Pure Advance Flex electric scooter (2023) review: next-gen e-scooter

Electric scooters have changed very little since they first scooted onto the scene. They all have two small wheels, a flat deck, and an upright handlebar that folds down so it can be easily carried. Not content with doing things traditionally, Pure Electric has stirred things up with the Pure Advance Flex.

What does this premium electric scooter do differently? For a start, it has a Brompton-esque folding design which is much more compact than traditional e-scooters. It also has a forward-facing riding position which promises to be more stable, balanced and comfortable.

The Advance Flex comes from British-based company Pure Electric, which has consistently been making some of the best electric scooters over the past few years.

Up until the Advance Flex was released, Pure had a more conventional range of e-scooters. This line-up included the Pure Air 3 and Pure Air 3 Pro, which retail for £399 and £449 respectively.

These models are significantly more affordable than the Advance Flex, which retails at £1099, but forego the more innovative design features of the flagship model.

• Buy the Pure Advance Flex for £1099 at Pure Electric

If you like the forward-facing design but don’t need the folding frame, you could opt for the Advance, which sells for £799.

Outside of Pure Electric’s range, the Advance Flex really does sit at the top end of the market. There are a few models out there that are more expensive, but these often have incredibly powerful motors and are only suitable for off-road use.

The Pure Advance Flex, then, is a premium model that can be used every day. It certainly sounds promising, but is the Pure Advance Flex better than a traditional electric scooter? We’ve been riding one for the past month to find out.

Design and ergonomics: Forward-facing forever

You only have to look at the Pure Advance Flex and you can tell it’s different from other electric scooters.

For a start, instead of a large flat deck like a traditional e-scooter, the Advance Flex has a central frame for the battery and two-foot plates on either side that the rider stands on.

This allows to rider to face forward, rather than standing sideways and twisting their body to face forward.

We found this feels like a much more natural way of riding. It’s more comfortable, especially for longer journeys, and gives you more confidence thanks to improved balance. I found this was very noticeable when checking over my shoulder for approaching traffic – the Advance Flex felt much more stable than a traditional e-scooter.

The next thing you’ll notice about the Advance Flex is the massive hinge in the middle of the frame. This allows the scooter to fold down into an ultra-compact size.

When folded, this e-scooter measures just 57 x 30 x 62cm. This compact shape means it can easily fit into a car boot with space for other things, under a desk in the office, and left on a train floor without being a massive trip hazard.

Of course, the Flex still weighs 16.2kg, so it’s not like you’ll be throwing it in an overhead locker or carrying it long distances, but the compact folded shape makes it much more convenient when travelling.

The folding mechanism itself is relatively easy and can be unfolded in just five steps. Like most things, it takes a while to get used to, but it’s simple once you’ve done it a few times.

Just like every other scooter in Pure’s range, the Advance Flex uses fairly standard 10in tubeless tyres. These are good at soaking up bumps in the road. As we mention in our best electric scooter guide, we wouldn’t get an electric scooter with wheels smaller than 10in in the UK, as the 8in wheels on cheaper scooters aren’t suitable for our bumpy roads.

In terms of visibility, there are plenty of reflectors placed around the frame, and the front and rear lights are nice and bright.

The handlebar is logically laid out, with a clear black and white LCD speedometer front and centre. There’s an ergonomic thumb throttle on the right handle. Then you have the brake lever and indicator buttons on the left handle (more on those later).

Just like all Pure Electric scooters, the Advance Flex has an IP65 waterproof rating, so it can be ridden in the rain and through puddles (another necessity in the UK).

My main, and perhaps only, complaint about the design is that even when fully extended, the handlebar feels a little too short – causing me to hunch over. Now, I’m 6”1’, so anyone shorter than me won’t have an issue, but still, I would have liked it to extend a few centimetres longer.

The Advance Flex is available in two colours, Mercury Grey and Platinium.

Performance: Sensible speeds

Reviewing the performance of the Advance Flex is pretty easy, as it performs like many of Pure’s other electric scooters.

That means you get a top speed of 15.5 mph and a maximum range of 24.8 miles. 

You may expect the brand’s most expensive scooter to be its fastest, most powerful model, but all of Pure’s models adhere to the legally mandated top speed of 15.5 mph. I think this is a sensible decision.

The Advance Flex does feature Pure’s most powerful motor, which is also found in the Advance and Air 3 Pro. It has a peak power output of 710W, which makes for zippy accelerations and effortless hill climbing. 

Yes, there are more powerful and faster electric scooters out there, but if you’re looking for a sensible, safe model to commute on – this should be your choice. It’s also worth keeping in mind that if electric scooters are finally made legal, this model is more likely to adhere to the legislation, rather than an insanely powerful model that can do 30+ mph.

In addition to the stability that comes with the forward-facing riding position, the Advance Flex also comes with new ‘Pure Control’ steering stabilisation, which stops jittery handlebars.

The brakes are vastly improved over previous generation Pure Air scooters. I was really impressed at how suddenly the Advance Flex is able to stop.

Extra features: Finally, indicators!

In addition to the forward-facing riding position and folding frame, the Advance Flex is filled with a bunch of other innovative features.

The best, in my opinion, are the indicators, which can be controlled with two buttons on the left handle. The indicators are placed on the ends of each handlebar and on the rear of the footplates. 

The bottom indicators even flash progressively, just like an Audi – which is a nice touch.

To operate the indicators, there are two buttons with arrows pointing in both directions. You press the button once to turn the indicator on, and press it again to turn it off. It’s a very simple system.

The scooter has Bluetooth and is compatible with the Pure Electric app. This allows you to digitally lock and unlock your scooter, monitor battery, range and mileage, and (finally) enable cruise control.

The Pure Electric app works well, but I’ve said this before – I find there’s very little reason to use electric scooter apps. I usually find that I set them up, use them a few times, and then forget about them. If you find them useful, though, then you’ll be happy about this inclusion.

Pure Advance Flex review verdict

The Pure Advance Flex is one of the most innovative electric scooters money can buy. The forward-facing design is not only more comfortable, it’s also safer and more stable. 

The ride quality is smooth and the scooter is packed with useful features, such as indicators and cruise control.

Oh, and let’s not forget about how compact the Pure Air is capable of folding, too. It makes travelling with an electric scooter so much easier.

Yes, it’s very expensive and heavy, but if you’re looking for a premium electric scooter, then this is the model for you.

• Buy the Pure Advance Flex for £1099 at Pure Electric

Pure Advance Flex technical specifications

Max speed	15.5 mph / 25 km/h
Max range	Up to 24.8 miles
Motor Power	710W (Peak)
Water Resistance	IP65
Wheel Size	10 inches
Weight	16.2kg
Folded Dimensions	57cm (H) x 30cm (W) x 62cm (L)
Unfolded Dimensions	108cm (H) x 60cm (W) x 104cm (L)
Rider Maximum Load	120kg / 19st