Honda has a new e-scooter called the Motocompacto, which has an aesthetic that I would describe as “irresistible, beautiful and surprising.” The all-electric Motocompacto is inspired by the Motocompo the company sold in the early 1980s, which also had a foldable design but of course featured an internal combustion engine.
The new Motocompacto has an updated but still retro look, with an all-white body that looks vaguely straight out of a 1950s sci-fi world. The scooter folds down for easy portability, and has a total range of 12 miles, with a battery that fully charges in 3.5 hours using the on-board charger using a standard household outlet. It will retail for just $995, and will go on sale at Honda and Acura dealers in November, in case you think this is just a concept (you’d be forgiven).
Honda’s Motocompacto has a top speed of 15 mph and is aimed at first- and last-mile transportation needs. It also works with a dedicated app that can store and adjust things like lighting and riding modes, similar to other e-scooters on the market. Honda also points out that this is a uniquely American design, as it is the result of the work of Honda engineers from Ohio and California.
Since this thing is sure to generate superfans like me, Honda also offers a full range of branded accessories, including a backpack and apparel, as well as more functional extras like a helmet. This wide white surface has been intentionally designed to make you want to add stickers to it to give this boxy sweet boy your own unique personality.
Kudos to Honda for constantly making things weird. Excuse me while I update my business cards to read “Darrell “Motocompacto” Etherington.”