Last-mile transport

There are a few modes of transport you can always count on – cars, bikes, buses, trains – that sort of thing. But looking to disrupt these mainstays is a regular assortment of more imaginative options. Here are the wackiest of the 2019 crop.

One of the most interesting-looking electric city two-wheelers we've seen recently is the Brekr Model B out of the Netherlands.

Electric Works out of Boulder, Colorado, has launched a powerful new electric kickscooter on Indiegogo called the C60.

With Europe's biggest tech show looming, Segway-Ninebot has announced the Max G30, an electric kickscooter that's claimed to have the longest battery range in its class.​

We've been seeing a lot of foldable electric scooters, designed for use as "last-mile" transport between users' homes/workplaces and public transit stations. Their little wheels, however, are no match for Oslo's cobbled streets. That's why a group of Norwegian entrepreneurs created the CityRabbit.

Though some folks still walk to work from the city transit station, many choose to scoot in. BMW is looking for a slice of the last mile commute pie and its latest collaboration with Micro Mobility Systems has resulted in a new addition to the automotive giant's city scooter range.​

The Boosted Rev is the company's first foray into the world of folding electric scooters, and after a little of hands-on time ahead of today's launch, we think it might just tick a few boxes for those looking for a new way to get around town.

​Back in 2014, Bulgarian architects Mihail Klenov and Martin Angelov introduced the Halfbike, a minimalist stand-up trike designed for short commutes. That was followed in 2015 by the improved Halfbike II. Now, they've upped their game once again, with – you guessed it – the Halfbike 3.

​When launched in 2017, the KO1 monowheel scooter – a kind of cross between a Segway and a Solowheel – offered a range of 20 miles and a top speed of 20 mph. The KO1+ has a very similar look to the original, but is quite a different animal.​

​Voro Motors has been selling its eMove scooter series in Singapore, Malaysia and China over the last year or so, and is now making the Cruiser edition available in the US. So what makes this model stand out in an overcrowded e-scooter market? It has a powerful motor that peaks at 1,600 watts.​

Every now and then, an invention comes along that makes us wonder how we ever lived without it – but those are in the minority. New Atlas rounds up the weirdest and wackiest inventions that left us scratching our heads this year.

There are many electric kickscooters available already, but newcomer Unagi is busy attracting Kickstarter backers to its design by dangling such features as puncture-proof tires, the choice of a single or twin motor power and enough torque to roll up 15 degree inclines.