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Hyundai reveals electric scooter concept

If you haven’t been in a big city like Brisbane or Melbourne lately, you might not have realised how popular electric scooters have gotten. Now Hyundai is looking to get a piece of the action.


The company first presented an electric scooter prototype at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The foldable scooter wore the Ioniq nameplate like their hybrid/electric hatchback and was designed to be stowed and charged in the driver’s side door pocket of the Ioniq hatch.

The 2019 prototype switches from front-wheel-drive to rear-wheel-drive but it’s still tri-folding. Unlike the 2017 prototype, on which technical details were scant, Hyundai has released some specifications. However, there’s no word yet on when it’ll be released or if Hyundai itself will manufacture the scooters or outsource the production.

The as-yet unnamed scooter uses a 10.5Ah lithium battery and has a 20km/h top speed. It can travel up to 20km on a single charge and weighs just 7.7kg.

By comparison, the latest scooter from e-mobility company Lime – the Lime-S Generation 3 – has a 48km range and can reach speeds of up to 25km/h. However, it weighs more than twice as much. The popular, foldable ES2 from juggernaut Segway-Ninebot Group has a 25km range and has a top speed of 25km/h while weighing just 12.5kg.

The new Hyundai prototype’s switch to rear-wheel-drive has helped stability by positioning more weight at the rear.

Hyundai engineers have also added suspension to the front wheel to help improve ride quality. They’re also planning on installing a regenerative braking system, tipped to increase overall range by 7 per cent.

A digital display shows battery status and speed, while there's also LED headlights and tail-lights.

The Hyundai scooter is designed for what’s referred to as first- and last-mile mobility. That is, you’ll probably still need your Hyundai car but you’ll be able to easily stow and charge a Hyundai scooter aboard for once you’ve parked your car and still have some distance to cover.

DongJin Hyun, head of Hyundai Motor Group’s robotics team, said: “Our personal electric scooter makes first- and last-mile commuting a joy, while helping to reduce congestion and emissions in city centres”.

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