In April 2021, Silence officially launched its range of electric scooters in the United Kingdom. I was one of the first Journalists to be given the opportunity to throw my leg over the Spanish-made Silence S01 model and was eager to discover whether it was capable of encouraging the masses to switch to more sustainable travel.
I had a blissfully quiet week with the S01 battery-powered scooter from Silence. It is a lovely looking machine, and what makes it different from other similar looking vehicles is it is silent. When riding it, I found it didn’t produce disapproving glares from the public who despair at the loud noises most scooters produce. Instead, it turned heads for different reasons, creating nods of approval, smiles and frequently, looks of curiosity.
The S01 is the equivalent of a 125cc bike, which means you have plenty of power to get you around town and can be ridden on motorways if you have a full motorbike licence. The maximum speed in sport mode is 60-ish mph, and I say ‘ish’ because it does depend on wind conditions, temperature and if you are on a flat piece of road. These would be the same considerations when riding a standard petrol 125cc scooter.
I found the Silence S01 to be a very capable machine, and it did pretty much everything I hoped it would do. It is practical, efficient, and above all, lots of fun to ride. The positives with this scooter far outweigh any negatives and clearly shows that electric scooters have their place.
The S01 is surprisingly agile; you can throw it around in corners, around roundabouts and nip in and out of stationary traffic. Handling at speed is tremendous, with the scooter holding its path well and allowing for safe, confident cornering.
As I mentioned, the Silence S01 has a huge number of positives going for it. However, there are very few products on the market that are all things to everyone.
Overall the Silence S01 would appear to have almost zero negatives, and any minor gripes would be borne from personal preference. For example, I found that at low speed, the front feels heavy, slightly hampering the scooter’s manoeuvrability.
I also think the front wheel is too wide for my liking, although I do appreciate that this design aspect does offer a more comfortable ride and makes it easier to navigate the numerous potholes found on British roads.
My personal preference would be for a narrower front wheel, but then the ride might feel harsher, and if you hit a pothole which, given we are talking about England, is highly likely, it could throw the steering. So the benefits of the wider tyre probably outweigh the minor handling issue.
The Silence range of electric scooters is very cheap to run. The company states they cost a few pence to run per mile, making them an excellent alternative to using public transport or conventional powered vehicles. Riding an electric scooter also allows you to go from A to B without any fuss eliminating stressful trips to a train station or bus stop, avoiding the frustration of timetables changes, delays and changing connections.
There’s been a good deal of thought put into the design of the Silence S01. It has ample under-seat storage allowing two helmets to be securely stowed, plenty of shopping, and it is even able to hold smaller goods for delivery if required. Silence did test this, placing twelve bottles of wine in the compartment.
More practical applications, as if there are, would be carrying a work bag or sports kit. In addition to this, there’s more than enough space to hold a good quality chain to secure your machine when parked.
Connectivity
As with most modern bikes, the Silence S01 can be connected to an App on a smartphone. From the dedicated App, you can control security, gain information on its status. One particularly handy feature that is incredibly important in current times is the ‘Find your scooter.’ It lets you see precisely where your scooter is at all times, so you can track its location in the unfortunate event of it being stolen.
You can also plan your route through the App by putting in your destination and connecting with your scooter. It will create the best way, giving you information on estimated time and miles to make sure the battery charge is optimal to get you where you’re going. The owner can check the status of the scooter and battery; they can see the SoC (state of charge) for the battery and get alerts on the vehicle’s temperature and other essential elements, any time.
Battery
Silence has put a lot of thought into their batteries and the charging process. The company has addressed the problem of locating a convenient location to charge the machine. The battery is removable with a patented ‘click-and-go portable system. When you unlock the battery and slide it away from the frame, wheels drop to take the weight, and a carry handle extends. This allows you to pull the battery to where you can plug it in for charging.
This innovative system enables charging anywhere there is a standard electric socket, such as a workplace, college or apartment. Removing the battery also adds security as the machine is unusable without it. You can buy spare batteries, and two types are available. A 2kWh is equivalent to 50cc machines, and the one fitted in the S01, the 5.6 kWh is 125cc equivalent. Both come with a Three-year warranty.
Accessories
Silence has thought of what owners may want to add to their machines to increase enjoyment and functionality. For the S01, you can buy a larger front screen to increase wind protection. Rear boxes are available to fit and augment the storage capacity. There are also brand design helmets that look superb.
To help with purchasing one of their electric scooters, Silence UK has partnered with finance provider MotoNovo. They can offer a plan with no minimum deposit finance tailored to customers’ credit status. MotoNovo provides an introductory rate of 8.9% APR Representative on HP agreements across a 36 or 48-month period, with no minimum deposit required. The offer is available to all customers across the complete Silence electric range.
I was reluctant to hand the keys back to Henry from Silence UK when he came to collect the S01. It put a smile on my face and reminded me why I love to ride two-wheeled machines.
In this day and age, I am quite sure that many commuters would appreciate avoiding crowds of people and unexpected delays, and an electric scooter is an ideal way to do this.
Final thoughts…
The Silence S01 is pretty much everything I hoped it would be and is a simple way for the masses to switch to more sustainable and convenient travel. I have no hesitation in recommending the S01, and Silence can now consider me a fully paid-up member of their fan club.
Silence S01 – Where and How?
There are four models in the Silence line-up; the price for each depends on the battery size and motor power.
- The entry-level, 2kWh Silence S02 LS (£2,695 OTR) sits in the popular 50cc band for younger riders, the more budget-conscious and more occasional use. It has a top speed of 30 mph and a WMTC range of 35 miles.
- The 5.6kWh Silence S02 LS Long Range (£3,595 OTR) supports last-mile multi-drop fleets, giving an extended WMTC range of up to 91 miles and a top speed limited to 30mph.
- The Silence S02 (£4,695 OTR) has the same 5.6kWh battery but a larger 7kW motor (9kW peak), making it ideal for professional courier services and urban business use. Top speed is limited to 62 mph. WMTC range is 80 miles.
- The flagship Silence S01 (£4,995 OTR) is the commuters’ choice, with a 5.6kWh battery, 7kW motor (9kW peak), top speed limited to 62 mph and WMTC range of 80 miles. It’s already proving hugely popular with eco and style-conscious travellers across Europe.
For more information, please visit www.silenceuk.com.
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