Adaptability, convenience, versatility, and safety. These are all click words that manufacturers of gadgets use to market their products. As much as these words are overused and sometimes abused, they're very much necessary aspects of today's evolving alternative transportation system. With more cities across the globe realizing that cars are not the only answer to mobility, innovative concepts surrounding electric micro-mobility have emerged.
We've seen electric bicycles and electric scooters take on all shapes and sizes—designs we could only imagine a decade or so ago. Take, for example, this conceptual urban electric scooter from designers Bhavya Upadhyay and Devam Jangra. It's called the Beam e-scooter, and it wears two hats. On shorter trips, Beam can be ridden like a standard electric kick scooter, with the rider standing on the floorboard. Meanwhile, on longer trips, a seat can be deployed from the floorboard, giving riders extra comfort and stability by riding it like they would an electric bike.
From a styling standpoint, the Beam is incredibly sleek, clean, and mimics design cues from the likes of Apple, Dyson, and Ninebot. According to the designers, the Beam can morph from electric kick-scooter to e-bike in a matter of seconds, completely tool-free. On top of that, the designers have focused on safety and enjoyment in designing the scooter, as well. As you can see, the Beam has a wider deck and slightly wider handlebars than most standard e-scooters. Of course, the addition of a seat means the rider can bop along with a much lower center of gravity, thereby improving stability.
Apart from the ability to transform from scooter to bike and back again in a matter of seconds, the Beam is also foldable, meaning it can easily be transported in the back of a small car, or even stored under your office desk. Additional safety features include built-in lighting all around, as well as a camera that can record your rides, while at the same time serving as a safety feature in the event of a mishap. There's even a built in tool kit and first aid kit.
As for technology, it's hard to pinpoint what exactly will make its way to the real world, and what will stay in the realm of concept and design. The renderings show sleek digital displays on the bar—a large one in the center that can be used for navigation, and two smaller ones on the sides for adjusting modes and viewing ride data. On top of that, the designers say that the Beam will come with a removable battery pack for convenient charging.
While the Beam scooter concept is indeed impressive, at the end of the day, it's still just a concept. Nevertheless, designs like this could pave the way for future electric scooter designs, especially as more and more people realize the benefits of saving their cars for the weekends and taking bikes and scooters to school and work on the weekdays.
