Urban Transport

Solar scooter gets 18-mile range boost without burning your legs

Solar scooter gets 18-mile range boost without burning your legs
The solar-panel-covered Lightfoot scooter will set you back $4,995
The solar-panel-covered Lightfoot scooter will set you back $4,995
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The Lightfoot sports Lezyne head- and tail lights
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The Lightfoot sports Lezyne head- and tail lights
The solar-panel-covered Lightfoot scooter will set you back $4,995
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The solar-panel-covered Lightfoot scooter will set you back $4,995
The scooter's battery charges to 80% in 90 minutes
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The scooter's battery charges to 80% in 90 minutes
The Lightfoot's cargo compartment can manage a maximum load of 33 lb (15 kg)
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The Lightfoot's cargo compartment can manage a maximum load of 33 lb (15 kg)
The Lightfoot is made mainly from widely-available parts
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The Lightfoot is made mainly from widely-available parts
The Lightfoot's two hub motors deliver 90 Nm (66 lb ft) of torque
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The Lightfoot's two hub motors deliver 90 Nm (66 lb ft) of torque
View gallery - 6 images

While many EVs use solar panels to extend their range, those panels often don't look like they'd make much of a difference. Such is certainly not the case with the Lightfoot scooter, however, the sides of which are covered with panels that reportedly provide up to 18 miles of extra range per day.

Invented by Australian engineer Saul Griffith, the Lightfoot is manufactured by San Francisco startup Otherlab, which he co-founded.

The two-rider vehicle is propelled by two brushless 750-watt hub motors – one in each 10-inch wheel – which are in turn powered by a 48V/1.1-kWh lithium-ion battery. One wall-outlet charge of that battery is claimed to be good for a range of 37 miles (60 km).

The Lightfoot's two hub motors deliver 90 Nm (66 lb ft) of torque
The Lightfoot's two hub motors deliver 90 Nm (66 lb ft) of torque

That said, the range can reportedly be extended by up to 18 miles (29 km) per day via the scooter's two 120-watt solar panels. This figure is based on a typical day of use, during which the Lightfoot will frequently be left parked in bright sunlight. According to Otherlab, one hour of "peak sunlight" exposure averages out to approximately 3 miles (5 km) of extra range.

And no, we're told that the solar panels will not get hot enough to burn the insides of the rider's legs. One of the panels, however, can be opened gullwing-style to access a 1.5-cubic-foot (45.2-l) lockable weatherproof storage space within.

The Lightfoot's cargo compartment can manage a maximum load of 33 lb (15 kg)
The Lightfoot's cargo compartment can manage a maximum load of 33 lb (15 kg)

The Lightfoot has a top speed of 20 mph (32 km/h), can be ridden on roads and in bicycle lanes, and does not require a license to operate. Battery life, current speed and other information is displayed on a waterproof 2.8-inch LCD touchscreen.

Some of the scooter's other features include Lezyne head- and tail lights (2,000 lumens in front); Tektro hydraulic disc brakes; house-brand coil-spring front and rear shocks; and a 120-decibel electric horn. The whole thing tips the scales at a claimed 137 lb (62 kg), and can accommodate riders ranging from 5 ft, 2 inches to 6 feet, 2 inches (157.5 to 188 cm) in height.

The scooter's battery charges to 80% in 90 minutes
The scooter's battery charges to 80% in 90 minutes

The Lightfoot scooter will retail for US$4,995, with deliveries expected to commence in January. Prospective buyers can register for a place in line via the product website.

Source: Lightfoot

View gallery - 6 images
2 comments
2 comments
JS
I was like "Ooh! That's cool!" Then I saw the price.
zort
Reminds me of my toy John Deer tractor someone had bought me (instead of a tricycle) to ride back in the late 1950s.