Using wood as a material in any kind of vehicle always classes things up, adding that touch of refinement and a premium feel. But knowing how to perfectly blend it in is an art, as this custom-made electric scooter goes to show you.
NIU is a global brand when it comes to smart urban mobility solutions and its electric scooters are widely popular, especially in Asia. Its NQi GT/S electric moped is described as a two-wheeler built for speed, able to reach speeds of 80 kph (50 mph) and designed to make urban travel faster.
It packs a powerful 3000W motor, boasts a range of almost 90 km (60 miles) per charge, it is comfortable, and comes with smart features such as app connectivity and anti-theft measures. But aside from all that, it is just a classic-looking scooter that doesn’t necessarily stand out in the crowd in terms of design. At least not right out of the factory.
Bali-based bespoke furniture studio Kalpa Taru managed to give the NQi GT/S an extreme make-over. The beautiful scooter you see in the photos was custom-built using in-house-made blocks of teak wood and a brass finish. We aren’t being offered any details on the creative process, but in this case, a picture is indeed worth a thousand words. All you have to do is just gaze at the photos to understand that this is no amateur job but a piece of fine craftsmanship.
Kalpa Taru didn’t change the design of the scooter, but the use of wood gave it an entirely new look, a more elegant one, with natural, earthy colors.
We have no idea if the wooden NQi GT/S is functional or if Kalpa Taru plans to make more of these. This particular one is an older project created last year. If you want to see other examples of wood artistry, you might also check out ND Woodworking Art’s projects on YouTube.
It packs a powerful 3000W motor, boasts a range of almost 90 km (60 miles) per charge, it is comfortable, and comes with smart features such as app connectivity and anti-theft measures. But aside from all that, it is just a classic-looking scooter that doesn’t necessarily stand out in the crowd in terms of design. At least not right out of the factory.
Bali-based bespoke furniture studio Kalpa Taru managed to give the NQi GT/S an extreme make-over. The beautiful scooter you see in the photos was custom-built using in-house-made blocks of teak wood and a brass finish. We aren’t being offered any details on the creative process, but in this case, a picture is indeed worth a thousand words. All you have to do is just gaze at the photos to understand that this is no amateur job but a piece of fine craftsmanship.
Kalpa Taru didn’t change the design of the scooter, but the use of wood gave it an entirely new look, a more elegant one, with natural, earthy colors.
We have no idea if the wooden NQi GT/S is functional or if Kalpa Taru plans to make more of these. This particular one is an older project created last year. If you want to see other examples of wood artistry, you might also check out ND Woodworking Art’s projects on YouTube.