Those affected by the ban on carrying scooters on public transport in Madrid or the obligation to get off in several pedestrian streets in the Ciutat Vella of Barcelona can see this model as a comfortable option to comply with the restrictions. The Japanese company Shimizu is developing Arma, the first folding electric scooter that fits in a bag. This is an innovative product that puts portability at the center of the demands of users of personal mobility vehicles (MVT).
Shimizu presented an Arma prototype last October during the Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo. This new model, which is currently in a development and refinement phase, promises to be an integrative solution for those who have made the electric scooter their main means of transportation. Arma is very light and can be folded up to the size of a coffee cup. Ideal both to keep at home and to take to the office or wherever you want!
The weapon folding system has several joints that allow it to compress its size. The two foot platforms fold around the rear wheel to create a box that also wraps around the front wheel. The handlebars fold inward and the head tube folds in three parts over the middle section to convert it into the handle that facilitates, even more so, the portability of this case. Shimizu assures that this entire process will only take 30 seconds for Arma users.
Weapon weighs just 4.5 kilos, occupies a surface the size of a sheet of paper and has a width of 96 millimeters, so it can be put in any backpack as if it were a laptop. Shimizu’s model includes an accelerator and brake button on the handlebars and a central display that indicates speed and battery life. It is designed to support passengers weighing up to 100 kilos, although all these features may vary during the development stage.
This electric scooter is equipped with a 3.5 Ah 36 V lithium battery, located in the central casing of the body and can be charged in approximately two hours with a USB-C cable. It also includes an interchangeable battery platform to quickly and easily replace a dead battery with a new one. Its engine has 250 MV of power, with a range between 11 and 14.5 kilometers and a maximum speed of 24 km/h.
Shimizu hopes to present a second prototype and start Arma production during the first months of 2024.
