Typically conservative Honda took a leap into the e-mobility space last week with the launch of a new, leaning electric scooter.
Plucked from its Honda Xcelerator open innovation program in Silicon Valley, California, Honda’s newly-formed “Striemo, Inc.” venture has developed a three-wheeled, leaning micro-mobility product they’re also calling “Striemo.”
The Striemo features a proprietary “balance assist mechanism” that its makers claim enables more stable riding with less likelihood of falling through its entire speed range, from a very slow walking pace to a more exciting, “bicycle” speed (think: 15-20 mph).
That balance assist mechanism, too, makes the Striemo much more accessible than “conventional” e-scooters— and that’s by design. “One of the fun factors of mobility is discovery and first encounters,” says Yotaro Mori, Co-Founder & CEO of Striemo Inc. “I developed Striemo based on my desire to enable a greater number of people to experience such fun and my challenging spirit to create a means of transportation which lets anyone go out more spontaneously just like putting on our shoes to go out. Striemo is a new mobility product developed while leveraging know-how in the area of ‘human studies,’ which I amassed through my experience in the development of motorcycles at Honda. My goal is to make Striemo one of the most commonly used mobility products in people’s everyday lives around the world and create a better world where people enjoy the freedom of mobility.”
Admirable goals, for sure. But what might be most interesting about the Striebo e-scooter, from a product perspective, is its wide deck. Unlike the fore-aft foot position you see in most e-mobility “kick” scooters, this new Honda scooter seems to want you to ride it with your feet side-by-side, hoverboard style.
Striemo is scheduled to go on sale in Japan before the end of this year, and in Europe/the US sometime in 2023. Take a look at the video for yourself, below, to see the Striebo in action. Then, let us know what you think of Honda’s innovative approach to e-mobility in the comments.
Honda Striemo | Stable at Any Speed
SOURCE | IMAGES: HONDA STRIEMO.
