Good idea, looks like fun and decent range for what it is. I think they should add like a socket to charge their cellphones or anything USB, probably wouldnt cost much to add on and its the kinda thing that would make this more useful, letting the battery pack work for more then just powering the motor.

I don't like the standing on the solar collector even with the additional glass on top it is still bound to get dirtier like that. I think having it hinged so that it folds up against the steering column would be the better solution.

So you can't charge it while riding? Poor idea.

Nope, I agree with Dr.Smart. Pretty pointless to have the power harvesting device permanently in shadow. I built a recumbent tricycle system with its own photovoltaic charging system, but that sits behind my head, and the ammeter shows it charging as I ride.
In my experience, they should have stuck with 24 volts. I searched the internet for a week trying to find a regulator which would handle 36 volts, but unsuccessfully. Initially I had my trike solar charged, but without a regulator, if I didn't ride it regularly (or forgot to disconnect the solar panel), the battery boiled dry. But at 24 volts, there were regulators galore. Now I can safely leave my vehicle in the sun for days.
The motor is 350 watts, the panel nominally generates 37 watts - in reality closer to 20 watts. Any recharge, even at 37 watts is going to be fairly minimal.
This is a one ride wonder. You go for a ride, the battery gets discharged and you have to walk home pushing to have it recharge, or you "scoot" it home, don't get a charge and plug it in to the wall. And that's probably the last time you'll ride it.

re; Joe Blake
Just because you could not find a 36v regulator does not mean that they can not build one. The scooter has a built in 2-amp charger with a four foot cord. Anybody who takes it for ride beyond what the batteries and solar collector can be expected to deliver deserve what they get.

I'm always amused by the comments on articles such as these, so negative and sceptical. Do you all really think that these people who are clearly intelligent would not have thought about alternatives to placing the solar panels on the deck? If you want a scooter form factor with scooter wind resistance it's the logical place to put it. And for the amount of energy a solar panel can produce compared to the amount of energy it takes to move the scooter about the effects of having the panel in the shadow of the user while being ridden would be negligible.
Joe Blake, 1. good idea putting the solar panel behind you, but this is a scooter not a tricycle - where the hell else are you going to put it that is both convenient for a user and robust in design?. 2. This is a commercial product not a home DIY project, so 24V vs 36V doesn't really matter at all, I'm not sure why you would bring that up.
And slowburn, that would be terrible for aerodynamics and I am sure that the tradeoff for a bit of dirt or some scuff marks on the panel would not be worth it.

Designed mainly for sunny Californian-type climes, I suspect! That said, add a (padded) seat post with shopping pannier below at the rear and I would buy one tomorrow! I don't see indicators or brake lights though, some states/cities would not allow it on sidewalks, so on-road legality might be compromised.

I notice that all shots and the video are on level ground. How does it do on hills, asks the man who lives in hilly country.

Thank you all for your comments, that means you're paying attention! Arahant: We have a USB PORT AND POSSIBILITY FOR 19 Volt laptop ports also. Slowburn: I have been in the solar industry for thirty years, Solar Alternatives Energy Inc. has installed mainly PV since 2002 the beauty of having the solar panel so close is that it is easy to wipe clean. Climbing up on rooftops to clean arrays is not really cost effective unless the consumer performs this cleaning them self. Solar systems generally lose 15% efficiency over a year if not cleaned. We suggest our riders wipe down the panel after each ride if they notice they are dirty. We have invested countless hours in the design of the SES and the platform idea was the most efficient way. We have additional panels to hang off handlebars for added charge time. We invite all comments as we have built this business on an open platform inviting new ideas and additions to he SES. We have a plan for fold out panels in the future and have patented that way. one step at a time. We want this SES to roll out smoothly then we can make upgraded versions already in the works.

In reply to Mr.Blake's comment. We had many versions of the motor battery combo. 24 volt SLA 15 AH batteries with chain driven Brushed 500 to 1000 watt motors. These combos ended up being much to heavy and the current drain from the brushed motors did not allow for the range we were after, so we stepped up to 36 volt with the same combo ,however, the weight was still an issue and once again the draw on the batteries was just to limiting. Finally we went with The brushless hub motors we are very happy with today. They are much more efficient and do not drain the batteries so fast so we we blessed with our range. The Solar charge controller for the now Lithium Ion batteries was a challenge but we after originally building our own 36 volt charge controller went with a fantastic supplier of the 36 volt version. The charge ratio varies, We are in the Los Angeles area and 1000Wm/2 is pretty standard as we have one of the best climates and have an average of 1500 watts per meter squared from the sun. Allowing us to average on sunny days one mile charge from one full hour of sunlight. This normally happens while the scooter sits in the sun while the user is in school or work in an unshaded area. The best part is we have an added on board charger as seen in the pictures and you can juice up with any standard 120 volt outlet. Better yet the battery is removable so you can take it with you on those days or nights in order to charge indoors with the included external charger.This feature also renders the scooter unrideable with no battery source, once you take it with you. We still suggest locking it up. We welcome all comments and will do our best to accommodate the readers accordingly.