Benelli Dong Electric Scooter: Image Gallery
Modified On Apr 23, 2021 02:05 PM By Manaal Mahatme
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Benelli’s new offering is unlike anything we have seen from the manufacturer
We have seen Benelli build everything -- retro roadsters, adventure motorcycles, even supersports. But an electric scooter? Yes, the Chinese brand has launched the Dong e-scooter in Indonesia, and it is unlike anything you have got from Benelli. Here’s a closer look at the e-scooter:
A brand that usually followed a conventional design for its products has now undergone a sea change, as we have seen with the 2021 Benelli 302R. Not only does the Dong look futuristic, but the e-scooter is well put together too. The design is clean with no exposed screws or rivets, something you can expect from a true Italian brand. At 74kg, this is also one of the lightest electric scooters.
Complementing the futuristic design is the all-around LED illumination. The rectangular headlight unit even gets anLED DRL surround, and is flanked by indicators, keeping the one-piece front apron clean.
The switchgear is minimal, and the layout of the colourful buttons resembles a gamepad. Wondering what the ‘+’ and ‘-’ switches are for? To control the ‘engine’ volume. Come on, you really can’t expect a quiet Benelli, can you? The Dong has a speaker that replicates engine sounds according to the acceleration.
Continuing with the minimalistic theme, the Benelli Dong’s console is a circular LCD unit that displays all the regular information in a crisp layout.
The cute little e-scooter is powered by a 1.2kW hub motor that has a peak torque of 24.8Nm. This motor comes paired with a lithium-ion 60V/26Ah battery. The claimed range is 60km.
The compact and minimalistic design comes at the cost of storage. With the battery housed under the seat, there’s only enough space to store your vehicle documents or few essential tools.
The Benelli Dong has a unique aircraft landing gear-style single strut that handles the suspension duties at the front. At the rear, the Dong gets a monoshock mounted on the single-sided aluminium swingarm.
Braking at both ends is handled by a pair of floating disc brakes.
The Benelli Dong has been launched in Indonesia at RP 36,800,000 (nearly Rs 1.90 lakh). However, Benelli is unlikely to bring this scooter to India. But if you are on the hunt for a new electric scooter, you could wait for the Ola Electric Scooter or Simple Energy Mark 2.
