black and Spindrift White.
Regardless of the version that you prefer, both variants still have the same performance. All R1 Series electric scooters have been equipped with a 5kW motor which can deliver a maximum torque of 201Nm alongside a top speed of 80km/h.
They are also able to accelerate from 0 to 50km/h in 4.9 seconds although this is in Turbo mode which allows riders to access all of the torque that the scooter has to offer. R1 Series bikes also have several other riding modes including Eco, Normal and Sport in addition to the reverse assistance mode called the Walk Assist Mode (WAM).
The R1 Series scooters have also been fitted with a 100/90-12 tyre on the front while there is a wider 120/70-12 tyre on the back. They also feature dual disc brakes with Combined Braking System (CBS).
Physically, the 92kg electric scooters are side are able to carry loads of up to 200kg and also feature a swappable dual-battery design. With a capacity of 1440Wh each, two of these 12 kg lithium ion phosphate (LFP) batteries would allow the R1 to travel up to 110km according to the NEDC standard.
When it comes to charging time, the battery takes around 2.5 hours to go from 0% to 80% although you have to wait for 3.5 hours if you want the battery to be at 100%. The battery can be charged using a charging cradle or directly on the bike itself through a 3-pin charger.
If you are wondering how is the R1’s battery swap experience looks like, here is a little demonstration for you:
The R1 Series electric scooters also come with their own mobile app that allows users to remotely turn on, immobilize, and locate their bikes as well as unlatch the seat and activate the honk. Additionally, the app can also be used to keep track of their riding mileage and real-time battery status together with battery swapping history and remaining quota.
Meanwhile, the R1 electric scooter series are protected by two tiers of warranty policy. For their screen, motor, and batteries, there is a two-year warranty while other parts of the bike are covered by a one-year warranty.
Price-wise, the standard variant of R1 is available for RM9,390 while the R1 Lite costs RM7,190 not inclusive of insurance. Customers will be provided with a charger and two charging cradles as well as a Bluetooth key.
As weird as this might sound, the two batteries that come with the bike are being provided to users on a lease basis which is why there is also a monthly fee of RM79 attached to the bike. To be clear, the RM79 monthly fee does not cover the swapping fee which is a separate subscription plan altogether which starts at RM1.95 per swap or RM59 for a set of 36 swaps.
Customers that insist to own the batteries outright, they can still do so although the cost is rather hefty at around RM3,000 each. We will be taking a closer look at Blueshark Malaysia’s battery-swapping subscription plan and ecosystem in a separate article, so stay tuned for that coming your way soon.
In the meantime, if you are feeling curious enough to check out the new electric scooter yourself, do reach out to Blueshark Malaysia in order to schedule a visit and test ride over at the Blueshark 3S Centre in Glenmarie Shah Alam.
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