Image Credit: XYTE Mobility.
I honestly believe that the single biggest reason more of us don't go around town on two wheels isn't the fear of sudden rain showers. It's helmet hair. You spend ages getting your hair just right, only to stuff it into a padded bucket, arriving at your destination looking like you've been electrocuted. It's a tragedy. The choice has always been stark: fabulous hair or convenient, breezy transportation. You couldn't have both.
As it turns out, a German company called XYTE Mobility might have just solved this age-old dilemma. They've rolled out something called the XYTE One, and it's a delightful little oddball that's part scooter, part car, and all electric.
Image Credit: XYTE Mobility.
At first glance, it looks like someone put a very tiny Smart Car in a hydraulic press. It's a three-wheeler, which already sets it apart from the crowd, but the real party piece is the "protective safety cell" that wraps around the driver. This metallic cocoon is your personal roll cage that says, "I'd like to enjoy the fresh air, but also, please don't let the world touch me."
This little metal hug is the key to the whole operation. Because of it, the XYTE One is classified in a way that lets you ride it in Europe with a standard car license and absolutely no helmet. The company calls it the "world's safest electric scooter," and while that is a no doubt a bold claim, I can see where they're coming from. It's certainly safer than my last attempt at rollerblading.
Image Credit: XYTE Mobility.
So, what kind of muscle is this little pod packing? It's got a zippy electric motor that delivers 25 horsepower and about 40 pound-feet of torque. That's not going to win you any drag races against a superbike, but it's more than enough to get you away from a stoplight with some pep in your step. The top speed is capped at a very sensible 61 mph - perfect for city streets and the occasional jaunt on a faster road.
The battery is a 7.6-kWh unit, and XYTE says it's good for about 70 miles of range. For city dwellers, that's fantastic. That's enough to cover a week's worth of commutes, coffee runs, and trips to the store to buy that one ingredient you forgot. When it's time to juice up, you can go from 20% to 80% in just over two hours, which is about the length of a good brunch.
Image Credit: XYTE Mobility.
Practicality is where things get really interesting. You see that space behind the seat? That's a 2.47-cubic-foot trunk. In real-world terms, that's big enough for a couple of bags of groceries, your gym bag, or maybe a very small, very cooperative golden retriever. (Please don't test that last one.) It even has a reverse gear! No more awkward multi-point turns or trying to paddle a 454-pound vehicle backward with your feet. Hallelujah.
For those of us who aren't blessed with the height of a supermodel, the low 24.8-inch seat is a godsend. You can easily plant both feet on the ground, which adds a huge dose of confidence. Add in a sharp turning radius, double wishbone suspension, and anti-lock brakes on all three wheels, and you've got a recipe for a stable, comfortable, and surprisingly nimble ride.
Image Credit: XYTE Mobility.
Inside your little bubble, you're not roughing it. There's a big 10-inch touchscreen, LTE connectivity, and a mobile app that lets you check on your little three-wheeled friend from afar. It's all very modern and slick, just as you'd expect from a vehicle born in the land of precision engineering.
Of course, XYTE isn't the first to think of this. BMW has been toying with the covered scooter concept for years, most recently with their futuristic Vision CE. But here's the thing: the BMW is still a "vision," a gorgeous concept that might exist one day. The XYTE One, on the other hand, is real. You can actually buy one, provided you live in one of the launch cities like Paris, Rome, or Munich.
Image Credit: XYTE Mobility.
Now for the number that might make your eyebrows do a little dance: the price. The first 500 units are being offered for a promotional price that translates to about $15,288. That's a significant chunk of change. It's way, way more than my first car, which didn't even have a touchscreen and leaked oil like a sieve. But some of us might find it actually a small price to pay for perfect hair and a guaranteed parking spot, on top of being a unique, safe, and helmet-free piece of electric transportation.
