McLaren's first EV, the LAVOIE Series 1, is a scooter
What's the story
British automotive giant McLaren has unveiled its first EV for the global markets. However, unlike the swanky supercars that we are used to seeing from the brand, this one is actually a folding scooter called LAVOIE Series 1. Similar to Red Bull Racing's RBS #1 or Bugatti's e-scooter in silhouette, the LAVOIE Series 1 uses automotive-grade magnesium for ensuring structural rigidity.
Context
Why does this story matter?
McLaren Applied was originally founded as McLaren Composites in 1991 by the British marque. The division offers its technical expertise to the company's Formula 1 team as well as to outside firms. LAVOIE is a subsidiary of the technical division and has expertise in creating last-mile mobility solutions. The sub-brand has unveiled its first-ever high-performance electric scooter for personal mobility purposes.
Design
The scooter has a wide footboard and LED headlight
The LAVOIE Series 1 has a typical upright stance seen on electric scooters and flaunts a unique folding design for ease of storage and handling. The scooter has a large footboard that houses the battery pack, a wide handlebar with a neatly integrated triangular LED headlight, a "ground-breaking lighting system" that illuminates with a rear-mounted light, and single-piece alloy wheels.
Information
It promises a range of up to 50km
While the technical details of the LAVOIE Series 1 are not disclosed, the brand claims a range of up to 50km on a single charge from the EV. The range can also be enhanced using the built-in Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS).
Details
Why was it built and how much does it cost?
"We wanted to make a vehicle that's reliable, faultlessly functional, powerful, stylish, full of state-of-the-art technology - and built the way you would a car or a motorcycle," said Eliott Wertheimer, co-founder of LAVOIE. However, the details regarding the pricing and availability of the McLaren Applied's LAVOIE Series 1 are yet to be disclosed by the company.