New Electric Scooter Patents from Honda - Does This Mean They're Coming?
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 08. 1.07
The folks at Honda are keeping themselves busy these days. Just after announcing that a diesel Accord is coming to the States in a few years, a patent for electric scooter technology popped up over at AutoblogGreen. Featuring a design that looks similar to this prototype we spied a few years back, the patent suggests that Honda is knee-deep in developing an electric scooter using some pretty interesting technology; they're patenting a system for a rear drum brake that employs fins to help keep it cool and resist heat transfer from the brake to the electric motor. While we aren't sure if that includes battery regeneration or not (as in hybrid cars) -- it seems like they ought to -- we hope this means there'll be electric Honda scooters cruising down the roads near you sooner rather than later...stay tuned. ::The Scooter Scoop via ::AutoblogGreen
We already ahve them in the Uk- see www.zipeebikes.com I think they will really take off,a cheap and painless way to cycle to work- get to meetings. Specially designed for slobs like me
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On my last trip to Shanghai, they are all over the streets. It is sad that ppl here thinks that its something futuristic.
I sure as hell hope it does. Mainstream vehicle manufacturer's have to get with the program. You've got a lot of independents making headway with electric vehicles, but very few of the major players pursuing the technology. Considering our need to find CO2 free transportation, I'd hope all major manufacturers would accept the challenge.