Design
Vinghen's half scooter, half e-bike is the weirdest electric rideable ever made
Looking like a cross between a push scooter and a mountain bike, it's a bizarre hybrid we'd love to try.
The Vinghen Ti1 answers a question we've never asked: What if you took the form factor and user experience of a scooter but gave it the dimensions and wheels of a bicycle and threw in gears and an electric motor for good measure? Like all novel ideas, it only sounds mad at first. The longer you stare at the Ti1 the more sense it makes. And the more desirable it becomes.
Currently seeking funding on Indiegogo, a Ti1 will cost you just over $900 if you hop on the early-bird pricing for the first 10 units or $1,074 thereafter. The first Ti1s are expected to ship to buyers in September. With the campaign hitting 29% of its nearly $23K goal on day one, we're confident this Frankenstein's monster of electrified urban mobility is going to have no problem rolling past the funding finish line.
Two motors to choose from — Buyers can choose between a 250-watt or 500-watt motor, along with a range of accessories to customize their stand-up ride. The top speed of the Ti1 is limited to between 12 and 20 mph, depending on the local rules and regulations in the buyer's country, and Vinghen is promising "real-world range" of up to 20 miles.
The battery is concealed beneath the plywood, longboard-like deck, and there's a steel plate and polycarbonate cover to protect it from knocks and scrapes. Depending on their intended use case, buyers can also choose between slicker, "city" tread, or rougher "country" tread, for the fat tires. So if your commute includes a little bit of dirt track or — going on the marketing materials — snowy vistas, that's no problem for the all-terrain Ti1.
Show your colors — Vinghen is offering the Ti1 in 10 hues — four that are standard options, five that'll be optional extras, and an "emerald green" it'll only offer as part of its Indiegogo campaign. Our favorites? It's a tie between "sunset orange" and "signal velvet," though best name goes to "far side of the moon grey."
The vital stats — The Ti1 weights 55 lbs, can support riders up to 265 lbs, comes standard with disk brakes, head- and tail-lights, a bell, and an LCD trip computer that also displays the remaining charge and other key information. The handlebar stem is adjustable and uses standard-sized tubing, so it'll support baskets and even some front-mount child seats.
All-weather friend — If you expect to use the Ti1 for all-weather commuting you can add optional matte black fenders, and if you're expecting to need to stop hard, there's even an option to add hydraulic disk brakes instead of the standard mechanical ones.
Do we need an electric mountain bike skate scooter we can cruise about on while standing bolt upright dressed in formal wear? We don't. First, we've got nowhere to be. Second, we haven't worn work-appropriate attire since BL (before lockdown). We don't need this at all. But we really, really want it. The future looks set to be bonkers. Our ride may as well be, too.
