Move It, Park It, Charge It: Personal/Public Scooter Device

Frankly, we’re a little sick of all of the Segway clones out there. We couldn’t care less about the next big thing in personal transport. But the MoVete is unusual enough that it drew our attention rather than ire. It’s a shared community-based mobility device that works kind of like the bike shares in some cities: you pick one up at one station and leave it at the next.

Each station is fitted with solar-powered charging points which keep the MoVete’s batteries all charged up and ready to take on the city. The conceptual design was created by Natalia Portugal and Sara Aletta de Sylvas to help commuters in busy downtown Buenos Aires get around quickly and easily, even where motorized vehicles are banned for the safety of pedestrians.

The MoVete features rear wheel steering for quick, controlled turns and an intuitive steering system that allows it to be driven by just about anyone with minimal training and minimal effort.

The accelerator and brake are both located on the handle, making the device easy to steer with just one hand. Although it looks like a cross between a house jack and a kids’ scooter, the MoVete could one day turn out to be the personal mobility system that out-geeks even the iconic Segway.

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See more in Mass Transit or under Transportation. November, 2010.