Begode A2/A2+, 750Wh Battery, 1,000W Motor

The logic of the A2+ development was to equip the A2 with an upgraded 24x MOSFET controller to better complement the power potential of the Samsung 50S high-power batteries. This new hardware is capable of providing a peak power rating 220A vs the 180A of the original A2.

Beyond the extra power, it’s expected that this upgraded board will both run cooler in hot environments & offer higher reliability rates—as the load is spread across 3x parallel circuits.

In all other regards, the A2s are otherwise identical, using the same motor, tubeless tire, display, weight & maximum speed—through you will have less ‘voltage sag’ in like-for-like riding. The A2+ will also be offered in a choice of street or knobby tire & come with a complementary handle-kit.

The Begode MCM5 has been known for years as the best affordable electric unicycle for beginners’ daily use. It has been praised for its power, portability, and dependability. After the sunset on the MCM5, Begode has finally followed up with the weather-friendly A2, a reimagined MCM5 that now boasts a 15” tire, a 750Wh lithium battery, and a high torque motor.

The design of this wheel draws inspiration from the MTEN4 chassis, along with the latest EX30 style pads, to give this model a futuristic and aggressive look. The bottom line is that the 23-25 MPH A2 is designed to be a fun, compact, sporty, short-range cruiser that withstands unexpected rain during daily commutes. The A2 looks like a fun primary or secondary option for commuting; new and experienced riders will look to the A2 as a compact and easy option to run errands with up to 20–30 miles of riding range. 

• Next Iteration of the MCM5 series
• Rated for high water resistance, demonstrated by Begode marketing videos
• Great power/weight option for beginners riders

The 1000-watt drivetrain of the A2 is ideal for people looking to make short trips around the neighborhood, run errands, and commute to work. The A2’s powertrain and 15-inch tires will provide plenty of low-end torque; riders can expect to traverse hills with them and enjoy zippy off-the-line acceleration. Smaller wheels are quicker and more responsive, making it easy for riders to carve on smooth ground.

Although Begode has not yet released the top speed spec, we expect the A2 to cruise between 15 and 23MPH comfortably, more than enough speed for the average commuter.

• High torque motor great for quick acceleration and hill climbing
• Nimble and lightweight for responsive handling
• Comfortable cruising speeds of 15-25 MPH, 25 MPH top speed
• Motor specs and controller coming soon

Because the market is so competitive, companies are adding more features to attract customers. Begode gave the A2 the essential elements for an entry-level wheel, like a kickstand, carrying handle, top display, spiked pedals, and an upgraded frame. There is a big round headlamp with 5,000 lumens and a square grid-style matrix lamp for lighting. The illumination is marketed as being adjustable for fun combinations and patterns. 

• No trolley in this design, carrying handle is used to stow
• Bright lighting for added safety and visibility at night
• Integrated kickstand allows for easy parking
• Top-level display for parameters and ride information
• Sporty blue side pads, acceleration, and steering
• Spiked pedals allow for grip and effortless acceleration and braking 

For our first batch, we ordered our A2s with 750Wh battery packs; these high-capacity cells can provide the average person with more than a day’s worth of EUC riding.  The A2 is rated to provide up to a 31-mile maximum range, but realistically, one can expect about 18–28 miles of riding range on a single charge. One thing to note is that most entry-level commuters commute 5-10 miles daily; our beginner EUC customers should enjoy the A2’s range, which has more than enough battery capacity to get you where you need to go.

• 84V 750WH packs can provide 18-28 miles of range depending on weight, weather, road conditions
• Battery packs use gx16 4p ports for charging
• Fast charging options TBD
• Great wheel for beginners and everyday short errands
• New riders gravitate toward this weight, size, and price point to get started

• Tire Size: Tubeless 3.0-10
• Tail Light: Matrix Multi-mode
• Anti-Spin Button: Yes
• Net Weight: 41 lbs
• Rough package weight: 48 lbs
• BT Speaker: NO
• Headlight: Yes
• Charge port: gx16 4p
• Charger: 84V/1.5A
• Headlight: 5,000 lumen
• Voltage: 84V
• Motor power: 1,000W
• Max-Range: 31 miles (140 lbs. rider)
• Battery type: 21700
• Battery Capacity: 750Wh Samsung 50S Pack 
• Display: YES
• Suspension travel: NO
• Wireless upgrade: YES
• First class speed alarm: 12 MPH
• Second class speed alarm: 18 MPH
• Free spin speed: 32 MPH
• Current limit: 180A
• Overvoltage alarm: 85V
• Overheat alarm: 79°C
• Low voltage warning: 66V
• Low power tilt back alarm: 64V

With the legacy of the MCM5, learnings from the MTEN4, and the recent success of the EX30, we’re enthusiasts of the value proposition that the A2 offers to our new EUC riding customers. This model is advertised as having an integral metal reinforced structure, a large 750Wh battery, and a high torque motor, the essential qualities of any standard PEV. The verdict is not out about this model’s rideability or quality control yet. We’ll know more as soon as we get this model. Early adopters of this first generation will be first in line to try and experience this wheel fresh out of the factory. 

• The A2 is one of the most portable wheels in their line and can fit comfortably under your desk or in the corner of your living room.
• The wheel does weigh 41 lbs; please consider daily use cases, as there isn’t a trolley handle to transport it. 
• The latest Begodes model has shown improved QC and performance in first-generation models.
• Early marketing videos demonstrated the A2’s low-end power and high water resistance.
• eWheels has outside inspectors performing stringent quality control before wheels are shipped to our US warehouse

The most valuable component of any Wheel is its battery pack, the beating pulse of the machine. Over the years it has been found, from painful experience, that pairing a high-powered machine with a battery cell that is not designed for high peak-power applications can result in latent/delayed catastrophic thermal runaway events. To try to minimize this risk, we at eWheels, have insisted the use of high-powered battery cells, particularly on smaller 4 parallel packs, such as the MTen4, A2, T4, S18, Hero, S22, & Master—as the number of parallels increase, the load on each cells decreases accordingly. Until recently, there was the trade-off between power & capacity; now, with the advent of the new Samsung 50S cell, one can have both!

• Energy Density: 50S has a 20% increase in energy density over the 40T, providing a corresponding increase in range without any weight/bulk penalty.
• Higher Operating Temperatures: the specifications of the 50S has a vast operating range, from -20 to 80°C/-4 to 176°F vs -20-60°C/-4-140°F with the commonly used 50E/GB cell & as high as 100°C/212°F in Samsung’s test data! This massive margin not only allows the 50S to output up to 3x more power than the 50E, but perhaps more importantly, will greatly improve battery pack safety, there is no conceivable scenario in which these limits will ever be reached, or exceeded.  
• Power Output: the maximum sustained power output on the 50s is 45A vs 15A on the 50E. At pack level. From a Rider’s perspective, the main benefit of having this power on-tap is once the pack(s) have been partially depleted, reducing the risk of cut-outs when power is required.  

• Rapid-charging: another benefit of the 50s over the 50E is charging rates, 2.25x higher, 6A vs 2.5A. It should be noted that although the cell supports the higher charging current, there may be other factors that limit maximum charge rate, such as the charge-port, wiring & BMS components. On the A2, Begode has limited the max charge rate to 3A on a BMS level.
• Superior Cycle-life: perhaps the most common misconception of high-power cells is that of reduced cycle-life, but this is fundamentally a misunderstanding of the published datasheet for battery cells. In these publications, Samsung’s data is based on exceedingly high sustained loads of 25A/45A. Other Samsung materials demonstrates that in 10A continuous load scenario, the 50S commands a slight lead over the the 50E for longevity, with >82% capacity retention over 600 cycles.
  It should also be noted that these synthetic tests in no way represent the power demand pattern that is experienced when using your machine, where the average load, on flat terrain, will be closer to 2-3A/cell vs the 10A in the test data—there may be periods where this demand is considerably more than the 10A, which is where the high-power cells really come into their element. In addition, the [50S] 600 cycles were charged at the maximum 6A vs a typical 1.5A (per parallel) with the stock charger, which also has an impact on the pack’s longevity.   

In summary, the 50S battery cell is objectively superior in every measurable metric, with only a marginal increase in upfront cost. It is expected that machines fitted with these packs will retain their value better than other battery cells.