Experience the liberty of traveling around town on a solar-powered scooter, aptly named 'Lightfoot'.
Forget electric bikes, the mobility device I've had a hankering for is a solar panel shaped like a horse saddle. I'd roll up to the stable, wipe the sweat off my forehead, and hook up my robotic steed named "Sunrider" before storming through the saloon doors; a true "showdown at high noon" situation. Sadly, there aren't solar-powered horses on the market yet, but scooter manufacturer Otherlab is providing a close equivalent. The SunRider scooter sports a massive solar panel you straddle, much like a horse saddle. Will it boost range? Maybe. Will it be the most peculiar-looking scooter cruising through any frontier town or city street? Definitely.
Otherlab, the creators of the SunRider cargo scooter, asserted in their announcement post that it was inspired by the Vespa and Volkswagen bus, and it's undeniably one of those vehicles that will electroshock an elderly hippie. The scooter features twin, 120W solar panels on either side while you perch on a small cushion between them. With 750W of power per wheel, the scooter is claimed to cover 37 miles on a full charge and reach a top speed of just under 20 MPH. While this isn't the swiftest scooter you can get, honestly, are you investing in a solar-powered scooter for speed?
The company states that the scooter can also charge its 48-volt, 1.1kWh battery while it's parked. Each hour in direct sunlight translates to an additional 3 miles of driving distance. This equals out to approximately 20 miles in the summer or 10 miles in the winter, depending on the weather. Otherlab claims this will add about 18 miles of additional range daily. If you need a faster recharge, opt for the 600W onboard charger instead. The SunRider also boasts 2WD regenerative braking to garner extra energy while on the move.
The company asserts that there's room for two on the bench and that it can be parked anywhere a bicycle can be. Despite its name, the SunRider will be a heavy investment for your wallet. It costs nearly $5,000. Beyond that, it comes with a one-year and two-year warranty for the most crucial parts. In addition, the company is offering a "no questions asked" three-month buyback guarantee, as advertised, though the store page isn't yet available. Otherlab expects to ship the SunRider in January next year.
The scooter has enough watertight trunk space for approximately 33 pounds, or around three bags of groceries, according to Otherlab. Cheaper cargo e-scooters, such as Razor's $1,100 EcoSmart Cargo, are available. Similar bikes and scooters may offer more trunk space, and others boast they can fold up for easier storage. Recent non-cargo scooters like the recent Segway ZT3 claim they can cover nearly 44 miles in eco mode. However, the appeal of the SunRider is that it's more energy-efficient, especially if you park it outside for lengthy periods.
Otherlab is a San Francisco-based startup founded by Australian engineer Saul Griffith, with a team based in several U.S. cities, Australia, and Taiwan. The company asserts this is a way to have a "zero emissions" means of transportation, though this is only true if you leave it outside for hours and use it sparingly. That's not to say it's a bad idea, either. If you reside somewhere you trust your neighbors and only need to use it sparingly, the money you save on electricity might eventually surpass the cost of a $5,000 scooter.
The SunRider scooter, inspired by vintage vehicles, is set to revolutionize urban mobility with its impressive solar panels and impressive range. With its twin, 120W solar panels and advanced technology, the SunRider is poised to shape the tech-driven future of transportation.
