While some carmakers are setting up the carsharing business, others have noticed the boom in demand for smaller shared mobility devices, and have begun to take action. At the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona this week there is a great number of e-scooters and the likes, including one made by Spanish carmaker SEAT.
The Spanish have been toying with the idea of small mobility devices for some time, but it is only now that they have announced the creation of a special business unit to handle this emerging sector. To be called SEAT Urban Mobility, the company will “integrate all the product, service and platform-based mobility solutions.”
Their main – and first – product will be an electric scooter whose concept is now on display at the event. Wearing no distinct name yet, the machine will be released on the market next year.
The e-Scooter comes packing a 14.8 hp electric motor that should be the equivalent of an 125cc internal combustion engine, and develops 240 Nm of torque. The two-wheeler is fast enough to reach a top speed of 100 kph (62 mph), half of which is hit in just 3.8 seconds.
According to SEAT, the scooter uses a battery that should give it a range of 115 km (71 miles), as resulted from the World Motorcycle Test Cycle used (WMTC).
SEAT spared no expense in making the scooter quite the looker, and also capable of holding two helmets in a storage space beneath the seat. A mobile app is also on the table to make sure riders stay connected and aware of battery levels.
For now, the Spanish company did not say how much one will cost. According to President Luca de Meo, there is even the possibility of this and other mobility solutions to be branded under other names belonging to the Volkswagen Group.
Their main – and first – product will be an electric scooter whose concept is now on display at the event. Wearing no distinct name yet, the machine will be released on the market next year.
The e-Scooter comes packing a 14.8 hp electric motor that should be the equivalent of an 125cc internal combustion engine, and develops 240 Nm of torque. The two-wheeler is fast enough to reach a top speed of 100 kph (62 mph), half of which is hit in just 3.8 seconds.
According to SEAT, the scooter uses a battery that should give it a range of 115 km (71 miles), as resulted from the World Motorcycle Test Cycle used (WMTC).
SEAT spared no expense in making the scooter quite the looker, and also capable of holding two helmets in a storage space beneath the seat. A mobile app is also on the table to make sure riders stay connected and aware of battery levels.
For now, the Spanish company did not say how much one will cost. According to President Luca de Meo, there is even the possibility of this and other mobility solutions to be branded under other names belonging to the Volkswagen Group.