Self Reconfiguring UNO Motorcycle Makes Public Debut

We were reporting a while back about the battery electric UNO vehicle built by BPG Motors, which was confirmed for mass production. To refresh your memory, the UNO rides with two wheels side by side at low speeds and transforms to have the wheels in-line like a traditional motorcycle at higher speeds.

BPG have unveiled the UNO, now in its third form, for the first time in public at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show. Previous designs, which generated a good deal of media interest, had the self-balancing mode but did not fold out as fully as the Uno III or have the same styling.

“It's aimed at urban dwellers, most likely in Europe, where there is a strong culture around motorcycles and scooters,” said BPG Motors CEO Brad Harkavy. "We're definitely focused on the urban scooter buyer but someone looking for more unique vehicles and something quite stylish."

The company plans to begin producing these electric scooters in limited runs in about a year with mass production planned after that. It will be priced between $4,000 and $7,000.

The UNO uses gyroscopic control systems to remain balanced while in Uno mode, while maintaining conventional motorcycle steering and handling.

It works in two stages. At lower speeds, the wheels remain parallel providing the rider with a small compact and highly maneuverable urban commuting vehicle. However, as the vehicle accelerates, the wheels splay apart, realign and transform the UNO into a traditional motorcycle while moving, for a more stable and therefore safer platform.

Styled like a high-performance racing motorcycle, the UNO will unfortunately be limited to 35 mph (56km/h), and will come with a range of 30 miles (48km).