A practical alternative to hoverboards
Compared to hoverboards, the Walkcar is a lot more practical for the everyday city commute. It's about the size of a 13″ laptop so it takes up less space on a crowded street. And when you have to carry it because it ran out of battery or when you're not allowed to use, carrying it is not a problem as it only weighs 6.4 pounds (2.9 kg). You can easily carry it one-handed or put it in your backpack.
It doesn't have the speed and range of electric skateboards though it is comparable to some hoverboards. The Walkcar has two modes: sports mode and normal mode. On sports mode, the Walkcar has a top speed of 10 mph (16 km/h) with a 4.3 mile (7 km) range and on normal mode, the top speed is 6.2 mph (10 km/h) with a 3.1 mile (5 km) range.
However, the quoted speed and range is based on a 132-pound (60 kg) rider. Expect the speed and range to be reduced if you're heavier. Maximum load weight is 176 pounds (80 kg).
Only in Japan
At the time of writing, the Walkcar is only available for pre-order in Japan. Because of the weight limit, perhaps it is more suited for the Japanese market because people in Japan tend to be on the lighter side.
This may not be the reason though because a lot of other cool stuff are Japan exclusive and they have nothing to do with weight.
The Walkcar is quite expensive though at ¥198,000 (about US$1,840). If you're in Japan you can pre-order from Cocoa Motors. The Walkcar will be shipped with 1-2 months from the date of order.
Note that using the Walkcar on public roads is “not permitted” and because of the built-to-order manufacturing you can't cancel your order.
Pros
- Compact
- Lightweight
- Discreet
- Easy to carry
Cons
- Expensive
- Limited speed and range
- 176 lbs weight limit
Conclusion:
The Walkcar is probably the most compact electric personal transportation device we've ever seen and also the coolest. It lacks range and power though but maybe in the future when better technology becomes available, perhaps everyone will be picking one up especially if the price goes down as well.
[tcb-script src=”//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=cae6df90-c3ea-4f76-aa7c-f6251953663c”][/tcb-script]