Second-Gen Walkcar, the Smallest Yet Most Powerful e-Scooter, Is Here

Despite the name, Walkcar is neither for walking nor a car. Perhaps the most appropriate description would be that of an e-scooter of the standing variety, in that it uses electric motors to move wheels that move a platform on which the rider stands. Technically, though, classifying the Walkcar as anything else out there is impossible, for the simple reason that there is nothing like it.

The Walkcar is a laptop-sized thingy on which you stand and that moves you from point A to point B, as long as the distance between point A and point B doesn't exceed 8 km (5 miles), which is the maximum estimated range. It's a micromobility solution that uses the world's smallest in-wheel motors and patented tech to deliver a smooth, fun, and intuitive riding experience, regardless of the kind of experience the rider has with such devices.

The Walkcar has actually been around for close to a decade, first popping up on the radar in 2015 as a product designed exclusively for the people in Cocoa Motors' home country, Japan. Development on it was difficult and riddled with obstacles, mostly stemming from the fact that, for a product that aimed to be this thin and lightweight, battery tech wasn't there yet to help out.

This finally happened in 2020, when Walkcar made a surprise return to the spotlight, with the company announcing immediate availability. Later that year, Walkcar became available worldwide, but pricing remained on the prohibitive side. As much fun as it would be to replace actual walking with rolling down a Walkcar, paying close to $2,000 for one was too much.

Earlier this year (on April 1, but the timing with April Fools was merely a coincidence), Cocoa Motors announced the second generation of the Walkcar, which obviously brings upgrades, enhanced comfort and stability, and even more fun to the daily commute. The second-gen model is actually comprised of two different offerings with different capabilities and, why yes, different price points.

There is now the Walkcar 2 and the Walkcar 2 Pro, and the main difference between the two is that the latter has a lower profile, a more powerful motor, a higher maximum speed, and better cornering abilities. It also costs more, because that's how these things go.

Though the 2.9-kg (6.4-lb) weight of the product hasn't changed, the newer models feature more carbon fiber in the body, carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic, and duralumin composite, for more sturdiness and flexibility. They still feature motors in the front wheels and have two trolley-style wheels in the back for turning, but are now offered in more colors, including Celeste Blue and Sonic Yellow.

Four-wheel independent suspension absorbs vibrations from all directions, so while you might be tempted to assume that the Walkcar will trip on the smallest crack or handle paved roads badly, it's admittedly capable of offering a stable and smooth ride.

Sensors embedded in the platform allow control of the direction by shifting the body weight: lift a toe to brake, lean slightly forward to accelerate, shift the weight to the side to turn. There's no way to make it travel backward.

Regen braking is no longer on the features list, but you still get the safety feature of the Walkcar stopping the second you step off the platform.

The Walkcar 2 is powered by motors peaking at 380W and is rated for a 7-km (4.3-mile) range at a maximum speed of 10 kph (6.2 mph). Either model has three different speed modes, so you can choose whichever suits you best. The Walkcar 2 Pro, on the other hand, has motors peaking at 460W, a maximum speed of 15 kph (9.3 mph), and a range of 8 km (5 miles), and it's also able to tackle inclines a bit steeper than its less "pro" sibling.

According to Cocoa Motors, anyone aged 10 to 59 can ride the new-gen Walkcar as long as they take the time to read the instructions and get a feel of how it works before venturing out into the city on it. If they're comparing the Pro model to the kind of motor power an electric bike will offer you, as generous as it might be, maximum payload shows that this is where the comparisons stop. The Walkcar rider should be 20 to 80 kg (44 to 176 lbs), no heavier than that.

The Walkcar 2 costs $999, while the Walkcar 2 Pro is more expensive, at $1,499. The latter is also sold out as of this writing, but you can place a pre-order on the next batch of production, if what you've just read convinced you.

Cocoa Motors says that the urban commute or, at the very least, the first and last mile of it, doesn't have to be boring and, perhaps just as importantly, that it doesn't have to involve any type of walking on your part. Their solution is to have you hover on something that looks like a laptop with wheels, which we assume is way more fun and definitely more elegant than riding on your suitcase, right?