Folding-style ICOMA Tatamel Bike wins 2023 CES Innovation Award
What's the story
Japanese start-up ICOMA has received the Innovation Award in the Vehicle Tech and Advanced Mobility category at CES 2023 for its quirky-looking folding-style scooter, the Tatamel Bike.
The automaker showcased a pre-production concept of the EV back in October 2021 and it is now closer to its final production avatar.
The brand is planning to commence sales of the e-scooter by April 2023.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Electrification has become popular in the scooter segment in recent years, due to the practical nature and ease of use associated with scooters in general.
However, almost every EV maker is sticking with a tried and tested design philosophy with the offerings in order to benefit from the ongoing trend.
ICOMA chose a different path when developing its first-ever folding-style Tatamel Bike e-scooter.
Design
The scooter has a suitcase-like appearance when folded
The quirky-looking ICOMA Tatamel Bike has a unique suitcase-like appearance when folded.
It flaunts an apron-mounted rectangular-shaped LED headlight with integrated DRL, a tiny collapsable front fender, an upright and wide handlebar with a single circular mirror, flat body panels, retractable footrests, and a sleek LED taillight.
The scooter packs a rider-only seat and has a tiny 10-inch alloy wheel at the front.
Information
It has a top speed of 40km/h
The unique ICOMA Tatamel Bike draws power from a hub-mounted electric motor that is linked to a 12A, 51V battery pack (equivalent to 0.6kWh). The motor has a peak output of 600W. The EV can cover 29km on a single charge.
Safety
It is equipped with inverted front forks
In terms of rider safety, the cute-looking ICOMA Tatamel Bike comes equipped with a single disc brake on the rear wheel, along with regenerative braking via the hub-mounted motor for better braking performance.
The suspension duties on the electric scooter are taken care of by inverted forks on the front side and a mono-shock unit on the rear end for a comfortable ride.
Information
How much does it cost?
In the US, ICOMA plans to sell the Tatamel Bike with a price tag of $4,000 (approximately Rs. 3.29 lakh). The scooter is essentially meant as a last-mile mobility solution for people with a daily commute of less than 10km.