A small, pocket-sized electric vehicle, no bigger or thicker than a laptop . The Walkcar, marketed in Japan since the spring and carried by the company Cocoa Motors, will soon make its international appearance.
This machine that looks like no other is piloted with the movements of the
body and can go up to 16 km per hour, with a range of 7 km. It can now be purchased in France for the sum of 1,750 euros.
The pocket electric car from Japan
The Walkcar has been in development at the Japanese start-up Cocoa Motors
since 2015. The object is described by its manufacturer as ” a portable electric car that can be transported like a laptop “.
And we must admit that the resemblance is confusing: with a diagonal of 13 inches and a weight of 2.9 kilograms, the Walkcar can fit in a backpack all that is more classic. Equipped with four independent suspension casters, its main frame, a plate, is a mixture of carbon and aluminum.
The motors are embedded in the two front castors, for a
power of 260 W, while the rear casters are directional. These same wheels lift the rider 74mm from the ground. He controls the machine by tilting his body: you have to lean forward to gain speed, back to brake, tilt to the right or left to turn.
Some limitations on speed and autonomy, obviously
It’s not going very fast, with a maximum of 16 km per hour in Sport mode
and 10 km per hour in Economy mode. There is also a “walking assistance” mode that does not go beyond 6 km per hour. The battery does not exceed 68 Wh for a maximum distance of 7 km in Eco mode.
Another limitation: the weight of the passenger cannot exceed 80 kg.
The device, after being released in Japan in June, is now
available internationally. Cocoa Motors has even launched a site in French, where you can find the details of the characteristics of the machine. Price: 1,750 euros.
Source: Electrek
