The green machine
How would you feel if you have a robot scooter that could be controlled completely with the help of a smart phone? Definitely, you would want to own one such scooter. Then you may think about where and how to store it securely? Well, what if the robot scooter does not take too much space as it is foldable and can be stored easily when not in use. This type of scooter will be a boon for urban dwellers. Kobot is one such scooter.
Kobot is capable of going at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour. It can prove to be a perfect vehicle to travel near by places. Kobot was created by Kowa Tmsuk with the aim of making a vehicle that can crack the problem of urban populated dwelling without harming the environment. Yes, Kobot does not cause air pollution as it runs on electricity rather than fossil fuel.
Green factor
Kobot, as per Yoichi Takamoto, president of Tmsuk is a robot which we can ride. The vehicle has a green factor which makes it stand out of the crowd. As Kobot is an electrically powered vehicle so it uses only electricity to run which not only reduces the carbon emission but also reduces expenditure on fuel.
The powertrain
Kobot is a three wheel scooter with one seat. The scooter is designed in such a way that the user can use a smart phone to remotely tell Kobot to fold its read wheel and seat with the main body so it occupies minimum space when not in use. It uses about one square meter of space when folded (not in use).
There is also some information that the vehicle is made up of carbon fiber which is used to build fuel efficient Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Research shows that this will not only make the vehicle lighter in weight but also stronger which will add to the safety of the driver while driving on the roads.
The highs
Kobot can reach a maximum speed of 30 kilometers per hour, which makes it a perfect vehicle to drive to nearby places. With this speed, the vehicle can also be used for traversing in an urban populated environment. On top of this, the vehicle does not cause any air pollution as it totally runs on electricity rather than fossil fuels. This not only makes you a good citizen but also saves you much of your hard earned money. Kobot can be told remotely to fold itself if it not in use using the smart phone which comes with the vehicle.
This three wheel scooter folds itself and occupies only one square meter of space which also prevents the storage problem of the vehicle if you do not have a garage. Also, this is an ideal vehicle to park vehicle in urban environment where parking space is very less.
The lows
As Kobot can only run at a 30 kilometers (or 18 miles) per hour of speed so it can not be considered as a vehicle to travel long distances. The three wheel scooter also has only one seat which means no one can accompany you when you are on the road. Another drawback of the scooter is that you are not protected from the wind and bad weather as the vehicle is completely open.
Cost and availability
Though the manufacturer company has not revealed any figures that may be used to estimate the cost of this innovative three wheel scooter but the president of Yoshito Serita, Kowa Tmsuk said that the company has plans to make the Kobot vehicles available in the market for public by the end of 2012.
Word around the web:
After Kobot, the three wheel electrically powered fold able robot scooter was first showcased at Tokyo Motor Show it has been the topic of discussion around the web. As the design and the features of the vehicle are innovative and matches the needs of every urban dweller who want a vehicle to go to near by places without any hassle.
The vehicle is said to be unique and designed to be super-small to be easy to drive in the highly populated area with low parking space availability.
The vehicle and its features are being discussed all over the automobile websites to understand the need of urban dwellers and design and manufactures those vehicles that can meet their requirements.
