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Is this how we’ll get around in the future?
Honda Uni-Cub —
Is this how we're going to go about our business in the city of tomorrow? Behold the Uni Cub, Honda's latest out-there personal mobility vehicle. Suitable for both indoor and outdoor riding, the Uni Cab can be controlled instinctively, much like a Segway. It has a top speed of 6 km/h (about 3.7 mph) and a range of 6 kilometers (3.7 miles), equivalent to about 10,000 steps.
Browse through the gallery to see more outlandish personal mobility vehicles.
courtesy honda
Honda Uni-Cub —
The hands-free people-mover has already gone through two iterations (the original is pictured on the right) and features the world's first "omni-directional driving wheel system," which is said to provide the same freedom of movement of a walking person.
courtesy honda
Honda Wander Stand —
The Japanese auto maker has a long history of radical vehicle designs. The latest is the Wander Stand, which will be unveiled at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show. Not much is known about the vehicle yet, except that it's a sleek two-seater designed to "pursue the joy and freedom of mobility under the concept of the 'WANDER = wander around freely,'" said Honda. It will feature minimalistic controls and will use augmented reality technology to offer a wide array of information to its occupants through the windscreen.
courtesy honda
Honda Wander Walker —
At the same event, Honda will also unveil the Wander Walker, a four-wheeled electric scooter that sports some very retro-looking wood trims.
courtesy honda
Toyota Winglet —
Rival car giant Toyota also wants a slice of the urban mobility pie, and has started trials in the Tokyo suburb of Tsukuba with its Winglet, a Segway-inspired personal mover with self-balancing capabilities.
YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
IO Hawk —
Set to launch in February 2015, the IO Hawk is not really a hoverboard, but it's probably the next best thing that money can buy. It travels at 6mph and weights just under 10kg. It's not cheap though, as the basic model starts at $1,800.
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Io Hawk —
The makers of the device maintain that it takes about three to five minutes to master its controls. After that, it's supposedly a smooth ride for about 10-12 miles, which is the expected range of the IO Hawk.
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OneWheel —
If two wheels do not cut it for you, you can opt for OneWheel, which caters to the sportier among the tech-savvy urban commuters. It can negotiate rough terrain and offers the expected self-balancing capabilities of its competitors.
courtesy onewheel
OneWheel —
The top speed is a breakneck 15 mph, and the ride can be fine-tuned using a smartphone app. Charging the lithium battery takes as little as 20 minutes and the range is about 7 miles. It's already available for $1,500.
courtesy onewheel
YikeBike —
This fully foldable electric bike will allow you to sprint on city streets at up to 14 mph, a speed at which the anti-lock braking mechanism (ABS) that's fitted as standard will come in handy. The YikeBike charges in an hour and a half, and is made of premium materials, hence the steep entry price of about $5,000. There's also a lighter, carbon fiber model that goes for $8,000.
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YikeBike —
The peculiar seating position supposedly offers better control and posture, and the makers of the YikeBike say it takes about 30 minutes of practice to get comfortable with it.
Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Toyota i-Road —
The i-Road is peculiar among electric urban vehicles in that it promises a fun driving experience. Toyota says that the "trike" (it has a single back wheel) gives the rider the impression of skiing, with the vehicle automatically selecting the optimal lean angle when cornering. "You can enjoy the refreshing sense of being one with the machine," they say.
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Toyota i-Road —
The i-Road has been field tested in Grenoble (France) and Tokyo, where it is currently undergoing a year-long program involving 100 people. Through their feedback, Toyota plans to fine-tune the vehicle in preparation of a full-scale commercial launch.
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WalkCar —
It looks like a laptop computer, except it's one you can safely step on. A triumph of Japanese minimalism applied to mobility, the WalkCar is simply a moving platform that you control with body movements. Stepping off it is enough to stop it. Its manufacturer, Cocoa Motors, will soon launch a Kickstarter campaign to help fund the project.
courtesy walkcar
Hitachi ROPITS —
The acronym stands for "Robot for Personal Intelligent Transport System,"meaning that this microcar can autonomously pick up and drop off a passenger to any destination previously set through a smartphone app. The vehicle can also be controlled by a joystick in the cockpit.
YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Toyota FV2 —
If you want to drive into the future, step inside the elegant, single-seat Toyota FV2, an electric personal pod that spans three meters in length. It was conceived as a proof of concept to influence the design of future personal vehicles.
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Toyota FV2 —
Toyota says the FV2 is able to pick up the driver's moods and habits to learn from them, creating a bond between the man (or the woman) and the machine. All this while offering an enjoyable experience, as implied in the name, which stands for "Fun Vehicle."