Strange and Innovative Alternative Transportation

 

This week’s blog is dedicated to all the other wacky electric alternative transportation options. Some of these awesome creations are true means of transportation, and some are for plain old fun. These models, like electric longboards, are vastly unregulated in the US and the legality of using them on public roads is up to local governments.

To get us rolling, lets first take a look at the solo wheel category:

These electric unicycles or “solo wheels” are made by various brands, the above example is a In Motion V11. The In Motion V11 is a great example of an electric unicycle because it shows what they can be capable of with a 34mph top speed and upwards of 40 miles of range. All that power and range in a small 60-pound package with a carrying handle. Electric unicycles are controlled completely by the rider’s feet while leaning forward or backward. These are one of the most efficient and fast forms of personal transportation, but they are also among the most dangerous, always be sure to wear proper safety gear and a helmet.

Next up is a company that created their own rideable category: The One Wheel.

The photos above show the One Wheel XR (left) and One Wheel Pint (right), these the companies only models after discontinuing the original One Wheel. This strange rideable is essentially a self-balancing electric go-cart wheel strapped between a skateboard deck. There is a bit of a learning curve to riding a One Wheel product, they are a comfortable and compact means of personal transportation. The One Wheel Pint has a top speed of 16mph and a range of 6-8 miles and weighs just 23 pounds. The XR has a top speed of 19 MPH, an 12-16 miles range, and weighs in at 27 pounds. These are much less efficient than an electric skateboard/longboard but have a more comfortable ride and tighter turning radius. Not to mention the pure novelty. 

Hoverboards took the world by storm a few years ago, but they did not stay as popular due to injuries and some cheap models spontaneously starting on fire. Segway however took their time and designed one of the best and most reliable hoverboard, though they call it an electric kick-scooter: The Segway S-Plus.

     

The Segway S-Plus is a self -balancing personal transporter with a range of 22 miles and a max speed of 12 MPH. It features two 11” Air Tires and Bluetooth phone connectivity. The S-Plus even has the capability to carry your things and follow you as you walk. This is not the cheap Walmart hoverboard that created tons of viral videos, it is a true way to get around and is much more stable and reliable than the unbranded knockoffs.

Lastly, we have one more product from Segway, this one is truly the strangest: The Segway Drift W1’s

The Segway Drift W1’s are a set of self-balancing electric roller-skates. These look nothing like roller skates, and only have one wheel, but I’m sure they went with skates for marketing sake. Now these are most definitely meant to be used for recreation, they are more of a toy than a way to get around, but they are too cool to not talk about. The Drift W1’s last about 45 minutes of use on a charge, weigh about 8 pounds each, and can get up to 7mph. I can imagine these take quite the getting used to, but it is clear they are marketing them as a toy for children and teens. However, with a capacity of 220 pounds, maybe parents could give them a try too.