Light, small and surprisingly fast, this single-wheeled cycle is designed to let you zip around cities, then stop and pick it up like a suitcase when you arrive at your destination – a sweet last-mile solution for urban commuters and travelers.
The Urban Glider uses a gyroscopically-stabilized electric mono-wheel to help you stay upright as you stand on footplates straddling the sides of a central 16-inch wheel.
Leaning back lets you slow, stop or reverse while leaning forward engages the engine in that direction, and tilting to either side allows you to turn using intuitive movements.
The convenient size of the device means you don’t have to worry about parking or locking up your car, scooter or bike. And unlike other small-scale solutions, you also do not need to switch out blades or skates for shoes between uses.
Hopping from the glider to other transit is also simple, since you can carry the 24-pound vehicle onto buses, trains or planes.
With a top speed of around 13 miles per hour you won’t be breaking any records for velocity, but can get places much faster than you would be able to on foot.
The battery is designed to last for up to 6 hours of use and can be charged in last than 30 minutes. Currently, crowdfunding on Kickstarter is paused but the company seems adamant about making a go of this personal vehicle one way or another. The Urban Glider is set to retail for $1200 – expensive on some metrics, perhaps, but fairly cheap as short-distance electric transit goes.
