Australian e-scooter riders have something to look forward to in 2023: Pure Electric is finally landing down under through an exclusive partnership with Electric Kicks. The biggest e-scooter brand launch we’ve seen since Apollo arrived in 2020 promises to bring us a new way of looking at electric scooters, and a new way of riding them.
But who is Pure Electric? Read on to find out more about its history, standing principles, and models.
The Land Before Pure
With what feels like the 20th once-in-a-lifetime recession looming for most of us, you may be convinced that there wasn't much coming out of the seedy undergrowth of investment banking that made the world better.
But in 2018, a Bristol-based entrepreneur by the name of Adam Norris set about on a mission to change all that.
Adam Norris, Founder of Pure Electric
Prior to this, Norris, father of Formula 1 driver Lando Norris, had achieved considerable success in business, becoming the managing director of Pensions Direct at the young age of 33. Just three years later, he retired at the age of 36 having built up a successful company through cutting-edge innovation into a market where most others were happy with the status quo.
After his early retirement, he embarked on investing in businesses across several industries before deciding to invest in himself.
“I had to pick something where the tech was proven but was early. Global warming’s a problem and there’s going to be a lot of effort made to force the public to use low carbon devices,” stated Norris in an 2022 interview with CityAM.
He recognised that electric scooters were going to form a key part of our future. Cycle lanes had started to criss-cross the streets of the world’s cities, and the cost of car ownership was becoming harder to manage. With the ever-present threat of environmental change, Norris felt like he could revolutionise a product that, even now, is still illegal in his home country in the UK.
It was at this point that Pure Electric was born.
“I set up this company to help humankind,” says Norris. “Pure’s goal is to help bring about a personal transport revolution and have a positive impact on our planet, benefitting society now and for generations to come.”
Driving Innovation
Not long after founding Pure Electric, Norris hired the head of research at Dyson, Sam Bernard. Wanting to be at the forefront of new technology, Norris was passionate about imbuing all Pure Electric products with engineering prowess that made them more versatile, practical, and safe. All of this was to be done without sacrificing the overall design of the e-scooter - it still had to look good.
Sam Bernard, CTO of Pure Electric
Over the years, Pure Electric has continually invested into product research & development to support its brand objectives - much more than any e-scooter company in the world - and this is evident in every e-ride they have released to date.
What’s Important To Pure Electric?
Outside of wanting to help combat climate change, Pure Electric has three core values:
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Rider Centric
All Pure Electric’s products must meet the needs of progressive, urban consumers.
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No Compromise
Pure Electric had to have bold innovation, unconstrained by existing category norms. They had to reset the category benchmark.
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Expand The Impact
Pure Electric must produce a new solution that will inspire more people to use e-Scooters more of the time.
These tenets guided Pure Electric through a sharp rise in popularity across Europe, but more designing award-winning products required more practical priorities. As far as the products themselves went, Norris believed there wasn’t much point in producing e-scooters that didn’t make people’s lives easier at every given opportunity.
He believed that all his scooters should be able to climb hills. It was unacceptable that riders should have to jump off and push their scooters under any circumstances, so equipping them with enough power and torque to push riders up hills was crucial.
Furthermore, safety was key. As the wider world was still trying to understand how electric scooters could be used to fit into our roads, riders were at risk from accidents or loss of control. Pure Electric scooters were to be safe & manageable.
Lastly, it isn’t surprising that a UK-based company would prioritise water resistance. On average, it rains in the UK 44% of the year, and Norris felt there was no point owning a device that can only be used when the sun was shining. All Pure Electric scooters were to have high water-resistance ratings.
The values and beliefs above were integrated into the Pure range from day one, and can still be seen in their new models several years later.
A Pure First
The Pure Air Gen 1 Electric Scooter
Pure’s first electric scooter was the Pure Air, now known as the Pure Air 1st Gen. Described by Techradar.com as “the perfect entry-level scooter”, it featured a design that stood out from its competitors with its curved neck and sleek footdeck. In terms of performance, it was better than a lot of other models on the market, such as Segway’s E-Series, with a range of 30 km and a top speed of 25 kph. This was already relatively unheard of back in 2018, but Pure went further in fitting the Air with a IP65 water resistance rating and a 120 kg rider weight limit.
It was affordable, it was practical, it stood out, and it set the course for Pure Electric’s meteoric expansion into the e-Scooter market.
The Next Generation
Pure Air Go Gen 2 Electric Scooter
2021 brought the second generation of the Pure Air, aptly named the Pure Air Gen. 2. This split the Air into three variants:
- The Pure Air Go
- The Pure Air
- The Pure Air Pro
Each model took something from the Gen 1 and built on it. The Gen 2 featured more powerful motors, more manageable acceleration, new 10” air-filled puncture-resistant tyres and a fast recharge time.
With a beefed up range of up to 50 km now available, escooternerds.com describes the Air Gen 2 as “…one of the most reliable medium-range daily urban commuters,” and “one of the best options currently available on the market in the UK and some European countries.”
It sold well, and cemented the Air as one of Pure’s core models.
However, this generation also saw Pure Electric move into the world of electric bikes with the Pure Electric Flux. This was a single speed, stripped down electric bike with a lot of emphasis on the “stripped down.” It featured a slim and lightweight frame, a rear hub 250W motor, and came at a reasonable price.
Minimal Design: The Pure Electric Flux E-Bike
While it was positively reviewed as a great value city commuter, Pure elected not to continue the e-Bike range after its initial run, and moved onto a project that took them back to their very founding principles….
The Pure Advance
The Pure Advance Electric Scooter at the Melbourne F1
The Pure Advance is advertised as The E-Scooter Reimagined, and it is clear to see why. Pure has launched a world first with an e-scooter that lets the rider face forwards rather than the side-on approach used by the rest of the market.
CTO Sam Bernard “To really inspire change and challenge the traditional way people travel, we knew that we had to create a product that is fundamentally different.” He mused that e-scooters were based on the children’s kick scooter model in that they were designed to be kicked. For e-scooters, it didn’t make sense to optimise for the sideways kicking position because the rider wouldn’t need to kick outside of getting the scooter moving.
For Pure Electric and the wider industry, it’s a totally new electric scooter. The forward facing component is the biggest difference you’ll notice, but there’s a lot more going on underneath its sleek frame. We have some of Pure Electric’s most powerful motors to date, the same industry-leading water resistance rating, a 120 kg rider weight limit and a high hill climb ability.
But once again, Pure Electric didn’t stop there - they also moved into the region of proprietary technology by producing Active Steering Stabilisation. This unique ability centres the handlebars to keep riders moving straight forward when not turning, improving overall control.
It’s clear to see Pure applying its core values to the Advance range. It changes the way we look at electric scooters by reimagining the riding position. Its powerful motor is a great hill climber. It has a high water resistance rating. Its indicators and brakes make it safe. It all comes together to focus on the rider, and looks great while doing it.
The Future Is Unfolding
The Pure Advance+ Folding Electric Scooter
You may think the Pure Advance sounds like a breakthrough in e-scooter technology, and it is. So you may be surprised to find that it isn’t even the jewel in Pure Electric’s crown.
Introducing the Pure Advance Flex - the world’s first fully-foldable electric scooter. Taking on the same design as the Advance, the Flex goes one step further by folding in half horizontally to reduce the overall size of the unit. This allows it to be stored in cupboards, car trunks, behind doors, or under desks.
With most folding e-rides, there is generally a sacrifice somewhere. Motor power is reduced. Battery life is shortened due. Structural integrity can feel a little shaky.
As a testament to Pure Electric’s engineering, you don’t get that with the Advance Flex. It comes with the same 500W motor with a 750W peak output. It has a 120 kg weight limit just as the other Advances do. It has a 40km range, and despite the additional joints, it even keeps its IP65 water resistance rating. Active Steering Stabilisation is also installed to ensure that there is no deviation from the safety standards seen on the rest of the range.
It’s not the best folding electric scooter on the market - it’s the only folding electric scooter on the market.
Pure Air³ Gen 3
Adam Norris talks through the Pure Air³
The latest in Pure Electric’s tried-and-tested line also landed in 2023: The Pure Air³.
The Air³ is follows a design that will be more familiar to the e-scooter riders of Australia, promoting a sideways-facing riding position. While its pricing is cheaper than the Advance range, you’re still getting largely the same technology.
Just like the Air Gen 2, the Air³ comes in three versions: the Air³, the Air³ Pro, and the Air³ Pro+. Across the range, you’ll find handlebar indicators, steering stabilisation, puncture resistant tyres, improved reliability, and nominal motor powers ranging from 350W to 500W.
What’s most impressive is that these e-scooters can even support up to 120kg of weight despite weighing just 15.5 - 16.5kg. This is a rarity in e-scooters, as generally lightweight e-scooters can only support up to 100kg.
With Australian pricing ranging from just under $1,000 up to $1,399, the Air³ represents amazing value for money in a crowded market, and will be a wise investment for the savvy city e-scooter rider.
The Pure Way
Pure Electric is a company based on the belief that almost everything can be done better. Innovation & game-changing technology only make up part of what it means to own a Pure e-scooter. As their site says, everything is considered during the design phase, and their e-scooters are entirely built around the rider.
They are an e-scooter manufacturer of heart & passion for the craft, and this is evident in everything they do.
“By reducing our reliance on cars and public transport, we can all do our bit for the environment, lowering air pollution and minimising congestion, creating a cleaner, better planet for all, and keeping us fit while we do it.”
- Adam Norris, Founder of Pure Electric