The FlyKly electric scooter, coming to a bike lane near you
What would you say if I told you that the scooter you see above will soon be shooting around your town or city, nipping in and out of bike lanes, piloted by untrained, unlicensed drivers? If it makes you angry, prepare to get angrier still, because what I just told you is the truth.
The scooter, called the FlyKly, is a rechargeable electric motorbike with vestigial pedals. Because it can reach just 20mph and has a motor of less than 750W, it qualifies under Federal electric bicycle law as a pushbike. 20mph (or 32km/h) isn’t fast enough to ride in traffic, but is fast enough to be a danger to cyclists.
The FlyKly comes in two models, both costing $1,900. The “Modern” looks like a regular gas scooter, and the “Vintage” has less fairing and more chrome. Both weigh 125 pounds (57kg), both have a range of 40 miles on a charge, and both will carry 500 pounds (227kg).
The Modern has disk brake at the rear (for effortlessly skidding out of control) and drum brake at the front. The Vintage has a pair of drums.
The FlyKly folks claim that, at five cents per charge, you can go 1,000 miles for a dollar. To charge, just plug the bike into the charger, or lug the battery pack inside and hook it up for 4-5 hours.
If it could go a little faster, it would be just about perfect, would require training and a license to use, and would be kept out of bike lines. As it is, it just looks annoying and dangerous: Consider that, here in Spain, it is legal for bikes to ride on the sidewalk.
On the other hand, it’s way better than a car.
The Modern is available for pre-order (ships October) and the Vintage can be had now through UrbanDaddy through some tedious membership program.
FlyKly product page [FlyKly. Thanks, Eric!]
See Also:
- Volkswagen Electric Scooter Charges in Your Trunk
- 'The Beast' Electric Bike: 50mph, $33500
- Monstrous Grace Pro E-Bike Defies Description
- A2B Electric Bike Thinks It's a Scooter
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