Nov
29
New Electric Scooter developed by MIT Smart Cities Group
November 29, 2007 |
Energy efficient, low in pollutants, practical in the city and stylish in looks - this new electric scooter, which has been developed by the MIT ‘ Smart Cities Group’.The scooter is very lightweight and designed specifically to appeal to the city dweller who requires neither the bulk or enviro-passe of owning a large, gas-guzzling car. Or even the comparative faux pas of a conventional, ‘dirty’ gas scooter.
This model was unveiled at the Milan auto show at the start of November and has been gaining significant interest in the Taiwanese and eastern market, where conventional scooters are a much more widely used mode of transport than in the west…
Conventional scooters favour 2-stroke gas (petrol) engines which, although sufficiently powerful for this application, are very inefficient and which have a large pollution output relative to their size. In eastern countries where the streets are often full of such machines this can obviously be a huge contributor to localised air pollution - not to mention noise pollution.
This new electric design will aim to provide users with the same convenience and flexibility as with a traditional scooter, but without the downsides from emissions or noise - especially the latter, as this machine is designed to be virtually silent!
The scooter can be folded in on itself into a very compact and easy to store module, as shown above. This is possible by removing the traditional drive-train and placing an electric motor on each wheel to give direct transmission. Obviously this small size and lightweight make the scooter a very practical tool for urban living - whether you need to store it at home, work or both on a daily basis. When fully folded the machine can be rolled around on its own wheels, as easily as a suitcase and can even be taken on the train - for example if it is practical for you to do part of your commute by underground or metro.
The simplicity of the design will, hopefully, ensure that the scooter will become a very affordable alternative to potential buyers. It could become a particularly attractive option if currently envisaged plans to supply these machines at strategic rental locations come to fruition. In addition, the development team are looking to further enhance the trendy, tech looks of the scooter and be in a position to bring two different models to the market to target two price points.
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