When the Eel Model One debuted, it was a scooter that impressed not only with its design but also with its capabilities Not only did it look great, it was extremely lightweight, yet powerful for its size So how did they improve one of the best electric scooters?

The successor to the Unagi Model One, the Model One Voyager, has not changed too radically, but it has almost doubled the range of the original and added new features such as a Bluetooth locking mechanism The weight has also been kept about the same; read the rest of our review of the Unagi Model One Voyager to find out if this is the best electric scooter for the last mile

The Model One Voyager can be ordered starting April 1, 2023, and will ship at the end of April

If you don't want to pay the purchase price outright, Eel offers a subscription plan that allows you to pay $69 per month plus a one-time setup fee of $50 The anti-theft feature is also available for an additional $5 per month

The Model One Classic (formerly Model One E500) still costs $990 and is also offered on a subscription basis for $59 per month

The biggest difference between the Unagi Model One Classic and the Voyager is range In addition, the Voyager is slightly more capable when going up hills and can be connected to an app that adds some additional features, as discussed below

There are few differences between the Voyager and the Classic Unagi Model One Side by side, they are almost identical And that's a good thing: despite being on the market for about five years, there is still no scooter that looks as sleek as the Unagi

The Voyager's downtube is made of the same carbon fiber and has a unique pyramid shape, thinnest in the center and flared at both ends Not only is it elegant, but it is also extremely easy to carry when folded

A large black-and-white LED display between the handlebars shows speed, distance traveled, battery level, and whether the scooter is using one or both motors On the left side is a push lever for the brake, and on the right side is the throttle

As one would expect from a scooter of this price, the Voyager has a headlight and a taillight The latter is always on and flashes when the brake is applied The headlight (two LEDs) emits a bright, large beam that illuminates the ground about 15 m in front of the scooter, giving me enough time to see and avoid potential obstacles

One of the best design elements of the Voyager is the downtube folding and locking mechanism: simply pull down the two tabs and the downtube folds and locks into place

The Model One Voyager was as speedy and responsive as the original On a 6 percent grade, the Voyager raced up the hill at the same 11 mph as the Model One Classic

When the Voyager was unboxed, it offered a choice of three speed modes, with top speeds limited to 9 mph, 12 mph, and 15 mph, respectively Entering a special code unlocks Voyager's maximum speed to 20 mph (turn on the scooter, hold down both the brake and accelerator, and quickly press the power button 10 times You should hear a few beeps from the scooter) Then you can really fly

The two main problems with the Voyager are the same as with the original The rubber wheels and lack of shock absorption make for a very rough ride Tubeless, inflated tires would make it much easier

The other drawback is that the Voyager's electronic horn is rather feeble When I was riding in Manhattan, I could barely hear it over the traffic noise It would need to be much louder to alert people ahead

Eels advertise the Voyager's range as 12 to 25 miles, depending on rider weight, terrain, and other factors This range is double that of the Eel Classic (7 to 12 miles), but when the Classic was first launched, Eel gave a range of 15 miles

All of the scooters I test rode found the range estimates to be very optimistic, especially for a rider like me who weighs close to 200 pounds Also, I live in a fairly hilly area, so the range would be even shorter

On the Voyager, I could only get about 12 miles on the scooter before the battery died When the battery level reaches about 10 percent, the scooter begins to beep intermittently When the battery level reaches 5 percent, the beeping becomes more insistent and the Voyager's top speed drops

Voyager can also be fully charged in three hours, half the time of the Model One Classic

Another difference between the Voyager and the Classic is that the Voyager can be paired with an app via Bluetooth, allowing the user to change several settings, including maximum speed, whether to use one or two motors, and whether to turn on the headlights

The app also gives an estimate of the distance that can be traveled before the battery runs out However, to get an accurate estimate, you must enter your weight into the app The app also has a remote lock feature to help prevent theft

Eel initially planned the Model Eleven to follow the Model One The Model Eleven was to cost about $2,400 and include features such as automatic driving assistance, Bluetooth speakers, GPS tracking, and replaceable batteries But that turned out to be too ambitious Instead, they introduced a slightly more practical (and affordable) Model One Voyager

This is a great step up from the original, and while I wish it had different tires and a more powerful horn, it remains the best scooter for those who need a last-mile ride from train or bus to office or home It looks really great too