Walkcar, The Smallest Vehicle from Japan

A Japanese engineer just invented a nifty new way to travel called a “WalkCar” that’s small, light and apparently easy to use. Similar to a Segway, riders simply have to lean slightly in the direction they want to travel, and the WalkCar does the rest.

Created by Japanese company Cocoa Motors, the WalkCar is a skateboard-like device that has Segway-like powers. the WalkCar looks at first glance like an upturned iPad with wheels. But it’s not. It is, as its name almost suggests, a portable transporter ideal for getting around town with very little effort. VentureBeat reported that it can go up to 6.2 miles per hour for up to 7.4 miles. It needs three hours to charge.. The product is battery powered and is about the size of a laptop.

Demonstrating the WalkCar to Reuters recently, Cocoa Motors team member Kuniako Saito showed just how easy it is to use. Stand on it to go, get off to stop. To steer it, simply shift your weight around like you would on a skateboard. It looks impressive in the video, and is able to handle fairly steep inclines at speed, even while pushing other weights such as trolleys with packages. However, those small wheels leave us wondering how well it’d handle cracks in the sidewalk, or stones and the like. Kuniako Saito, 26, and his team at Cocoa Motors recently unveiled the lithium battery-powered 'WalkCar' transporter, which is the size of a laptop and resembles a skateboard more than a car. Saito expects to see many other uses for his transporter, as he said it has enough power to help people push wheel-chairs with ease.

Saito said customers would be able to book WalkCars in the next few months on the crowd-funding website, Kickstarter. It is likely to cost around $800 (roughly Rs. 50,000). Shipping is expected to begin by spring 2016.