Zurich, 28th of May 2020. Micro, the Swiss micromobility pioneer, is presenting its latest e-scooter, the Micro Explorer. The Micro Explorer is the Micro’s sixth-generation e-scooter and profits from the company’s more than 20 years of experience in building kickscooters, as well as their experience with other electric vehicles, such as the bubble car Microlino. “With the Explorer we did not want to create just another cool gadget. We wanted it to be a real alternative to a car or motorbike and for that, it needs to be extremely long-lasting and durable”, says Wim Ouboter, the company’s founder. The company says the Explorer was built with durability in mind and is the only consumer product on the market designed to last for 5000km or more.

Apart from durability, the Micro Explorer also boasts impressive specs. The motor has a power of up to 500W and can reach speeds of up to 30km/h, but depending on the local regulations, its speed is limited to be street-legal (20 km/h or 25km/h) and comply with regulations. The 280Wh battery lasts for up to 30km and can be charged in just 3.5 hours. Instead of a thumb-throttle like most e-scooters have, the Explorer features a twist grip which is similar to a motorbike and more intuitive, accurate and fun to use than a thumb-throttle. By turning it forward, it only uses the kinetic energy recovery system to brake and recharges the battery at the same time. 

For more comfort, the Explorer has a front and rear suspension that can be adjusted according to the rider’s weight and preferences. This way, full rubber wheels can be used instead of air tires; they have lower rolling resistance and therefore increase energy efficiency, and are also lower maintenance. This e-scooter has four different riding modes that can be changed on the built-in display or on the Micro app: pedestrian (250W, 6km/h), eco (300W, 20km/h), standard (400W, 20km/h) and sport (500W, max. speed country-specific). The brand-new micro app can display total distance traveled, turn-by-turn navigation, and travel time in addition to changing driving modes. The app also features a diagnostics mode that improves after sales service and contributes to the e-scooter’s longevity.  In addition, the scooter can be locked with the app and acts as a second protection against thieves together with the Micro lock that can be purchased as an accessory to the Explorer.

Although it is comfortable and high-powered, the Explorer remains compact and foldable, thanks to its telescopic T-bar and foldable handles. Despite its power, it is still light, weighing only 13.5kg and can be perfectly combined with other modes of transport like cars, trains, metro and buses. 

The Micro Explorer is built out of high-grade aluminum with a minimum of plastic parts in order to achieve its goal of being the most long-lasting e-scooter. “Many people just compare things like range and power when buying an e-scooter. But the things that you don’t see but feel, like high-quality components and materials, are really what makes an e-scooter fun to ride and last long,” says Wim Ouboter. 

The Explorer will be for sale in Switzerland starting in June, and then in other European countries in July, at a cost of 1099 EUR. Due to the tariff situation, there is no launch date for the US yet, but pricing is expected to be around 1199 USD. It is homologated and street-legal in all European markets and the US. In addition to the Micro version, German automaker Mercedes has chosen the Explorer as a base for their own e-scooter that will be included in certain EQ models. The co-branded Mercedes version will hit stores later this year and boasts similar specs.

• Micro Explorer