Gogoro launches ‘first two-wheel SUV’ using company’s swappable batteries
Gogoro, the leading industry player in the swappable batteries for light electric vehicles market, has just unveiled its new Gogoro CrossOver Smartscooter. The electric two-wheeler is the company’s first entirely new platform of the year, yet relies on the same network of over 1 million swappable batteries as Gogoro’s other electric scooters.
If you’re wondering why the company calls it a “two-wheel SUV,” just take a look at the design. Unlike Gogoro’s other electric scooter models, the Gogoro CrossOver Smartscooter prioritizes ruggedness and utility as its main advantage, featuring several task-oriented design features.
The company describes the scooter as being designed “to be customized and personalized, CrossOver riders can also adapt its functions on the fly.” It also features a more robust frame and higher ground clearance than previous Gogoro vehicles.
Two models will be available, The CrossOver and Crossover S, first launching in Gogoro’s domestic market of Taiwan.
Horace Luke explained how the new scooter combines Gogoro’s existing DNA with an innovative new design:
The Gogoro CrossOver embodies everything our brand has come to stand for. Highlighted by new functional design features, improved performance and the latest in innovation, the CrossOver is focused on being personally customizable by each rider. The CrossOver is based on a completely redesigned all-terrain frame that enables increased rigidity while offering a variety of storage and riding capabilities. The CrossOver is a significant step forward for our vehicle product family in Taiwan and across our new markets where we continue to expand vehicle options for our customers.
The CrossOver is highly customizable thanks to its expandable mounting points. The scooter is also designed to provide “passenger riding space as well as ample storage options with a new mounting point expansion system that includes 26 locking points.”
In addition, riders have four different cargo carrying locations including “a platform design headlight, foot, seat and rear cargo space.” For those that want even more cargo-carrying space, the rear seat can apparently be flipped up or even removed to add extra cargo storage. Gogoro has also developed a number of new accessories such as a side faceplate rack, an off-road front rack, and a lightweight aluminum front basket.
Basically, it sounds like you can load this thing up like a pack mule – and probably take it on the same trials you’d use with a pack mule.
For power, the CrossOver relies on Gogoro’s centrally mounted G2.2 aluminum alloy water-cooled permanent magnet synchronous motor that puts out a peak power of 7.6 kW (approximately 10 hp). The electric scooter also uses Gogoro’s quiet, efficient, and long-lasting FLO DRIVE™ belt drive system that provides a smooth ride experience with essentially zero maintenance. The use of a belt drive from Gates Carbon Drive replaces a chain for much quieter and smoother power transfer to the rear wheel.
The scooter’s top speed wasn’t announced at launch, but many of Gogoro’s similarly powerful electric scooters have an electronically limited top speed of 95 km/h (59 mph).
Braking is provided by a Synchronized Braking System (SBS) that is equipped with front/rear hydraulic disc brakes that “stabilize and shorten the braking distance.”
Gogoro’s new 6.8 iQ System, essentially the brains of the scooter, includes a wide range of high-tech features such as “Bluetooth controls, LTE smart remote networking services that allow riders to connect their CrossOver with 24 hour active message notifications, remote command and control, real-time online vehicle condition inspection including vehicle tip over warnings, vehicle locking/unlocking, compartment opening, vehicle location query and other functions.”
Gogoro’s new Traction Control System (TCS) and optional cruise control mode also allows riders to quickly start cruise control with one click.
While much of the scooter is new, the batteries that power the scooter are the same models that Gogoro has pioneered for years. With over 1 million in circulation, riders simply roll up to a swap station, exchange their batteries in the automated machine for freshly charged batteries, and ride off. Gogoro claims the entire process takes just six seconds.
There are thousands of swap stations spread around Taiwan, ensuring riders are rarely more than a couple minutes from a station.
The batteries also help make the scooters largely theft-proof, since local thieves have learned quickly that the vehicle will be deactivated at its next battery swap if the scooter is marked as stolen in the owner’s app.
The CrossOver will launch with two color combinations: Desert White or Night Storm Grey. The CrossOver S will have four color combinations: Myst Red, Summit Yellow, Desert White, or Night Storm Grey.
Gogoro also announced its new Gogoro Bespoke Club for Smartscooter customization services that let CrossOver riders create their own unique and personalized Smartscooter with more than 100 color combinations.
Electrek’s Take
This is an exciting one for me, especially since there just aren’t that many utility scooter options on the market yet. The leader seems to be Swedish company CAKE, though their abstract design seems to be quite divisive with either a love-it-or-hate-it reception.
It’s hard for a work-oriented scooter to look sexy, but I think Gogoro has done a great job incorporating a fun design into a utility scooter.
The Crossover will become available in Taiwan later this quarter, though Gogoro hasn’t shared any announcements regarding potential international launch plans. Gogoro has expanded several of its electric scooters internationally over the last few years. I personally own a Gogoro S2 Performance ABS model and use the local battery swap stations here in Tel Aviv a few times a week. I see several riders around town using Gogoro scooters for food delivery, which makes sense as riders can simply swap batteries throughout a long day of cruising around town making deliveries, and they never have to worry about downtime while charging. The CrossOver model would be even better for these types of riders due to its utility design, so I hope to see Gogoro expand internationally soon with this model.
Beyond merely utility riders, I can see many consumers preferring a design like this. I live car-free, and I’ve often carried bulky items such as lumber on my Gogoro, though I don’t have special racks and I frequently worry about scratching my factory iridescent paint job. A utility scooter would solve that problem, allowing me to carry more without worrying about using the scooter in a way it wasn’t designed for.
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Get ready, children. There’s a new electric bike licensing scheme that will soon be tested as one of several methods designed to help educate young riders on responsible road use and combat the growing concern of dangerous e-bike riding among youths around the world.
Known as the Student Bicycle License Scheme (SBLS), the proposal in New South Wales, Australia, will operate as a trial of a new licensing program for electric bike riders. The program targets school-aged e-bike riders in response to a growing number of accidents and misuse cases involving young riders.
The pilot program will require students to complete an online training course and pass a knowledge test before being issued a digital license to ride an e-bike or e-scooter. The scheme is expected to launch later this year in select schools, and if successful, could pave the way for a broader rollout.
Schools in Sutherland and Newcastle have reportedly expressed interest in joining the program, which leaves it up to individual schools to decide how they wish to use the new license program. For example, they can make it mandatory for students who want to ride to school or use secured bicycle parking facilities at the school.
The trial will initially focus on education rather than enforcement. Students who complete the course will receive a digital “ride-ready” credential, but there are currently no plans to introduce fines or penalties for unlicensed riders during the pilot phase. The government is partnering with road safety experts and schools to develop the training materials, which will cover speed limits, helmet use, sidewalk etiquette, and proper intersection behavior.
Australia’s National Transport Research Organisation is also reviewing current electric micromobility laws, with a report expected by the end of the year. The Queensland trial is seen as a possible blueprint for other regions facing similar safety concerns.
The announcement comes as electric bikes become increasingly popular among Australian youth, not just as toys, but as practical transportation to and from school, work, and social events. With that growth has come scrutiny – several high-profile crashes, some involving modified or overpowered e-bikes, have pushed lawmakers to act.
The same phenomenon is playing out around the world, including in Europe and the US, where young riders have increasingly taken to electric bikes as an alternative form of transportation, though one that has raised concerns around road safety among a young populace who has yet to learn the rules of the road.
Electrek’s Take
This is one of several school-level educational outreach programs we’ve seen pop up lately, and I think these are great ideas.
While the idea of requiring a license to ride an e-bike might sound extreme in some places, Australia’s approach here is education-first, and it could actually be a smart move. It also seems like the license is designed to be effective without being a burden. If you can grasp the knowledge, you can pass the test. And since many of the issues surrounding young e-bike riders arise from a general ignorance of road rules, this could be an effective solution. Teaching young riders the rules of the road before they hit the pavement might help reduce injuries and improve public perception of micromobility. Plus, the fact that it is a digital license means that there would presumably be fewer costs involved, which will hopefully allow the program to be free of charge and further reduce the burden of the licensing process.
Of course this won’t do anything for the “hooligan” riders who know the rules and simply don’t care, but that’s where enforcement has to step in as the heavy-handed partner to education.
I think this is a great example of balanced e-bike regulation. A measured mix of education and enforcement is key to ensuring e-bikes remain safe while taking advantage of their myriad benefits to the public. And hey, it sure makes a lot more sense than NYC trying to cut the speed of all electric bikes in half overnight.
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The State of California is moving to ban the sale of Tesla cars amid claims that the company and its CEO, Elon Musk, have misled buyers about the self-driving capabilities of their cars. We’ve also got market-leading news out of Vietnam and a pricey, pricey lesson for one VW ID.Buzz buyer on today’s lesson-learning episode of Quick Charge!
We also ask what this might mean for the recent Uber/Lucid autonomous taxi tie-up and go through a full rundown of the fastest depreciating EVs on the market (and yes, there are four Tesla models in the top 10 … because the Cybertruck was too new to qualify).
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If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
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Sunrun is putting tens of thousands of home batteries to work in Puerto Rico as the island’s electric grid faces a summer of high temperatures and energy shortfalls.
The company says it’s now dispatching energy from over 37,000 residential batteries to help grid operator LUMA keep the lights on. That stored power is being used to prevent rolling blackouts when demand spikes and centralized power plants can’t keep up.
Sunrun’s emergency power contribution has grown more than tenfold since last summer. LUMA expects more than 75 energy shortfall events between now and October, with each dispatch sending electricity to the grid for four consecutive hours. During several recent evenings, Sunrun and other virtual power plant (VPP) operators provided enough energy to offset a 50-megawatt generation gap, LUMA said.
Sunrun CEO Mary Powell said Puerto Rico’s aging infrastructure and intense weather patterns make home battery support increasingly critical:
It’s going to be a very difficult summer, which is why Sunrun has ramped up our dispatch capabilities, using tens of thousands of home batteries to support the grid and people of Puerto Rico.
She added that distributed power plants like Sunrun’s serve the same role as natural gas peaker plants – offering fast, reliable power during high-demand moments – but with clean energy.
Sunrun customers enrolled in the VPP will get paid too. Each participating battery earns about $200 minimum for the season, and customers who allow more of their stored energy to go to the grid earn even more. Sunrun also earns revenue for operating the VPP.
Read more: The US’s largest virtual power plant now runs on 75,000 home batteries
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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