The popular Motocompacto from the 1980s is making a comeback as a folding electric scooter. It’s compact enough to fit in a closet or a car trunk and transforms from a suitcase-like package into a two-wheeled ride with a motor.
A compact electric scooter that can be carried like a suitcase.
The Motocompacto’s design echoes scooters from the early 1980s. Honda has revived the name as a sleek, modern vehicle that, when folded, looks like a piece of hand luggage or a small suitcase.
This compact electric scooter is built for city trips. The battery and charger are integrated into the aluminum frame, and the handlebars swivel to the side and fold down to fit inside the body. The seat and wheels fold inward after a ride. A built-in handle makes the folded scooter easy to carry, just like a suitcase.
The Honda Motocompacto comes with a comfortable seat, grippy footrests, a built-in luggage rack, a digital speedometer, and a charge indicator. A mobile app, coming soon, will let riders adjust settings via Bluetooth, including lighting and riding modes. Because of its compact design, which fits in the trunk of a standard car, the scooter can be used in tight spaces.
Nick Ziraldo, project manager and head of the engineering design division at Honda Development and Manufacturing of America, told the publication Designboom that the Motocompacto was designed with safety, durability, and reliability in mind. Ziraldo says the scooter has a sturdy frame and heat-treated aluminum wheels, bright LED headlights and taillights, side reflectors, and a welded steel loop on the footrest that works with most bike locks.
The folding electric scooter can be personalized.
The Honda Motocompacto cuts carbon emissions while delivering practical performance for short trips. It can reach a top speed of 24 km/h and has a zero-emission range of up to 19 km. Fast charging isn’t available for this model, but the Motocompacto can fully charge in about 3.5 hours from a standard 110V outlet.
Its compact charger is portable. Owners can personalize the scooter with stickers, decals, and other accessories to reflect their style. The Motocompacto starts at $995 and will be available from Honda and Acura dealers starting November 2023.
