There are no shortage of electric scooters these days and even BMW is jumping on the band wagon with their Mini CitySurfer electric scooter concept. This eye-catching electric scooter is inspired by the traditional kick scooter and is compact enough to be carried on to buses, trains, or even thrown in the trunk of a vehicle. Weighing in at 40 pounds, it’s not the lightest on the market but its looks makeup for its weight (which wouldn’t exactly work in the dating world).
The Mini CitySurfer features a lithium-ion battery which is permanently installed in the frame and can be charged via a regular wall outlet or a 12-volt automobile socket. It also features regenerative braking enabling it to travel between 10 and 15 miles. The idea here is to park your vehicle close to the city without getting into heavy traffic and then using the CitySurfer for the last leg of the trip. Once at the office, the scooter can be folded up and put somewhere in the corner of your office.
Acceleration on the vehicle is thumb-operated and its driven by a gearless hub motor in the rear wheel which can bring the scooter up to speeds of 15mph. The electric drive is only activated when a minimum speed is reached from the user’s own physical thrust, then, the tiny electric motor kicks in and accelerates. The motor can be deactivated by simply pulling on the braking lever. If the battery juice runs dry, the CitySurfer can still be pushed along with your physical force without worrying about rolling resistance from the motor but the 40lb weight may wear you out in no time.
The Mini CitySurfer has large wheels and pneumatic tires making it suitable for bumpy road conditions and features a stable frame and height-adjustable handlebars. There are three brake systems in place and all work independently of each other; hydraulic disc brakes at front and rear and recuperation brakes via electric drive generator function.
On the handlebars, you will also find a mobile phone holder as well as a charge facility for your mobile device. Besides the branding behind it, it’s simply another electric scooter on the market and likely priced higher for that specific reason. No word yet on when it will make it to the production line or the final retail cost.
[Via: BMW Group]
