E bike
Motocompacto: Honda brings a mobile rolling suitcase for under $1,000
A small, maneuverable and extremely compact e-bike: If Honda has its way, urban commuters will in future ride to the office on a rolling suitcase.
©Honda
Big cities are full. If you want to drive through the city, you need a lot of patience and good nerves. It’s quicker with small electric scooters – and Honda will pack one of these in a suitcase in the future.
When it comes to design, Honda is a bold company. Especially when it comes to electric vehicles, creative people seem to be given a lot of freedom, as the Honda E proves. Why not? The fresh designs arrive and stand out from the crowd. The same applies to the Japanese’s newest product: the Motocompacto.
This electric scooter is the spiritual heir of the Motocompo, a really wild vehicle from the 1980s. Back then, a 50-cubic two-stroke engine powered the box; today it’s an electric motor.
An e-bike in a compact suitcase
The Motocompacto is intended as a vehicle for the so-called last mile, for example the way from the train to the office. The range is therefore a comparatively low 19 kilometers and the top speed is 24 kilometers per hour. The vehicle is approved for people weighing up to 120 kilograms. There is no provision for pillion riding. Once the battery is empty, it takes 3.5 hours plugged in before the journey can continue.
Because even if the Motocompacto looks like it would be predestined for a large, flat battery, there isn’t actually much space left. The saddle, handlebars, rear wheel and the footrests can be recessed into the housing, so that only a suitcase measuring 74.2 x 53.6 x 9.4 cm is left for transport.
There is a handle for carrying the 19 kilo suitcase; according to Honda, the format can be easily placed in the trunk. If you have to carry the suitcase by hand, the partially protruding tires help. You shouldn’t expect a particularly luxurious trip on the Motocompacto, because the seat height is only 62 centimeters and the handlebars appear to be quite narrow.
Initially only sold in the USA
The suitcase also comes with its own app where you can see information about the trip and information about the charging status. The color of the cladding will probably remain white – because Honda is already encouraging those interested to decorate the large open space with creative stickers.
With the Motocompacto, Honda is positioning itself in the area of affordable electric vehicles with which you can comfortably cover short distances. Initially, the company is planning to release it only in the USA from November onwards; the price is a reasonable $995.