Electric scooters have become a pretty common sight on city streets, as they transport people from place to place … but what if they could do more? The cargo-hauling Scootility "utility scooter" was designed with that very question in mind.
Currently in functional prototype form, the Scootility is being developed by a Vancouver-based electric mobility startup of the same name.
The vehicle's most prominent feature is its 140-liter lockable weatherproof cargo box, which can be quickly taken off and swapped for another as needed. This capability could come in handy when one load needs to be dropped off and another needs to be picked up, with as little turnaround time as possible.
It would also allow one base scooter to serve multiple purposes when equipped with different boxes. For example, it could be used to deliver food or non-perishable packages, or even to hold first aid equipment when used by first responders in places that are difficult to access by ambulance.
Some of the Scootility's other features include front and rear suspension (with a 16-inch tire in front and a 13-inch tire in the back); a full LED lighting system; and a battery range of up to 100 km (62 miles) if users opt for a second deck-mounted swappable lithium battery. The top speed will be electronically limited by jurisdiction.
There's also a fold-out leg rest that doubles as a sort of glove compartment when deployed, along with a steering column that folds down when not in use for compact storage.
The Scootility is certainly much more compact and agile than delivery cars or vans, plus it's cheaper to run, it can be parked on sidewalks, plus operators don't need to have a driver's license. It's also reportedly smaller, easier to ride and less expensive than front-loading cargo ebikes, and has a greater cargo capacity than conventional ebikes.
The company is currently raising funds to bring the vehicle to market, and is inviting inquiries from prospective commercial partners.
Scootility founder Antonio Loro tells us that the scooter should enter production 12 months after funding is complete, and that its first markets will be Europe and North America. The final model is being developed in partnership with Springtime Design in the Netherlands and Engineering Design Lab in Toronto.
Exact pricing has yet to be determined, although Loro says it will be less than half the cost of front-loading cargo bikes currently used in business-to-business applications such as deliveries.
Source: Scootility