Dong e-scooter has been designed strictly as an urban mobility solution with a single-charge range of only 60km
Now, the Chinese are very well known for quirky and out-of-the-box designs and not in a good way. That is why most of their automotive designs are ripped off from international models. If you think, you have seen the craziest automotive designs then you are in for a treat, thanks to the new Benelli Dong electric scooter.
Benelli recently introduced the mini e-scooter in Indonesia and it is certainly difficult to ignore despite its miniature size. The design is something very original that we doubt has been witnessed anywhere around the world. It has been designed to position as an affordable means of electric mobility.
Quirky Design
The e-scooter gets a curvy front apron that gels well with a cylindrical shape rear section with an under-seat panel housing the battery and electric motor. The floorboard tapers towards the rear to meet a silver-coloured serpentine-style swingarm.
The e-scooter will be made available in three colour options- blue, dark grey and white. Other highlights include full-LED lighting, a circular LED DRL, turn indicators mounted on the handle, a large grab rail at rear and a negative LCD display for the instrument cluster.
Modest Specs
Speaking of its specifications, the majority of under-seat space is taken up by the 1.56kWh lithium-ion battery pack which is paired to a 1.2kW electric motor rated to produce a peak torque of 24.8 Nm. This powertrain returns a range of 60km on a single charge and can attain a top speed of only 45 kmph.
Needless to point that it has been solely designed for short-distance urban commutes. The hub motor employed ensures that there is no need for either a chain or shaft drive system.
This setup doesn’t leave much space for anything else in the under-seat storage, hence it isn’t the most practical scooter going around. The shape of the seat also wouldn’t be exactly ideal for a pillion. Another interesting bit of feature is the fake exhaust noise which gives it the vibe of a conventional IC engine-powered scooter. Fortunately, this feature could be turned off.
Benelli Electric Scooter Price
The Italian bike brand is owned by Chinese automaker Qianjiang Motors and little to doubt, we believe that QJ must have been involved in the development of this mini e-scooter on some level. Dong has been priced at 36.8 million Indonesian Rupiah that is equivalent to INR 1.89 lakh. Dong is surely a head-turner but is it valuable enough to be owned?