Hyundai's last mile solution - a RWD foldable e-scooter

Wednesday, 28 August 2019

As the way we use and even own cars increasingly changes, more and more car manufacturers are trying to transition into being 'mobility companies' as the industry increasingly looks at 'first mile/last mile mobility' - or how we travel that first and last stage of a journey, whether it be to and from our car or public transport.

This has led to the rapid rise of e-scooter and bike sharing operations in cities around the world. And it is a big business, too, with recent research data by global consultancy McKinsey & Company showing that the 'last mile mobility' market in the US, Europe and China is expected to grow to US$500 billion by 2030.

Not wanting to miss out on a piece of that the Hyundai Motor Group has just revealed a new prototype electric scooter with an interesting twist - the company says it could actually be integrated into its future vehicles.

Hyundai has changed the scooter to a RWD format to improve stability.

The new concept builds on its initial concept presented at CES 2017 but is now rear-wheel drive. When mounted in a vehicle, the scooter is charged automatically using electricity produced while driving.

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The folding scooter could be installed in future Hyundai and Kia cars, charging it when docked for last mile use.

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Hyundai says the new model's shift from front-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive is key in enhancing safety and stability as it positions weight near the rear. Additionally, the company's engineers have added suspension to the front wheel to provide a smoother ride.

'This is the vehicle-mounted personal scooter which could be featured in future Hyundai Motor Group vehicles,' said DongJin Hyun, head of Hyundai Motor Group Robotics Team.

'We want to make our customers' lives as easy and enjoyable as possible. Our personal electric scooter makes first- and last-mile commuting a joy, while helping to reduce congestion and emissions in city centres.'

The scooter features a 10.5 Ah lithium battery that gives it a top speed of 20kmh and Hyundai claims is sufficient to power the scooter for around 20km on a single charge. It features a digital display that shows battery status and speed, and is also equipped with two front LED headlights and two rear tail lamps.

Hyundai says the scooter's unique and compact folding design means it is lighter (around 7.7kg) and more compact than any similar product and it is also planning on adding a regenerative braking system to increase the scooter's range by 7 per cent.