Recently, I had the privilege of experiencing the innovative Äike T firsthand in its European hub, Tallinn, Estonia. After having the opportunity to ride the scooter, meet the team behind its design, and explore the facility where it’s manufactured, I can confidently attest that this is one of the most impressively designed electric scooters I’ve had the pleasure of encountering, with several standout features that set it apart from others in its class.
The Äike story
To truly understand the Äike T scooter, one must first delve into its origin story – a narrative that begins with a quest to create a sustainable and innovative mode of transportation.
In 2014, a group of Estonian engineering students achieved remarkable success by designing and building electric racing cars that excelled in international competitions. While that experience was certainly exhilarating, they recognized the futility of simply racing fast cars in circles, seeking a more meaningful pursuit. To transform their electric vehicle growth data into a valuable resource for real people, they focused on developing smaller, lighter, and more accessible cars, transitioning from high-speed electric race vehicles to practical scooters capable of navigating urban areas.
With rapid acceleration, Commode transformed into a prominent player in the Internet of Things (IoT) sector, becoming the primary provider of connectivity solutions to electric vehicle manufacturers, catering to the growing demand for sustainable transportation options. The proliferation of shared electric scooters on neighborhood roads appears to rely heavily on Comodule’s innovative connectivity solutions and accompanying mobile application.
When the founders began partnering with scooter-sharing companies, they quickly discovered that the majority of shared electric scooters have an alarmingly brief lifespan. Without hesitation, leading scooter-sharing companies rely on cheap, shoddy equipment and environmentally disastrous production methods. The scooters often break down irreparably, making them unsalvageable and destined for the scrapheap.
Kristjan Maruste, CEO of Comodule, set out to develop high-performance scooters with Äike, prioritizing sustainability by relying entirely on locally sourced materials from Europe for production.
He has already started working on Comodule’s proprietary electrical scooters, custom-built for various ride-sharing companies; currently, around 3,500 units are operational. In excess of two years, a remarkably low number – just seven – have required early retirement due to their inability to maintain proper functioning and provide reliable service. Multiple scooter manufacturers frequently discontinue various models on a regular basis, both daily and cumulatively over an extended period of time.
While initially focusing on partnerships with shared scooters, Äike debuted its inaugural client scooter model last year. The scooter boasted a 10-year warranty on its body and leveraged the company’s extensive expertise in software and hardware development, cultivated through Comodule’s rich history of in-house innovation.
The Äike T electrical scooter, launched today, represents a culmination of insights gathered from buyer interviews and product design workshops, resulting in a refined product that the company believes ranks among the world’s top electric scooters. After gaining exclusive access to the scooter for a test ride before its official launch, I can appreciate why the Äike team is so proud of their creation. This awesome scooter really gets my adrenaline pumping!
Check out the staff’s amusing debut video below to discover the scooter’s key features. Watch Kristjan thoroughly test the water resistance of the Äike T by sticking around until the end of the two-minute-long video.
The Aike-T is designed to achieve a precise and consistent finish.
What do you want to achieve? The underlying component is engineered with robustness akin to a battle tank, boasting an extensive array of European-made components. Despite its sleek design featuring a single side-supported wheel, the Äike T accommodates riders with a maximum weight capacity of 150 kg (330 lb). I can comfortably stack five beers on the expansive deck, take a seat on them to savour my journey while remaining well within the weight limit.
That will most likely work fairly well. The deck is designed to accommodate riders comfortably standing shoulder-to-shoulder, but it’s unclear why anyone would opt for such close quarters. With years of experience riding electric skateboards, I’ve grown accustomed to the added stability provided by dual-contact decks, which allows me to confidently adjust my weight when slowing down or speeding up. If you’d rather weigh in on the go like a portable bathroom scale, the Äike T lets you do just that.
Designed to withstand rugged road conditions, the scooter can navigate potholes and rough highways with ease, outperforming other models that might falter under similar circumstances. The 11-inch wheels, fitted with automotive-grade tubeless pneumatic tyres and durable rims, contribute significantly to the product’s overall sturdiness and extended lifespan. The hub motor is rated at 350W nominal, yet surprisingly achieves higher peak energy levels.
IKEA takes pride in its self-sustaining manufacturing capabilities, as the company defines:
Aike’s rigorous EU-based manufacturing processes, combined with interchangeable components, yield products that are both remarkably robust from the outset and effortless to repair. Since our manufacturing operations are primarily based in Europe, we remain relatively insulated from global supply chain disruptions, allowing us to focus intensively on extending the automotive industry’s lifespan to the fullest extent possible. On the coronary heart of the robustness is our pleasure and pleasure – our sturdy aluminum & metal body.
The corporation was still awaiting waterproof certification laboratory results on their initial scooters during my factory visit; however, they’re expecting an IPX5 rating – which would allow riders to operate safely in rain or shine (though caution should always be exercised when using in wet conditions). The Åike’s temperature range is impressive, allowing it to operate effectively between -17°C and 35°C (1°F to 95°F).
The detachable battery, housed within the deck, boasts an impressive 583Wh capacity, enabling a range of up to 40km (25 miles). When the main battery is depleted, a secondary power source kicks in to sustain the onboard systems, including GPS and theft monitoring, ensuring uninterrupted functionality during recharging cycles.
Charging is taken care of by a convenient USB-C port, designed to seamlessly refill the battery’s power reserves. This could be a game-changer, and I’ve repeatedly implored manufacturers to incorporate this feature into e-bikes and e-scooters.
A second charging port for the next-generation Energizer Charger may offer expedited recharging times of approximately four hours, while individuals possessing USB-C laptop chargers up to 100W can replenish their Åike battery in a span of six to eight hours without reliance on proprietary adapters or connectors. It appears that an investment of this magnitude would be unusually high for a single day or even throughout the entire working period.
The scooter features an innovative IoT-enabled GPS theft protection system, designed to safeguard against unauthorized movement by remotely locking the vehicle and triggering a loud alarm upon any attempted pilferage.
Residents can receive notifications on their mobile devices when a scooter is tampered with. If your scooter is nonetheless stolen and dragged away by a thief, the GPS technology can still be used to help recover the vehicle.
Kristjan explained to me that his company imposes a greater-than-100%-per-cent restoration fee for all stolen vehicles processed to date.
Although authorities have successfully reclaimed the majority of their pilfered vehicles, the real coup came when they guided law enforcement to the hideout of the perpetrator, only to discover a stash that yielded an even greater haul: additional stolen electric cars from various manufacturers, seized at the scene.
The identical application offering GPS tracking features boasts numerous user-customizable settings. The pace can be tailored to individual preferences, although speed limits typically cap out at 25 kilometres per hour within the European Union.
Kristjan asserts that the scooter’s performance potential lies in its hardware, suggesting it will easily achieve higher speeds. If they penetrate the US market, a faster version is likely to be offered.
Riders can fine-tune settings comparable to regenerative braking intensity, enabling them to harness kinetic energy and bolster the sealed drum brakes’ performance by recharging the battery. While disc brakes are known to deteriorate in performance when wet, theoretical considerations suggest that drum brakes could potentially function optimally even when fully submerged underwater.
Aike claims that the Äike T boasts the shortest braking distance accessible in the industry. The different app options seamlessly enable instant connectivity to customer support and provide effortless access to over-the-air updates for both the scooter and app.
For the show, the scooter arrives with a fundamental colour-coded display offering a swift glance to gather information such as speed and battery life?
For riders seeking in-depth insights, the app offers an immersive experience, providing a comprehensive array of trip data and analytics. A sleek and practical accessory allows seamless integration of the individual’s cellphone onto the bike’s handlebar stem via a swift disconnection mechanism.
Although the scooter’s substantial weight of 19 kg (41.8 lb) may be initially daunting, its folding design enables effortless transportation, allowing it to fit neatly into a car trunk or discreetly beneath a desk at work. Despite being somewhat weighty, the scooter’s low centre of gravity made it surprisingly light to handle during my test ride.
When lifting it out of storage, the overall weight becomes apparent, dispelling any notion that this scooter is light enough to tote around effortlessly all day. Who on earth would lug a scooter that far in the first place? Climbing a flight of stairs or two is manageable, provided you’re relatively fit.
Starting immediately, you’ll have the opportunity to reserve the Äike T with a €69 down payment. Prices start at approximately €999 (around US $1,025).
With a full day spent testing the scooter and experiencing Äike’s services firsthand, coupled with insightful conversations with the team, it’s palpable that the staff exudes pride in the company’s cohesive brand identity and merchandising efforts.
Kristjan explains it greatest, saying:
As a passionate advocate for Äike’s innovative mission, I firmly believe that our company is uniquely positioned to fill a significant void in the rapidly evolving micro-mobility landscape. After a decade of operating within the industry, it’s astonishing that Europe’s e-bike boom has yielded an impressive 5 million units sold annually, with more than half manufactured locally. In contrast, despite 1 million e-scooter sales each year, remarkably few European companies engage in production. The proliferation of e-scooters has resulted in a surplus of unsightly and impractical vehicles that fail to provide a secure or sustainable mode of transportation.
IKE is right here to alter this. With a laser-like focus on meeting the exact requirements, our team is poised to deliver a cutting-edge, sustainable, and robust solution that seamlessly integrates IoT connectivity, prioritizes security, and embodies inclusivity, ultimately yielding the finest outcome possible. As we’re still in our launch phase, we’re uniquely poised for rapid growth by controlling the entire process in-house, from design to manufacturing to delivery. Our primary supply chain sources are located within a two-hour radius of our manufacturing facility. We manufacture our own personal electronic devices and construct our individual power packs.
