Bolt may be the smallest and lightest electric vehicle ever.
Over the past couple of years, a growing number of electric and scooters have made their way into the morning commute. And while hoverboards may still be a few years out, smart skateboards may be the next best thing for those short, everyday trips to class, work, the library or even local coffee shop.
The idea for Bolt was first conceived by robotic engineering student Lorenzo Cella after countless days of taking the train and walking to and from school. The Maker had explored possible alternatives that would require less effort, provide more efficiency, and ultimately be compact enough for easy storage.
“From home I have to walk to the station, take the train and once there I have to walk to class. I have to do the reverse path back home every noon. I’ve counted that I spend 1 hour and 30 minutes walking everyday, 7km (4.5 miles). I noticed that covering this distance by foot every day, in addition to waste my time, makes me get home tired and with little desire to do anything else,” Cella explains. “Walking is too slow and time consuming. Most of the time taking the car is cumbersome and useless because you need to find space for parking. The bicycle must always be locked and made safe otherwise can be stolen. Even if you use public transport, you still need a last mile solution small enough to be carried with you everywhere.”
Currently live on Indiegogo, Bolt is billed as the first truly portable vehicle that can be carried just about anywhere — whether that’s home, in the classroom or throughout the office. The lightweight (only nine pounds), easy-to-use device consumes very little power and features Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity for future integrations. Bolt is controlled by a wireless handheld remote, which is based on an Arduino Pro Mini (ATmega328). A rider simply toggles the joystick forward to gain speed and backward to put on the brakes.
Impressively, the board has a top speed of 13 MPH and a range of about 6.5 miles — more than enough for a couple block commute in the city. Not to mention, Bolt is a much cheaper option than having to fuel up the car for those quick drives. A complete recharge should take less than 90 minutes, but in 60 minutes, Cella says a user will have about an 80% battery life. It also features a built-in standard USB port that can be used to recharge mobile devices on the go.
Interested? Head over to Bolt’s official Indiegogo page, where Cella is currently seeking $50,000. If he is able to exceed his initial goal, the Maker is looking to add embedded, remote-controlled LED lights, introduce an iPhone and Android app, integrate wearable gadgets, as well as offer more customizable options, all through its BLE connectivity. Shipment is expected to begin in October 2015.
