There is no denying that the way we travel continues to change. Electric scooters like Segways and motorized skateboards known as hoverboards continue to rise in popularity.
While these means of transportation technically aren't legal to ride around in public in some places like New York City or the U.K., requesting Uber service or hopping on the train may just become a thing of the past as these futuristic toys get into the hands of more people.
If you are planning on asking for a hoverboard this holiday season, you might just want to hold off until next year and instead get yourself this self-folding electric scooter.
The Israel-based startup Green Ride is developing INU, a high-tech electric scooter that is portable, smartphone-controlled and looks straight up awesome. When INU is folded up it looks like a insect pod. It then shape-shifts, with its handlebars coming out like wings to form into a scooter, complete with a leather seat for comfortable riding around the city.
INU fittingly means dog in Japanese, and aims to be a more loyal means of transportation compared with hoverboards since it allows the user to sit and not wobble while balancing as they weave through traffic, while still being lightweight and portable.
The electric scooter has a sleek design with an aluminum frame, weighs 55 pounds, has two wheels, a 500- and 750-watt rear hub motor, and can go at a top speed of 15.5 mph. Its front wheel contains a lithium-ion battery that takes the unit only three hours to fully charge using a standard wall outlet. It has a range of 25 miles and can carry about 260 pounds.
INU features an internal spring-based front suspension and rear torsion bar so the user won't feel every bump on the road, and it has front hydraulic brakes and a rear regenerative braking system in case the user needs to stop short safely. The scooter also has front and back lights, a horn, and a built-in alarm. The best part is that is self-folds into its carrying mode in just 4.5 seconds, using internal motors.
INU is also has an iOS- and Android-compatible app that allows the user to view information on the handlebar display.
The self-folding scooter was first revealed at CES last January. It is expected to launch in 2016 in Europe and New York City and retail for between $3,360 and $5,600.
Source: The Verge
