Askoll renews its range of electric scooters for 2022, an important year for the world of “small displacement” two-wheelers. The Italian company is not new to the world of battery-powered scooters and, while not always popular for design, it has a technical knowledge that actually turns into an important advantage: batteries.
The supplies come from the East, but the tests, the quality controls & agrave; and the assembly of the battery packs and the BMS (Battery Management System) ensure greater quality. There is a big difference between importing a finished product from China and importing some components made with Western specifications and then reworked.
Technology 28 Jul
With the update of the range the on-board electronics & egrave; ready for telematics , and this will bring; the producers like many Chinese proposals that already have; use this technology. Actually, even without the fleet data, the battery analysis is; is already happening; for vehicles in circulation, to the point that the first generation used by the Cooltra fleet did not require changing batteries .
In the original business plan, in fact, the & # 39; scooter rental company planned to change the batteries after 3 years of operation. It has been 4 years and the cells are still in such conditions as to ensure operability; the distances acceptable by the service provider.
Still on the subject of cells, Askoll is evaluating for the near future all a series of new & quot; chemical & quot; of the battery since the new generation BMS allow greater flexibility; when calibrating current and voltage. There is also talk of a switch to prismatic cells to increase density; energy, but the Research Department & amp; Development (which Askoll does at home in the & quot; secret room & quot; we talked about here), is not; still arrived at the final choice.
THE NEWS OF THE 2022 RANGE 
With the 2022 is divided into Askoll NGS and Askoll eS Evolution . NSG2 1.4, NGS2 2.8 and NGS3 2.8 are the new names of the models with the most beautiful look; “ sporty '', where the final number indicates the cut of the battery: 1.4 kWh or 2.8 kWh.
EVO2 1.4, EVO2 2.8 and EVO3 2.8 are the equivalents of the range with the most attractive look; traditional, they too with the same logic in the naming.
Starting from the most economic, here are the features
- eS2 EVOlution 1.4 (3,590 & euro;): 2.2 kW motor, 1.4 kWh batteries (one pack, predisposition for the second)
- eS2 EVOlution 2.8 (4.390 & euro;): 2.2 kW motor, 2.8 kWh batteries (two 1.4 kWh packs)
- eS3 EVOlution 2.8 (4,690 & euro;): 2.7 kW motor, 2.8 kWh batteries (two 1.4 kWh packs)
we tried the new generation of Askoll NG electric scooters | Video 139
Moto 21 Jun
The NGS range uses the same engines, with the difference that the NGS2 engine is; now more powerful compared to its counterpart in the EVO range:
- NGS2 1.4 (3.690 & euro;): 2.2 kW motor, 1.4 kWh batteries (one pack, predisposition for the second removable pack)
- NGS2 2.8 (4.490 & euro; ): 2.7 kW engine, 2.8 kWh batteries (two 1.4 kWh packs)
- NGS3 2.8 (4.690 & euro;): 2 engine, 7 kW, 2.8 kWh batteries (two 1.4 kWh packs)
In addition to small innovations; aesthetic, the new displays also arrive on the range. The EVOs still use a technology that has problems with polarized lenses, but a little trick to bypass this obstacle & egrave; to activate the sun visor integrated in many helmets over the sunglasses. All EVOs have a side stand as standard (in addition to the central one).
< p>The NGS range, on the other hand, has a new (customizable) color display that is; perfectly compatible with polarized lenses, as well as increasing the brightness; and therefore the readability even with direct sun. Exclusive to the NGS range & egrave; the new belt that eliminates the typical & quot; hiss & quot; while driving and increasing tire size: 90/80 R16 in front and 110/100 R16 in rear.
How much does an additional battery cost for Askoll scooters? The retail price is; of 800 & euro; VAT included
For all models comes the new Y adapter for the 550 W charger (output at 9.5 A and 54 V), compact and capable of simultaneously charging the two batteries, reverse gear , the < strong> LED and the button for the 4 arrows. The power button now also takes care of changing the mode; driving when we are on the move.
It should also be noted that, in order to face an increasingly Chinese invasion; massive, Askoll also offers the 2021 model in the range without reverse gear:
- eS2 City (2,790 & euro;) : 2.2 kW motor, 1.4 kWh single battery
Compared to the test on road of the previous generation, both NGS and eS EVO are appreciated for the improvement in terms of readability; of the instrumentation (brighter). NGS3 becomes an all-round scooter to recommend to those who have to face the city & agrave; where climbs are on the agenda: its speed maximum of just under 70 km/h and the power of the engine allows it to tackle even difficult climbs, albeit at speed; lower tip.
NGS2 with double battery is easily usable in the urban context, that of the fifties: the legal limit remains (45 km/h) but the increase in power makes it more; snappy. The same considerations apply to the ES range which can be the right choice for those who have never ridden a scooter, but the advice for everyone else is; to go to NGS if only for the advantage of the larger tires.
On the road you appreciate the comfort (the saddle has good support and the holes are not a drama) and agility; driving. There is no a sophisticated chassis, but the sizing & egrave; right for this segment where performance is not sought, but a means to move (almost) with practicality; and facilit & agrave; of a bicycle.
THE ELECTRIC SCOOTER MARKET … 
the electric scooter market in Europe , painted from the classic Askoll slides which, rightly, gives water to its own mill showing its strength in the various countries (in France it is the main producer).
Regardless of the marketing talk, for & ograve ;, & egrave; It is interesting to note how the division between L1 electric scooters (the fifty electric scooters, speed up to 45 km/h) and L3 (higher speed) varies greatly depending on depending on the country that we are going to analyze.
In Italy, in 2021, Askoll is & egrave; played the game with Niu in the L3 segment which represents the main one, while Niu obtained more odds; important of the Italians in the L1 segment. Europe, however, has a completely different idea of transport by scooter: 79% of sales in 2021 are; was represented by the fifties (L1) and only 21% saw the most electric scooters as protagonists; fast (L3).
… AND THE CONTAINER INVASION 
Curious how in addition to Askoll, Lifan, Niu and Piaggio, the rest of the cake is shared by 62 brands . Count more of 60 brands & egrave; almost impossible in the car world, but the proliferation of these & quot; scooters & quot; & egrave; daughter of the container invasion which could have been worse had it not been for the increase in shipping costs and the delays between the pandemic and the Suez Canal.
< p>With the invasion of containers we mean that practice, more and more; in vogue, which brings the system similar to dropshipping to the world of scooters, where digital small entrepreneurs sell online or in Chinese rebranded scooter shops , each with the brand they decide to invent. Now widespread in the world of accessories and electronics, this practice seems to have also infected electric scooters, with the enormous disadvantage that the four brands mentioned above can count on assistance (more or less widespread ), these & quot; unnameable & quot; are forgotten once the container empties and the entire stock is sold.
Looking at the European market, the & quot; other brands & quot; there are 564, a huge number that shows how virtually anyone could buy a container, do some; marketing and selling something “ disposable '' on the market. Finch & eacute; it works, and often they are not bad at all, they are all happy. At the first need assistance, however, the pains begin …
Finally, the situation worsens if we consider that the slice of the & quot; other scooters & quot; it often also includes electric bikes on steroids transformed into 'cinquantini' that operate with the accelerator, and therefore are illegal in Italy.
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