The Gogoro Smartscooter is the first smart vehicle to form part of the Gogoro Energy Network, which was revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas during last year's expo in January 2015. At this year's CES Gogoro announced a network of battery-swapping charging stations.
With the rapid influx of people to cities across the globe, coupled with the rise in population and increase in traffic jams, the reality of an energy crisis is fast approaching. According to the Gogoro website, approximately 36 per cent of NoX and PM2.5 – the emissions and particles released from fuel combustion – in Taiwan come from motorised transport. In response to this, Gogoro's idea is to reinvent the way megacities experience and harness energy and to provide technology that adapts to growing transport needs and fuel consumption.
Gogoro Energy Networks refuel vehicles via swapping stations called GoStations where Smartscooter riders stop and refuel by swapping depleted batteries with new, recharged cells. The Smartscooter communicates with your smartphone via Bluetooth. Once the app is installed, you receive updates on the closest GoStations and their cell status, maps and other vital information such as your remaining battery life, distance travelled, instant diagnostics if something goes wrong and connection to roadside assistance. Other features of the app include customisable performance settings and the logging of top speeds. You can also customise headlight brightness, tail light patterns and colours to fit your mood. The app also notifies you when charging is complete if you are recharging at home.
A fully-charged battery pack can get you around 100 kilometres at an average speed of 65 kilometres per hour. There are currently 140 charging stations across the city of Tapei, Taiwan.
