Back in 1983, there was no shortage of visionary ideas at Honda as the company marketed a tiny but unique two-wheeler called the Motocompo, which grew into a cult object. It was a foldable scooter that the owner could fit in the trunk of his car and use for urban runabouts long before the ‘last mile’ became a thing in the mobility scene. Honda decided to revive the concept under the name Motocompacto, which is now available to order overseas.
The modern version looks like a suitcase, with foldable foot pegs, a saddle, and, of course, a steering bar with an integrated carrying handle. At the front, there’s a small LED light. The two wheels are always visible, but the one on the back expands when you stretch it in scooter format. The clean and minimalist style makes it look like a suitcase.
Bluetooth connected
Indeed, the fluid-rich original demanded some spilling protection in the trunk, but the successor is tidier thanks to an electric driveline. Honda doesn’t release specifications about the battery pack capacity but says it can be recharged (with the cable stowed inside the casing) within 3,5 hours.
Top speed is 25 km/hour. The owners can set up and personalize their Motocompacto with an app on their smartphones, which uses Bluetooth. There are even different driving modes.
Under 1 000 dollar
The price is sweet as well. Honda asks $995 for the Motocompacto, which can be ordered from the manufacturer’s site, though the purchase always passes through a dealership. The Motocompacto is part of Honda’s strategy to release ten new electric scooters and motorbikes by 2025.
In case you wonder, the original version wasn’t a big hit – different times back then… Honda produced 50 000 units over two years. The idea inspired the Indonesian manufacturer of EV motorcycles Katalis two years ago to release the Spacebar, which is still on sale today but at a price three times as high as the current Motocompacto.
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