I just rode a $2,000 electric scooter designed by Formula One engineers — and I'm actually tempted to buy it

What do you get when a Formula One engineer takes his talents and designs an electric scooter? I found out for myself when I took the Bo Model-M for a test ride in Brooklyn last week.

This new electric scooter has an aluminum monocoque chassis and a unique steering system that makes it unlike any other electric scooter on the market today. But how does this $2,000 machine compare to the best electric scooter? I went for a ride with CEO Oscar Morgan, who previously worked for Williams Racing, to see how well it handled.

Bo Model-M: Price and availability

The company is slowly introducing the Model-M to the U.S. You can order the base model — which has a top speed of 16 MPH and a range of up to 25 miles — for $1,990 at Bo's website. A version with a top speed of 22 MPH and a range of 40 miles sells for $2,490.

The Model-M is also offered in four colors — silver, gold, black, and chrome — with the latter three being a bit more costly. For example, a gold version of the top-end Model M costs $3,399.

That's a lot more expensive than the best electric scooters, but the company doesn't plan to release it in large numbers; each scooter is hand-built.

Lest you think it can't go faster, Bo is developing a modified version of the scooter that can reach speeds of up to 100 MPH. At $30,000, it'll cost you as much as a car, though.

Design

Unlike most every other electric scooter, the Bo Model-M has a monocoque chassis, which means that the outer shell of the scooter itself provides support, rather than an internal frame.

So, there's no vertical downtube like you'll see with most scooters; rather, you get an L-shape that swooshes down and blends seamlessly with the deck; it's the sleekest scooter design I've seen since the Unagi Model One.

A running light sits about a third of the way up the scooter, with a headlight in the middle of the handlebars.

Partly because of this design, the top of the scooter doesn't fold down, which makes it more suited for those who have a garage to store it.

There are two small design touches I particularly liked. The first is the Model-M's kickstand, which is designed that that you'd find on a motorcycle: It folds down on both sides of the scooter, so it's propped up level, and more securely, than a kickstand that's just on one side.

The other feature I loved are the folding loops for a bike lock. These are located about halfway down, and pop out so that you can slide a bike lock through the frame of the scooter, and then fold them back in for a sleeker look. These loops also have a small tab at the top, so you can use them to hang a bag from the scooter while you're riding.

The Model-M lacks a built-in display. Instead, there's a mounting bracket in the middle of the handlebars, to which you attach your smartphone, and use the Bo app as your dashboard.

Handling

Also, the steering is a lot tighter than a traditional scooter — you feel a lot of resistance as you turn the handlebars to either side, as they automatically return to center. In some ways, it feels like the steering wheel of your car.

While I didn't try it, you could almost ride the scooter one-handed, as you don't have to focus on keeping the wheel pointed forward.

The Model-M is powered by a 400W (1200W peak) rear motor, which felt pretty zippy around the admittedly flat streets of the area around the Brooklyn Navy Yard; I'd be interested to see how it would fare in hillier environs.

Still, it felt very zippy during my time riding it; the Model-M has two speed settings, so you can keep it at a lower top speed until you get used to riding it.

Another conscious design decision was to forego any sort of suspension system on the Model-M, and instead rely on its 10 x 2.5-inch pneumatic tires to absorb any bumps in the road. It was definitely more jarring than full suspension scooters like the Segway Max G3, especially when riding over the cobblestone streets of Brooklyn.

Initial impressions

There's a lot to like about the Bo Model-M; not only does its design stand out from the crowd, but it's thoughtfully made; I especially like touches such as the folding bike lock.

While I'd like to test it out further, the Model-M's steering is also unlike any other electric scooter I've ridden, and definitely feels more stable when making turns; it felt more like skiing than scooting. I do wish there were some sort of suspension, though.

At $2,000, this is definitely a boutique ride, and, as it doesn't fold and weighs around 50 pounds, I would not recommend it for those who live in a walk-up apartment. But, if you're looking for a scooter that will make a statement, this is it.

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