I’m really enjoying the creativity that smaller, more energy dense batteries are giving to city dwellers. Sometimes you don’t want to take public transportation. And thanks to the miracle of commoditization, you now have many alternatives to choose from if that’s the case for you.
There’s the current darling of the car-like objects. The Microlino, proving that retro is not a bad thing and that the Isetta concept is still at least somewhat sound, especially now that you don’t have to deal with a noisy motorcycle engine anywhere. Then there’s the Citroen Ami and all of its other identities. 8HP should be enough to carry that flatscreen to your apartment without needing to rent a van. Hopefully your phone has a good speaker for the entertainment system. And then there’s an increasing number of Chinese vehicles that promise all of the advantages of those two at a rock bottom price and with minimal chances of suddenly bursting into flames.
I really wouldn’t have any of them, my love for loads of ground clearance and air conditioning is really the only thing keeping my checkbook firmly in its drawer. That and the fact that they’re unavailable in this continent, but let’s gloss over that one now. Because the latest miracle in personal mobility comes from the same people that proved that what the world needed was a simple, clean, and well-crafted motorcycle. Enter the Motocompacto.
It weighs 42 lbs, has a range of 12 miles, and looks like something you’d see on the set of one of the more optimistic sci-fi films, which is a design trend which I’m really happy to see spread across modern design. A top speed of 15 MPH and a total range of 12 miles means that you won’t be doing an Iron Butt rally with it, excellent as the idea clearly is as evidenced by the PR shots. But for just crossing the neighborhood or running quick errands (With the possible exception of the weekly shop), It should be good enough.
Of course the idea isn’t new, back in the 80s Honda decided that a spare tire was far too normal and sold their Honda City with the original Motocompo. Also suitcase-sized, also really only suitable for very small journeys, also rather looks like a children’s toy. But seeing the prices one of them fetches today, clearly Honda tapped into something that people didn’t know they wanted…again.
I’m guessing being Anime-famous also helped to a certain extent.
And unlike the original Motocompo, you don’t have a tiny little carburetor to deal with or any potential oil or fuel leaks. Dump the thing in the trunk of your car and just unfold it when the traffic jam gets a little bit too parking lot-y. Or use it to pick up your takeout from that place a mile down the road. I’m not entirely sure that it’s going to be all that successful in places like San Francisco or Dover, but if the road is only mildly hilly and you’ve had a light lunch, you’ll be perfectly fine.
And this one will be available in the United states for the princely sum of $995.
