Honda has just unveiled their Motocompacto, an electric scooter that, incredibly, folds into a rectangle just 3.7″ wide, 21.1″ tall and 29.2″ long. In its briefcase form, it takes up little space and can be fully charged from a regular wall outlet in 3.5 hours.
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At 41.3 pounds, it’s a bit hefty to tote around, and I can’t see people carrying this on a train, then using it to go from the station to their last-mile destination. Rather, I think the compact form factor is meant to appeal to apartment-dwellers (who live in elevator buildings). For their part, Honda cites “campus cruising” as a use case; its “ability to be carried into the classroom,” they write, “makes it an ideal solution for campus life.”
I think the Motocompacto also makes sense for European car commuters, who drive from their home to the outskirts of a city that does not allow cars in the city center. The Motocompacto could be pulled out of the trunk to help one complete the journey.
For security, Honda says “The steel welded lock loop on the kickstand is designed to be compatible with most bike locks.” Unfortunately there’s no close-up shot. At $1,000 a pop, and attractive as this thing is, I’d fret too much to leave it shackled to something outside. 41.3 pounds or no, I’d find a way to muscle this up into the office each day.
For businesses, the form factor of the scooter makes it perfect for branding:
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Honda says these will be available in the U.S. starting in November.
Source: core77