Pure Electric E-scooters are now available in SA
Is the price of fuel getting you down? There may be a premium solution to your short-distance travel woes. Pure Electric e-scooters are here, and these are not just any old electric scooter! We attended the local launch of this e-mobility machine.
South African consumers have been hammered by rising fuel costs over recent months, and it doesn't appear that this is going to let up anytime soon. Consumers are exploring all sorts of travel solutions, from bicycles and e-bikes to motorcycles and e-hailing, as a way to reduce their travel costs, and that's where the Core Group has conveniently popped up.
Related: How the June fuel price increase will affect the average South African
Core Group represents some of the world’s most valued and loved brands in Sub-Saharan Africa. The brand is the leading Apple distributor in Sub-Saharan Africa and has represented Apple in South Africa since 1995. They are also the distributors for other major brands such as DJI and Nintendo. The territory of operations comprises Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
70 Years of Ferrari Racing in Southern Africa
What is a Pure Electric?
So it's a given then that the brand seeks to supply top-quality premium products to consumers, and that's where the Pure Electric range comes in. Pure Electric is a company founded by Adam Norris, father of F1 World Champion Lando Norris, that makes high-end BEV scooters for urban and suburban environments. These convenient little machines are not the run-of-the-mill e-scooters you can buy on TEMU; they are premium products for urbanites who know what they want and are not afraid to pay for it.
Product range
The range starts with a traditional scooter-style one-foot-behind-the-other design and progresses to a forward-facing design featuring low-riding footboards and stabilised handlebars. Mid- and top-spec models have running lights, indicators and an electric control system that runs via an app on your smartphone, which you can use to lock and unlock, set user speeds, and monitor charging. All models use high-torque electric motors that can propel the Pure Electric to a max speed of 25-30km/h. You will also notice that sitting at the very top of the range is a McLaren-branded unit. This is the result of the brand collaboration between Pure Electric and the British supercar maker. It's no coincidence that his son, Lando, the current F1 world champ, drives for the brand and is also a Pure brand ambassador, riding his e-scooter around the F1 paddock.
From a technical perspective, the Pure range runs on rechargeable lithium-ion battery packs that are completely sealed to IP65 specifications, making them environmentally sealed. The units are not user serviceable, but Core Group will have a fully stocked warranty and service centre that will take care of your Pure Electric scooter with everything from spare parts to tyres and batteries.
Can I ride it?
It is important to note that, due to there being no regulation in South Africa for e-scooters per se, these machines are not legally allowed to be used on the road, but if consumers are sensible and self-regulate, they are very capable of becoming incredible short-distance travel assistance in enclosed estates and neighbourhoods, much like e-bikes. Core Group will be distributing these neat little commuters directly to consumers and through retail outlets such as iStore and Incredible Connection, with consumers able to choose from multiple grades and price points.
At the product launch held at Zwartkops Raceway in Pretoria, we were able to sample the full range and to say that these are a blast to whip around on is an understatement. They are incredibly convenient in a space like this and, as seen on the day, will sell rather quickly to the right audience. It just so happened that the Raceway was hosting a test and tune day for the upcoming Extreme Festival series, and many of the race teams set up in the pits got a first viewing of these zippy little machines, and before the Pure executives could blink, they had sold 5 units to teams in the pits during the product launch.
Our pick of the litter is the Escape Pro model, which balances cost, styling and usability in a tidy little package. As desirable as the McLaren-branded model is, it does feel a bit OTT, but to each their own.
Models and Pricing
| Pure Air5 | R 8 999 |
| Pure Air5 PRO | R 10 999 |
| Pure Air5 PRO+ | R 12 999 |
| Pure Air5 Ultra | R 16 999 |
| Pure Escape | R 11 999 |
| Pure Escape PRO | R 13 999 |
| Pure Escape PRO+ | R 14 999 |
| Pure Advance | R 15 999 |
| Pure x McClaren | R 22 999 |
| Pure Flex | R 24 999 |
Verdict
The Pure Electric scooter range is not for everyone, and has a very narrow use case, but these are not meant for mass adoption or immediately solving the world's current petrol crisis, but there is a market for them as seen on the day, these units will sell, it's just a matter of which model is going to sell the most and what your personal preference is. The Core Group and Pure are on to something here, and we look forward to seeing these in estates across the country.
