Riding on a solar panel with wheels and making it like a scooter may sound a bit extravagant. However, an American company has designed it.

Very summarized. The Otherlab company has developed An electric scooter that integrates solar panels to extend its autonomy without the need for fast charging or a quick battery change. According to the company, it can increase its range by up to five kilometers for every hour it is in the sun.

This scooter, called Lightfoot, is already available for pre-sale in the United States, and deliveries are expected to begin in January 2025. The starting price is $4,995.

In the city. Despite its scooter shape, its maximum speed is 32 km/h so that it can travel on bike paths. The design of the solar electric scooter has been designed for short daily trips of 5 to 8 km or 16 to 24 km per day.

But how does it work? The scooter includes two brushless DC motors of 750W each, which provides power to accelerate, climb slopes or carry an extra person. The system does not have gears or anything, only the advanced regenerative braking system that allows part of the vehicle’s kinetic energy to be recovered and reused during braking.

Meanwhile, the integrated solar panels generate 120 watts of energy while exposed to the sun. In addition, the scooter has a 1.1 kWh battery and with a full charge it offers a range of 60 kilometers.

How much autonomy does it have? As we have already mentioned, with a full charge it can reach up to 60 km, but with solar panels they can additionally add 32 km in summer and 16 km in winter, depending on weather conditions. The company itself has confirmed that under conditions of daily use between 16 and 24 km it can stay charged all year round thanks to solar energy.

More details. Despite its compact size, the scooter includes a compartment that can hold up to 15kg. On the topic of security, thieves will think twice before stealing a Lightfoot since the wheels lock electronically without the need for a key.

The integration of solar panels. This is not the first project to integrate solar panels into vehicles. In New York City have put A fleet of 4 buses with solar panels is underway that they hope to increase and inject energy into the grid. Also, the Lightyear project, which tried to create cars with solar panels, was suspended because the company preferred to focus on solar panels. For its part, and with a more interesting twist, is the case of Mercedes-Benz and solar paint with solar cells.

Image | lightfoot