The Lightfoot electric scooter is wrapped in solar panels to address range anxiety - The Verge

By Andrew Liszewski, a senior reporter who's been covering and reviewing the latest gadgets and tech since 2011, but has loved all things electronic since he was a kid.

Otherlab has announced a new electric scooter called the Lightfoot that can extend its range not by fast charging or quick battery swaps, but by soaking up the sun. The scooter is shrouded in two large solar panels that Otherlab says can extend its range by an extra three miles for every hour it’s left in the sun.

The company, which describes itself as an “independent research & design lab” bringing “new solutions in renewable energy,” is planning to make the Lightfoot available for preorder starting today. It will sell for $4,995 and delivery is expected as early as January, 2025.

The Lightfoot is powered by a pair of 750W brushless DC motors paired with a 48-volt, 1.1kWh battery that provides a range of up to 37 miles on a full charge and a top speed of “just under” 20mph. You can find cargo-capable e-bikes that are cheaper than the Lightfoot with improved range (depending on what you’re hauling), but what sets the Lightfoot apart is that isn’t completely dependent on a power outlet.

In addition to charging the battery through regenerative braking while you’re out riding, the solar panels on each side of the Lightfoot can generate up to 120W of power while exposed to the sun. Assuming you stay outside and the weather cooperates, the company claims those solar panels can extend the Lightfoot’s range by up to 20 miles in the summer, or up to 10 miles in the winter. While some scooters, like Honda’s Motocompacto, are designed to fold up so you can store them inside, the Lightfoot will benefit from being left outdoors.

With a frame made from aircraft-grade aluminum riding on 10-inch tires, the Lightfoot is bulkier than stand up scooters, but it can accommodate two riders. Underneath those solar panels you’ll also find 1.5 cubic feet of weatherproof and lockable storage which the company says is “comparable in size to a carry-on suitcase.” The scooter is also built using “off-the-shelf, highly rated parts” with the goal of making it low maintenance and easy to repair.

For those who like the idea of commuting to work, or even running errands, using an electric scooter but are anxious about the risk of being stranded by their relative limited ranges, the Lightfoot could bring some peace of mind. At the same time, the idea of having to leave it locked up outside and vulnerable to theft to take full advantage of its solar capabilities may just swap one anxiety for another.

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