The Japanese company Cocoa Motors has launched a kind of tablet-sized electric skateboard that will revolutionize our travels. It will interest many people, since it could well become the means of transport of the future, instead of scooters or even bicycles. Its name: the WalkCar!
After being in the development for five long years, this unusual invention finally went on pre-sale in Japan.
WalkCar is a small wheeled plate that is fitted with four wheels and an electric motor that takes the ship forward. It weighs only 2.9 kg and is about the size of a small 13-inch laptop PC, giving it the portability to fit in a bag. It is therefore very easily transportable anywhere. Besides, the vehicle height is just 74mm above the ground (about the width of a smartphone); its flat and square standing surface allows you to step off instantly in any direction safely.
The WalkCar adopts a carbon fiber and aircraft-grade aluminum body and has a four-wheel independent suspension. In normal mode, WalkCar has a top speed of 10 km/h (6.2 mph) and a battery that is sufficient for about 7 km (4.3 miles) of driving. There is also a sports mode where the speed is 16 km/h (10 mph), but if you use it, the driving distance is reduced to 5 km (3.1 miles) on a battery charge.
The rechargeable 68 Wh lithium-ion battery takes around 60 minutes to get fully charged. It can climb a slope of 10 degrees and is capable of carrying up to 80 kg of load.
The 215 mm long and 346 mm wide device is available as an indoor or outdoor version. There are four sensors installed inside the standing surface that lets you control the basic maneuver based on you shifting your weight to accelerate, deaccelerate, and turn without using a handle or a remote controller. The WalkCar automatically stops at your footstep when you get off from the vehicle.
The WalkCar, therefore, has all the arguments to become the real ally of city dwellers, light, transportable, electric, autonomous, and fun!
The company wants ¥198,000 for its small rolling board (just over the US $1,800), which almost makes us wonder if you built it all with Apple’s ridiculously expensive wheels for the Mac Pro. It’s currently available in Japan only.
