UrbanTransporter
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Taurus concept adds a touch of bullish masculinity to personal transportation
Ah, the old electric two-wheeler, a dream of so many ecologically conscious geeks and yet never popular enough to achieve its Gaia-saving objective. Enter designer Eric Lanuza, with his own spin on the idea, who brings in a few exciting curves straight from the world of motorbikes, but keeps the self-balancing antics of the concept's progenitor. Setting aside the cute toro theme, we reckon the addition of a seat will be one of the biggest differences, since -- though they may not be wiling to admit it -- most people don't consider something a vehicle unless they can sit in or on it. Hit the source for a photo gallery, though we'd advise against holding out any hopes for this making it past the concept drawing board.
XOR's X02 Urban Transformer is more Vespa than Wheeljack
We can't all be a Witwicky, owning a badass robot able to change from sportscar to hulking humanoid. Some of us have to aim a little lower; enter the XOR X02 Urban Transporter. It's an electric scooter that can fold into a little cube for easy storage (shown after the break) and attaches to a luggage cart to be wheeled away -- just keep in mind that at 50kg (110lbs) it's not hardly suitable for overhead compartments. There are three models, the lowest being the X02-50 with a top speed of 37mph and a maximum range of about 40 miles. Highest spec is the X02-125, supposed to deliver performance like a 125cc scooter, a maximum speed of 65, and "impressive accelerations" -- performance comparable to the Zero S or Brammo Enertia. Charging takes just two hours and they actually don't look half bad, providing a nice mix of retro scooter and futuristic urban transporter. Just the same, you probably wouldn't want to show up at any robot uprisings on one.