A small scooter manufacturer Otherlab offers a solar-powered scooter. The Lightfoot scooter includes a massive solar panel over which you throw your legs. Will this provide an extra range? Maybe. Will it be the strangest-looking scooter walking through a border town or city street? Absolutely.
The developers of Lightfoot, a startup called Otherlab, said in their announcement that the Lightfoot cargo scooter was inspired by Vespa and Volkswagen buses, and it’s definitely one of those vehicles that will delight an aging hippie. It features two 120-watt solar panels on either side of the scooter, and you can place the back of your back on a small cushion between them. With 750 watts of power per wheel, the scooter can travel 37 miles on a full charge and reach a top speed of just under 20 mph. It’s certainly not the fastest scooter you can buy, but – let’s be honest – are you really going to buy a solar-powered scooter for speed?
According to the company, the scooter can charge a 48-volt battery with a capacity of 1.1 kWh while parked. Each hour in direct sunlight translates into 3 miles of range. This can equal 20 miles in summer or 10 miles in winter, depending on the weather. Otherlab says this equates to about 18 miles of extra range per day. If you need a faster charge, opt for the 600W onboard charger. Lightfoot also includes 2WD regenerative braking to add an extra boost on the go.
The company claims that there is room for two on the bench and that you will be able to park it anywhere you can park a bike (and not worry about it being stolen). Despite its name, the Lightfoot is going to be hard on your wallet. It costs almost $5,000. In addition, a one-year and two-year warranty is provided for the most important parts. In addition, the company is promoting an “ironclad” three-month buy-back guarantee as stated, although the store page is not yet available. Otherlab said it plans to ship the Lightfoot in January next year.
According to Otherlab, the waterproof trunk has enough room for 33 pounds, or about three bags of groceries. Other much cheaper cargo e-scooters are available, such as Razor’s EcoSmart Cargo, which costs $1,100. Similar bikes and scooters may offer more trunk space, and others claim to be foldable for easier storage. Recent non-load scooters, such as the Segway ZT3, claim to be able to travel almost 44 miles in eco mode. However, the point of the Lightfoot is that it is more economical, especially if you park it on the street for a long time.
Otherlab is a San Francisco-based startup founded by Australian engineer Saul Griffith, whose team operates in several cities in the US, Australia, and Taiwan. The company claims that this is a way to get a “zero-emission” vehicle, although this is only true if you leave it outside for a few hours and drive the Lightfoot very sparingly. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea. If you live in a place where you trust your neighbors and use electricity sparingly, the money you save on electricity can ultimately outweigh the cost of a $5,000 scooter.
