Meet Honda's latest electric vehicle: A rideable suitcase

With a growing market for electric scooters, we were expecting manufacturers to all eventually pile in, but Honda arriving on the scene with a rideable suitcase isn't quite what we had in mind. When we noted earlier this year that electric two-wheelers were pulling ahead of electric cars in some parts of the world, we didn't …

[Pascal Monett]

Dignity isn't the only thing at risk

From that picture, it seems to me that this suitcaseomobile is made out of plastic. Given this report, that calls into question Honda's declaration of going toward carbon neutrality.

Of course, I understand that an aluminum casing would very much make that abomination heavier but, if it is made of plastics and batteries, it is basically a toxic mess of a product.

[wolfetone]

Re: Dignity isn't the only thing at risk

It's fine. Honda will just plant more plastic trees. Give them a break!

[Yet Another Anonymous coward]

Re: Dignity isn't the only thing at risk

It's carbon neutral. Honda guarantee that exactly the same amount of carbon remains in the vehicle at end of life as when it was made = carbon neutral!

[NATTtrash]

Re: Dignity isn't the only thing at risk

Hmmm... So what ever happened to that other great invention: bicycle. If you take it easy on the kebab it's pretty carbon neutral...

[Lars]

Re: Dignity isn't the only thing at risk

I would recommend "Not just Bikes" for bicycles. It's about how towns are designed, built.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOc8ASeHYNw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aESqrP3hfi8

[Fr. Ted Crilly]

Re: Dignity isn't the only thing at risk

Methane neutral then...

Traces of Indole and skatole present too...

[EricB123]

Re: Dignity isn't the only thing at risk

Bicycles hurt my ass.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Dignity isn't the only thing at risk

shurely you did not allude to tax breaks, or am I just thick?

...

Thick.

[Potemkine!]

Re: Dignity isn't the only thing at risk

Plastic doesn't mean necessarily bad. There are recyclable ones, and it's the criteria that matters.

[Mage]

Re: Dignity isn't the only thing at risk

Plywood, not aluminium, unless the aluminium made somewhere using no fossil fuels. You need a lot of electricity.

[EricB123]

Re: Dignity isn't the only thing at risk

I will only accept cases of titanium. Just like iPhone.

[heyrick]

Looks like fun for use in urban spaces in place of a bicycle. Being able to fold up into a tidy suitcase is nice.

I'm just a little wary that the promo video was heavily stylised and didn't show anybody actually riding one on actual roads - so would the tiny wheels be up to it? That being said, people belt around on those scooter things and those wheels are even smaller...

[msknight]

I think that Honda's wheel that you sat on looked more fun to use - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1ZB_rGFyeU - shame that they had to double the speed of the video to get to normal play which makes me wonder how fast or far those things could go.

[ChrisC]

"makes me wonder how fast or far those things could go"

Those things were Honda UNI-CUB β's - https://global.honda/en/newsroom/news/2013/c131114eng.html says max speed of 6 km/h and max range of 6km...

[Jellied Eel]

With a Hayabusa engine swap, should be quite fast!

[BartyFartsLast]

And even more terrifying

[An_Old_Dog]

Test of Courage

"More terrifying" ... sounds like the Test of Courage on our communally-owned mini-bike, a Hiawatha ("Super"?) Doodle Bug. The original engine, cowlings, and paint job were gone. We pre-teens bought a used Briggs and Stratton 2.75 HP motor, installed it, and connected it to the rear wheel via direct drive (no clutch, centrifugal or manual, just some down-gearing). It took three of us to push-start the machine with the rider aboard.

The Test of Courage was that the only way effective way we had to stop the engine was to apply full throttle, and wait until the engine flooded out. It took one-to-two twentieths of a mile for this to happen.

[Roland6]

From the video I noted the absence of handles when in the luggage configuration.

[Potemkine!]

So it's an e-scooter with a square plastic box around. Speed and autonomy are on the lower hand. And it's quite expensive, 3 times the price of a chinese product.

I would have expected from Honda to do better than that, it's disappointing. Like a big autonomy. Or enough power to carry the driver plus someone else.

[SundogUK]

Yeah but the Honda won't burn your house down, so there's that.

[Diogenes8080]

Concealed weaponry

But if you pull the handles the right way, a fixed-mount Seburo C27-A folds out. Ideal for rush hour.

[Potemkine!]

Re: Concealed weaponry

The ancester of the Tachikoma?

[Gene Cash]

> 3 times the price of a chinese product. I would have expected from Honda to do better than that

Yeah, I would have expected a Honda to be 4x the price.

[Antron Argaiv]

This will not impress TSA...

[Andy Non]

So, Honda is now

on the case.

[Paul Herber]

Re: So, Honda is now

Suits you, sir.

[Paul Crawford]

Re: So, Honda is now

Oh pack it in!

[Ball boy]

I can see it now: fit Monkey bars and drop the seat down and back and we have a reboot of the classic Easy Rider.

We can call it Eeasy Rider. Just be in slo-mo. :)

[Headley_Grange]

It would have been much better if instead of wheels they'd given it hundreds of tiny legs.

[Anonymous Coward]

hundreds of tiny legs

and where, pray, would those tiny legs come from? And what would be the means of tinyleg propulsion?

[SundogUK]

Re: hundreds of tiny legs

Hear that whooshing sound? That's the Pratchett reference going right over your head.

[Jellied Eel]

Re: hundreds of tiny legs

and where, pray, would those tiny legs come from?

It's probably best not to get too close, or examine too closely.

And what would be the means of tinyleg propulsion?

Soul food I think.

[StuartMcL]

Re: hundreds of tiny legs

Where would those tiny legs come from? Sapent Pearwood from the Agatean Empire of course.

[JimboSmith]

It is to my eternal shame that I cannot give you more than one upvote for a reference to the great man that made me laugh out loud in a very quiet office.

[Roland6]

Hundreds?

Twelve surely?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPOgiR5aUWE

[BartyFartsLast]

I want one even more now and already have visions of stickering it up with "brass" bindings over wood finish, teeth and a tongue

[Andy 73]

How dare Honda have fun with an idea?!

Not quite sure what Honda has done to get so much ire. They do short runs of interesting ideas, and this is no different. God forbid someone not conform to the norms!

That nice flat side is begging for custom art as well..

[My other car WAS an IAV Stryker]

Re: How dare Honda have fun with an idea?!

Stickers. Lots of stickers. Especially those made for car bumpers.

I would have wanted one ~20 years ago back in grad school at a major public university. Big monogram logo on one side, smiling mascot on the other. (Would also need a wagon-trailer to haul groceries -- I could have rigged an interface to the seat post.)

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: How dare Honda have fun with an idea?!

I'm certain there was one ~20 years ago. And 30 years ago. And possibly 40 years ago. It's an idea that seem to keep resurfacing every decade or so and technology changes. Previous ones had little petrol engines, were probably more powerful and had much larger range. For some reason, they never seem to catch on. Maybe because the "suitcase" part of it is a bit heavy to carry and has no storage space left once the power unit and "fuel source" are installed. Not mention the tiny wheels they invariable have, so not much use anywhere other than a perfectly smooth surface.

[Roland6]

Re: How dare Honda have fun with an idea?!

There is the Trunki, albeit for kids, so looks like Honda played around to come up with an adult version.

[munnoch]

"plus an added dignity tax"

That should be a real thing.

[Ace2]

Re: "plus an added dignity tax"

Some days, when the world gets me down, El Reg saves the day.

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: "plus an added dignity tax"

Careful how you pronounce Dignity Tax, That;s a bit too close to Dignitas for comfort!

[Fr. Ted Crilly]

Re: "plus an added dignity tax"

Yes and in this case, not mutually exclusive...

[Christoph]

15 MPH zooming through a crowded station or airport? Ouch!

But I might buy one if they switch out the wheels for hundreds of little legs.

[Dave Pickles]

One thing you're not going to do with that thing is fly. It won't be allowed as hold baggage due to the lithium battery, and I doubt that even the most determined bag-slammer would be able to get it into the overhead lockers.

[ChrisC]

"It won't be allowed as hold baggage due to the lithium battery"

Depends - it'd be classed as an "in-equipment" battery, so subject to the usual <=160WHr rule for installed Li-ion packs. Couldn't see anything on the Honda site to confirm its energy capacity though - all they list is the AHr rating, so you'd then have to guess at whether it's 24V or above (and thus over the hold limit), or 18V or below (thus under it).

[Mage]

Remember the Honda 50?

Though it went about twice as fast as Raleigh Wisp.

The Wisp was unreliable rubbish, whereas the Honda 50 was reliable, if somewhat slow. But could be driven on a car licence. A Honda 90 needed a motorcycle licence.

These things do need better regulation. Saw an escooter at 11.15pm in dark and rain on main road with no lights this week.

[Doctor Syntax]

Re: Remember the Honda 50?

"But could be driven on a car licence. A Honda 90 needed a motorcycle licence."

You say that as if the M/C licence is a bad thing. But a rider on a provisional licence doesn't need a qualified rider as company, unlike a provisional driver. It was a cheaper alternative for those of limited means. The whole point of the three-wheelers like the Reliant Robin was that they could be driven on a M/C licence (legally indistinguishable from a M/C & sidecar!) so there was no need to obtain a full car licence.

[Alistair]

Re: Remember the Honda 50?

These things do need better regulation. Saw an escooter at 11.15pm in dark and rain on main road with no lights this week.

One?

There is a 'test marketing' run of two different E-scooter rental operations in our city just outside the GTA. The rental scooters have lighting (and at least the FORWARD light is quite visible) and helmets attached. Small herds of the scooters are left sitting on corners and near bus stops etc. Those I don't have a lot of issues with since they do have lighting, but there are a dozen or so E-scooter vendors selling to the locals. Vast majority have *some* form of lighting on them, but in most cases its far far too pale or low level to allow a driver of 3 tons of rolling death to be able to *see* said scooter at night, especially when the riders are typically wearing all black hoodies. I've damn near had a heart attack a couple of times when 4 or 5 of these things come flying around a corner (slow down and check traffic before turning into it?? Who does that??) in front of me at night.

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: Remember the Honda 50?

"(slow down and check traffic before turning into it?? Who does that??) in front of me at night."

Just the other day, major city centre, traffic lights on red and even the cyclist actually stopped at them. Not the e-scooter riders though. Straight through, barely slowing enough to look and check if there was any cross traffic. Death Race 2023!!

[heyrick]

Re: Remember the Honda 50?

Depressingly often I see teenagers with their younger siblings both riding in the pavement (sidewalk to you Americans) only to suddenly swerve right on to the road with no thought about it.

I'll give credit though, one little girl saw what was coming and hopped off. Her older brother barrelled on to the road, lost control and went rolling one way, the scooter the other. The girl actually facepalmed, and waited for all the traffic to stop before going and picking up the scooter. Neither were wearing a helmet, by the way.

But, yeah, one of these days some kid is going to be corpsified on one of those things.

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: Remember the Honda 50?

"But, yeah, one of these days some kid is going to be corpsified on one of those things."

It's already happened, multiple times. And since you said "pavement", I'll assume you are in the UK. If so, privately owned ones are not allowed on the pavements or public road and rented ones are only supposed to used by people with a driving licence, full or provisional. Parents who buy them for under 17s and then let their kids ride them all over town should be fined or otherwise legally punished for knowingly allowing the kids to break the law and putting them in harms way.

[heyrick]

Re: Remember the Honda 50?

Close. I'm a Brit living in France.

As far as I can recall, over here they're allowed to be on pavements at a maximum of 6km/h (up to that limit, they're considered pedestrians). They can go on bike lanes at up to 25km/h. Going faster is an infraction. They're absolutely not allowed to be on the road. Oh, and they're supposed to be insured in case of damage or injury caused by them. Only one rider, and the rider must be 12 or older. I'm running out of fingers to tick off all the rules that one incident broke...

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: Remember the Honda 50?

"Honda 50 was reliable, if somewhat slow. But could be driven on a car licence. A Honda 90 needed a motorcycle licence."

That's because a Honda 50 was a moped, ie you could pedal it like a bike if you ran out of fuel. A Honda 90 was a motor scooter, so a very different beast in road vehicle definition terms. And, in reality, you could ride either if you had a full car licence, the difference being that your car licence could cover you fully on a moped but only acts as a "learner" licence on a scooter or sub-250cc motor bike. (at least that was the case 40 years ago, last time I cared to look!)

[Zack Mollusc]

Re: Remember the Honda 50?

Depends on the model of Honda 50.

50cc and you can pedal it like a bicycle == moped

50cc and fixed pedals and limited to 30mph == moped

This resulted in everyone lusting after pedallable 50cc rip-snorters such as the FS1-E (Fried Sausage, 1 Egg) which had a claimed top speed of 60mph (37mph actual).

Outrageous criminals would fit big-bore cylinders and pistons, resulting in a whopping 15cc increase in capacity !

[Zimmer]

Centaur..

See Find it, Fix it Drive it - Episode 8

Henry and Sam fix a 1960's American Centaur motorbike in a suitcase, fly it to the Isle of Wight (private plane) . Drive it 2 up..

The range may have been a bit more than 12 miles.... I'll have to watch it again to find out..

[Anonymous Coward]

this is...

brilliant.

I mean, it's like straight from a spoof on "Idiocracy". I can see public figures would love to be seen on one of those! By extension, inflatable, self-driving shopping trolley, etc.

[Anonymous Coward]

there's only one, minor, catch

price of 20kg 'hold' luggage is already approaching 100 EUR (give or take) around Europe. One way.

p.s. what's the weight of this baby? Unless... perhaps you're supposed to ride it all the way (and back?), say to Tenerife, or Timbuktu, or any other favourite tourist destiantion, thus proving your green credentials?

[ChrisC]

Re: there's only one, minor, catch

41.3lbs -> 18.73Kg...

[IGotOut]

Re: there's only one, minor, catch

What's that in Ariana Grande's?

[Montreal Sean]

Re: there's only one, minor, catch

It's half and Ariana Grande, so using Starbucks sizes that would be an Ariana Short.

[Anonymous Coward]

our goal of carbon neutrality by helping

... to take the pile of junk to stratospheric levels.

[Mage]

Mopeds

Why did they decide the limit between Moped and Motorbike was engine cc (less than 50 cc) rather than top speed on flat (say 40 mph = 64 km/h) and maybe power?

Also shouldn't anything on two wheels not being a motorbike be a moped if any kind of engine able to exceed 5mph (8km/h) on the flat?

[PerlyKing]

Re: Mopeds

The last time I checked (which was a while ago; I'm lazy) the legal definition of a moped included a top speed of under 30mph (might have been "up to").

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: Mopeds

Yeah, I remember when Mopeds could barely reach 30mph, but as the engines got better, a new legal definition was made and so the speed limiter was added. many back street garage mechanics made a mint removing them. Of, and the "ped" part of Moped was because they had actual pedals you could use to, you know, pedal it along if the 1/2 Gallon tank ran dry so the "mo" part of moped, the motor stopped working..

[Grunchy]

It’s the shabazz

I’ve got an Airwheel, it’s exactly like BC’s Quest For Tires. Including hopping over potholes and ducking beneath branches.

The kids ‘round here seem to prefer motorized skateboards, talk about little hard wheels! I can only imagine what befalls when you go past where the geese congregate by the river, I guess it’s a long green streaky skid to calamity. The Honda Suitcase ought to be packed full of 1st aid supplies…

[Mike 137]

Until you arrive?

"When in riding configuration, internal space doubles as storage"

The key being 'When in riding configuration'. When you arrive you either have to carry the bike in that condition with your stuff in the suitcase or empty the suitcase to collapse the bike. So it's really a bike in a suitcase, not a bike/suitcase combo in practical terms. Another sales gimmick rather than a real user advantage. Rule one: keep the punters' attention with novelty, whether useful or not.

[ChrisC]

Re: Until you arrive?

I guess the idea is that, instead of having to carry your stuff on your back/in your hand *whilst getting from A to B*, you'd stash it inside the case. For sure, selling it as a rideable suitcase might be a bit of a stretch if you're actually expecting it to double as a practical suitcase, but I can see how some people would be able to make good use of it.

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: Until you arrive?

"Rule one: keep the punters' attention with novelty, whether useful or not."

Also worth noting, Honda is Japanese and the Japanese love their gadgets and gimmicks. The home market is probably enough to make it into production.

[Plest]

Great!

Just what we need, more excuses for inconsiderate arseholes to ride up and down the pavements knocking over the elderly and less able bodied!

[IGotOut]

Re: Great!

I thought the elderly and less abled were the assholes riding up and down pavements, just in mobility sectors not much smaller than the original mini

[Winkypop]

I’ve been “designing” this very device in my head for years

Nice to see someone actually making it. I’d have one.

Coming soon, Case-Racing at Brands Hatch!

[martinusher]

Power Chairs can invoke "disabled"

This is obviously for the able-bodied so its not going to be very popular in crowded situations (It also looks really uncomfortable and unstable to ride). Power Chairs are just as obnoxious but you can't say anything because they imply the rider is disabled.

On the plus side they can be made very compact -- there's the sort that are a bit like golf carts (and have performance to match) and the sort that have a footprint that's barely larger than the human they're carrying and is maneuverable enough to use in the home. Maybe Honda should think about building a better chair?

[spold]

Limited use

Generally it is just from your drop-off point to the check-in desk, and through a busy terminal.

It will have to travel folded so that double capacity is only half usable.

Too big for hand baggage so would have to be checked in - ummm Lithium batteries.

Where do I put my carry-on bag?

There went your luggage allowance anyway.

Should be fun at security.

Seems pretty impractical for an airport flight.

I suppose you might take it on a train.

[Lee D]

How to die in new and interesting ways while looking like an extra from Spaceballs.

[Dizzy Dwarf]

They put a man on the moon ...

... before anybody thought of putting wheels on a suitcase.

And now this. Feels like humanity's going backwards.

[Alistair]

Re: They put a man on the moon ...

@ Dizzy:

My grandfather had a steamer trunk with wheels on one end. Back in ......almost 112 years ago.

[Dizzy Dwarf]

Re: They put a man on the moon ...

Yes, well, it's "facts" like that that ruin my joke.

Have an upvote.

[Noram]

A modern moto compo?

My first thought upon seeing this is that it's basically the modern moto compo, which was a small folding scooter designed to fit in the back of some of their smaller cars.

IIRC Tokyo police used them for traffic officers working in the city as they could have one officer staying near the car and another roaming around on the scooter issuing tickets/going down side streets.

[Lord Elpuss]

Re: A modern moto compo?

Yes well done. It literally says that (several times) in the article.

[Tron]

This proves just how far ahead of his time Uncle Clive was.

15mph means it is Wales-safe for those 20mph limits. But you might need bigger wheels for British pot holes.

Maybe it is time to pimp my own suitcase and make it vroomable. With APT tilting, it should be able to corner at about 40mph.

[_Elvi_]

I don't believe it's actually a thing ..

.. not until I see video's of cats riding them .....

[Kevin McMurtrie]

Dysfunctionally conservative

It's much too heavy and has too little storage to be a suitcase, so why is it a suitcase? Colorless renderings of it being a perfect fit for an Accord trunk makes it look even more boring and pointless. You're going to drive almost somewhere, rip the trunk gaskets off your tall-assed Accord dragging this beast out, and finish the trip on this?

Not sold in Japan because they've figured out transportation already.

[IGotOut]

Re: Dysfunctionally conservative

If you can't lift 18kg out of a boot, then this is not for you, or you need to get some exercise.

[Roland6]

Re: Dysfunctionally conservative

I suspect many will have problems and risk back injury, lifting this out of the boot shown in the film.

As Kevin notes many will try and slide it in and out, whilst the damage to the boot may be minimal, the case will rapidly accumulate scuff marks…

[Matthew "The Worst Writer on the Internet" Saroff]

I Want Mine with Sapient Pearwood Paneling

Even more I want Terry Pratchett to be here to comment on this.

[PRR]

> We're just raising a collective eyebrow at an automaker like Honda

At heart, Honda is a small-engine and scooter company. They put Japan's noodle-delivery boys on wheels. Also ox-replacement paddy plow pullers. Yes they do 4-wheel contraptions but much motorcycle heritage. Their first F1 race "car" was transverse engine like their motorcycles. Used the same many-small-cylinders trick which worked so well in motorcycle racing.

[Persona]

Commuters

I can see perhaps a use case for commuters where public transport links at either end of the rail journey are poor and and the walk is too far. When riding, your bag full of work stuff and say gym kit goes in the internal storage space.

[Lord Elpuss]

Re: Commuters

Agree in principle, but that ‘last mile’ problem has already been covered by e-scooters and the like. This goes head to head with them, and is hardly a step up. Lower range and performance, and the design… well. You’d have to love it.

[EricB123]

Hells Suitcases

Will this result in "suitcase gangs"? Maybe suitable for a Monty Python reboot.