The Klement offers a glimpse into Skoda's crystal ball, where the micromobility future will be electric, innovative and modern. It also pays homage to the very beginnings of the company, which started with bicycle and motorcycle manufacturing in 1895.
"The Klement is a state-of-the-art, dynamic and easy-to-use vehicle, and allows the Skoda brand to further appeal to a younger target group with a heightened sense of environmental awareness," said Skoda's Guido Haak. "The concept is perfectly aligned with our customers and our eMobility Strategy. We are therefore assessing whether, and how, this exciting, new mobility concept can be added to our portfolio in the future."
This is no electric assist bicycle, Skoda has dispensed with cranks, chains and sprockets for a sit on and ride solution designed as an alternative to the car for the daily commute through urban areas.
The Klement has a striking aluminum frame with single-sided swing arm suspension that helps Skoda achieve a target weight of about 25 kg (55 lb). Branching from the crossbar is a support structure for the rider's feet that ends in tilting pedals, which are tipped forward to accelerate and back to brake.
"Tilt-controlled acceleration and deceleration can also be found in children's hoverboards, which are very easy and intuitive to master," said Skoda's Aykut Günderen. "We have innovated this feature by transferring it to a two-wheeler."
The rear wheel is driven by a 4 kW hub motor for a top speed of 45 km/h (28 mph), and the removable 1,250 Wh Li-ion batteries offer up to 62 km (38.5 mi) of range per charge.
Stopping power is a combined effort – there's a hydraulic disc brake with ABS to the front and regen braking at the back. Front and rear LED lighting has been integrated into the frame, with daytime running, and LED turn indicators are built into the pedals.
The crossbar hosts a smartphone cradle with inductive charging capabilities. That smartphone can be used to tap into additional features, including remote diagnostics and maintenance, and the ability for riders to set geofenced usage zones with the help of GPS tracking.
Skoda is planning to add more functionality ahead of future production, including rolling the Klement on tires made from shock-absorbing foam. Though the company hasn't indicated when manufacture might begin.
Source: Skoda