Hyundai and Kia Present Integrated E-Scooter Concept To Solve Last Mile

• Published On: 29 August 2019
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Hyundai and Kia's Future Cars To Feature E-Scooter for Last Mile Connectivity

Last mile connectivity remains a major area of concern for larger cities both Indian and foreign cities.  In a bid to address the same problem Korean carmakers Kia and Hyundai have unveiled their latest e-scooter that aims at solving the last mile connectivity issues in major cities across the world. The latest product from the brand is the refined version of the concept scooter that the company had showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show back in 2017. After 2 years, the company has finally presented the more refined version of the e-scooter that is targeted at solving the last mile connectivity issues in the modern urban landscape. The e-scooter from the company is powered by a Lithium ion battery and hence it is also eco-friendly. What is even better is that the e-scooter will be integrated in the cars offered by both Kia and Hyundai, thereby making the scooter even more efficient and mobile. One can use the scooter to not only access last mile locations but can also use the same scooter to reach the car itself, thereby providing an end-to end solution for the customers.

The fact that the e-scooter from the brands can fit right inside the car is a major advantage as one need not worry about lugging the e-scooter with them every time they approach their car for their daily commute. In the modern urban environment parking spaces are often located far away from the actual destination and this often causes hassles for the drivers at its best and causes parking problems at the worst as the drivers tend to park cars in wrong spaces in order to reach their destinations easily. The e-scooter is aimed at solving the same problem. With the scooter it will become more convenient to park the car at a safe public parking space and use the scooter for the rest of the short commute. This will also prevent the congestion of roads in developing nations like India where people tend to park cars on the streets in order to get to their location in a more convenient manner. 

Talking about the latest e-scooter from the brand, the head of robotics team at Hyundai Motors, DongJin Hyun stated,

“This is the vehicle-mounted personal scooter which could be featured in future Hyundai Motor Group vehicles. We want to make our customers’ lives as easy and enjoyable as possible. Our personal electric scooter makes first- and last-mile commuting a joy while helping to reduce congestion and emissions in city centres.”

Talking of the mechanicals of the scooter, the rear wheel drive scooter comes with a 10.5 amp-hour Li-ion that promises a range of 20 kms at a top speed of 20 kph. This is a good range and top speed considering that the scooters will mostly be ridden in confined spaces and off the road. While the e-scooter may still be in concept arena at this time, the near future will see some of Hyundai and Kia cars featuring this scooter. The car will also be responsible for charging the scooter as it will be integrated with the vehicle.