An eco-friendly future might be right around the corner, and on Peugeot's HYmotion3 Compressor concept scooter you can take that corner with just the right balance of safety and power. At 29bhp, this new prototype gets 118 MPG thanks to its hybrid powertrain, and is quite stable with two wheels in front and one behind. In the event that you do lose control, you'll be protected by a BMW C1-esque roll cage. That's three techs borrowed from predecessors, plus the added benefit of three-wheel drive. Most advanced hybrid scooter yet? Maybe, but it's just a concept, so if you're looking to stand out like a sore but oh-so-energy-efficient thumb on the road, you're outta luck for the time being.

[Via Digg]

Not like we haven't seen capable nerds, um, nerd-ify their scooters before, but one of the geekiest forms of transportation just got even geekier. The imaginatively named Geek Wheels scooter possesses more hardware than you can imagine, with a ginormous rear-mounted antenna, Garmin GPS unit, WiFi module, OTA TV tuner / FM tuner, high-resolution webcam, full-fledged Linux-based computer and an 8-inch touch panel to boot. The most amazing part? The creators have promised to provide regular updates and a how-to guide in short order. Make sure you invest in a high-quality helmet, alright?

Truth be told, MIT Media Lab's RoboScooter prototype would be a lot more intriguing if it had some sort of autopilot button, and while that could very well emerge in the future, it looks as if the first models will still require human intervention. Nevertheless, the ultra-compact vehicle is entirely electric, and aside from supporting swappable batteries, it can also fold up for easy transport. Furthermore, its creators boast that the entire rig is constructed from just 150 parts, which makes life on the assembly line that much easier. Granted, even engineers realize that scooters don't stand much of a chance in America, but if all goes well, this bugger could start conquering Asian streets as early as next year.

[Via AutoblogGreen]

This is what happens when Intel tries to design a vehicle without the help of Orange County Choppers.

If you ditched your Segway and snapped up an E300 electric scooter due to the former's reverse-minded tendencies, it looks like trouble just follows you around. Turns out, Razor USA has found that "a weld can break [on its E300] causing the handlebar to detach," which consequently can cause "the rider to lose control and fall from the scooter." Notably, the outfit has received 25 reports of welds breaking along with three reports of "minor injuries." Yeah, it's hard not to chuckle at the images that sentence conjures up in the imagination, but if you're one of the lucky souls who've yet to meet the pavement after your E300's handlebar detaches, we'd suggest you phone up Razor on the double and request a free repair kit.

Are you ever cruising on your Vespa, listening to The Kinks, pondering the plot of Absolute Beginners, and fantasizing about Twiggy when you think, "Hey, I need to check my email"? Well, you're in luck, because Quang Nguyen, a forward thinking Vespa-modder (no pun intended) has managed to cram a touchscreen rockin', WiFi sportin', XP-equipped PC into his red GTS250. Sure, he's also got a Louis Vuitton seat, but that isn't nearly as exciting as the prospect of being able to watch Quadrophenia and update your MySpace profile from any spot you happen to motor towards. Just make sure to watch out for the Rockers.

If you've got your scooter all tricked out but are still looking for a way to drown out the noise (or jet engines, as it were) you may want to give Clarion's latest CD player some consideration, which promises to hold up even if you regularly go for drives in the rain. You'll also be able control it relatively safely, with the included remote control ready to be attached to your handle bars. Of course, you don't necessarily have to use it with a scooter, with Clarion also suggesting it as a solution for motorcycles and "leisure boats." What's more, Clairon's also planning to release an iPod interface for the unit, although there would seem to be other, less expensive ways to enjoy your iPod while you're motoring about. Look for this one to be released in Japan next month for 44,100 Yen, or about $375.

[Via Akihabara News]

A guy called Ben Smither from Norwich in the UK has put together a hot-as-the-sun personal scooter / skateboard that takes the totally scalable motorized gyroscopic stabilization concept from Segway, and does it with only a single wheel. In all, the project cost about £300 (~$580) in parts, although Ben didn't elaborate on how long it took to put together. You'll also need to have some level of expertise in electronics if you want to build your own -- test yourself: can you say what a H-Bridge driver is without Googling it? -- although we're sure that before long Ben or someone else will use their capitalist prerogative and start selling flat-pack kits for a premium (if they do, then they better watch out for Sony and their Segway-esque skateboard patent application). Until then, we'll have to keep traveling to places using our legs: oh, what a bore.

[Via hackaday]

It looks like those serious about motoring around on their Segway might have to start crossing international boundaries in order to do so legally, as the Netherlands have now joined Japan and Britain in the growing list of countries which have outlawed the oft ridiculed (and potentially dangerous) personal vehicles. Dutch police have officially enjoined Segways "on all public roads, sidewalks, and bike paths," claiming that the lack of an onboard braking system prevents it from being categorized as a "vehicle" by the Royal Traffic Agency, which bars it from receiving a license plate and becoming a street-legal ride. Although a spokesman from the RTA actually commented that the Segway was "a nice vehicle," using the machines on public property is no longer permissible, but it was said that it could take some time before regulations are actually passed down and "enforced." Segway Netherlands director Piet Kruijt was (unsurprisingly) upset by the ruling, and claimed that he was "working on all fronts to get things resolved," and for nothing more than our sincere concern for the Amsterdam Segway Tours (saywha?) employees that are hoping to have work come March, we hope he's successful.

[Via The Raw Feed]

It seems that we humans have a strange fascination with strapping immensely powerful jet engines onto objects that were clearly never made for such propulsion, but that doesn't stop the engineering (and a bit off kilter) minds of the world from giving it a go anyway. We've seen jet-powered wheelchairs and even supermarket carts, but the current king of overkill in regards to horsepower is none other than Ron Patrick -- his rocket-infused Volkswagen Beetle, though deemed "completely street legal" by Ron, sports an extra 1,350 horses thanks to the massive blaster he attached to his ride. Obviously this little endeavor went over so well that he figured strapping dual JFS 100 jet engines onto his wife's Honda Metropolitan scooter would solve her complaints of it "only going 40 miles per hour." Since Ron estimates that one engine alone could get her ride over 60 mph, it's fairly safe to say she should be outrunning commuters (and police, or anybody else for that matter) in no time. Patrick's biggest challenge is compensating for the weight of the actual engines, because at 50 pounds apiece, they put a serious strain on the suspension. He plans to install an "air-start" that utilizes a "carbon fiber tank of compressed air" in order to remove the batteries currently on the vehicle. Regardless of Ron's sanity (or lack thereof), we can't argue with his determination, and if you happen to see a scooter in California with a curious looking device on each side (click through to see what we mean), don't even think of revving your puny engine at Mrs. Patrick.

[Via OhGizmo]

Nothing like a lighthearted trademark lawsuit to break up the gloom-and-doom stories of hot phones that aren't bound for US shores, eh? It seems that Razor USA -- the scooter company -- was understandably concerned back in 2004 that Motorola might encroach on the lucrative, burgeoning scooterphone market and penned an agreement to license the "RAZR" name through October of this year. Motorola figured they could sidestep the agreement by prefixing "MOTO" to "RAZR" and wash their hands of the encroaching expiration date. Razor -- again, the scooter people -- disagreed, prompting Motorola to file the lawsuit. In the meantime, Motorola "will continue to expend substantial funds to complete the transition" from RAZR to MOTORAZR, apparently confident they can overpower a bunch of kids on two-wheeled scooters. How much money can the "transition" from four letters to eight really cost, anyway?

[Thanks, CoreyTheGent]

It seems the makers of everyone's favorite self-balancing scooter (sorry i-swing) have finally realized the average consumer might need a little time to come up with the $5,000 the Segway's price tag demands. The company's execs have tapped the consumer financing arm of General Electric to instate a loan program, much like the one car dealerships have been using for decades, letting buyers pay in monthly installments. This comes as part of an effort, which may eventually include the sale of shares to the public through an IPO, to regain company funds lost to lower-than-expected sales. Of course buyers will have to qualify for the loan and accept the increase in total cost that'll come from interest, so rich guys like crooked hand-held gaming executives will be better off paying cash, then trying not to crash their shiny new Segway into pole at 125 mph.

[Via ZDNet]