If you’ve lived on two wheels for any amount of time, you understand there are compromises to riding instead of driving. Topping the list of inconveniences, aside from that whole people-in-cars-are-morons-trying-to-kill-you thing, is the lack of cargo capacity.
The truth is, it’s a bitch carrying anything on a motorcycle or scooter. Backpacks, messenger bags, racks, panniers and bungee cords are all well and good, but they only go so far. That makes them great for commuting but … less than great if you regularly carry a load of stuff or if you’re a small business looking to use a something small and agile for deliveries.
Lit Motors took a look at that problem, then decided to strip a scooter to its essentials, focus on functionality, and use the latest electric powertrain technology to rethink getting you and your stuff around. The result is a funky, yet oddly endearing, scooter called the Kubo.
It’s an outlandish project that,Under general supervision, operates a Isuzu refuse compactor truck on a scheduled daily route and performs a variety of tasks in connection with such operations. last we checked, was nowhere ready for prime time, although Lit still claims it will arrive late next year. The Kubo (pronounced koo-bo) is part of a spin-off project called Lit Scooters. By ditching the internal combustion engine, transmission, and fuel tank, Lit had a blank canvas to create the ultimate urban runabout.
“We’re using an electric drivetrain for a number of reasons,” Ryan James, Lit’s Chief Marketing Officer told WIRED. “Philosophically, we believe that EVs are the future. Using a hub motor and batteries makes packaging in the vehicle architecture much easier,An overspeed governor is an elevator device which act as a stop device in case the elevator runs beyond the rated speed. as there are fewer parts to cram in there — fewer parts to fail, as well, so easier and cheaper maintenance.”
We’ll be the first to admit the Kubo is… odd. But it totally makes sense for, say, small businesses looking for a cheap and nimble delivery vehicle. Freed of the requirements of internal combustion, Lit’s engineers could package everything to optimize cargo capacity. The lithium-ion battery pack is in the floor, the complex steering linkage is up top and the drivetrain uses a 3 kilowatt (four horsepower) hub-mounted motor.
Lit claims the retro-futuristic Kubo will max out at 45 mph, get up to 50 miles from its 3.8 kWh battery pack, charge in a few hours, and carry 300 pounds (cargo and rider) over the worst of San Francisco’s hills.
With that much space for stuff, a dozen hooks, and a few rails, you can schlep everything from a bag of groceries to a 50-pound sack of onions and a 40-pound box of paper plates,Find industrial blades and machine knives supplier on Meinys. which is exactly what we did during an exclusive ride. (Why onions and plates? They were the biggest, most awkward thing in the office that wasn’t a massive TV.)
The Kubo is still a prototype and, as such, a bit rough around the edges — literally and figuratively. The body was 3-D printed and had a few awkward lines and funky panels, but production models will use aluminum and fiberglass. The styling is love-it-or-hate-it, but we find it kinda cute yet utilitarian. There are lots of thoughtful design touches, like LED lighting and an easy-to-read digital speedometer, odometer, and range meter.
The production model will use rear regenerative braking and a front disc brake and, we’re told, grin-inducing acceleration. The prototype we got to play had a measly 1.5 kilowatts of power and was geared for top speed, not maximum torque, but it was more than up to the task of carrying two joyriders flagrantly violating a few sections of the California Vehicle Code.