Modern-day manufacturing techniques and technological advancements have enabled us to create things we otherwise could never dream of having. These days, a concept can turn into reality thanks to technology like 3D printing and advancements in material science in a matter of minutes. To make things even better, the trend towards technological integration keeps us connected to the world around us, no matter where we go.
With the future shifting more and more towards electric vehicles, we will soon need to make changes to the way we get around. Several countries around the world already have set deadlines for the implementation of EVs and the gradual phase out of ICE-equipped machines. While saying goodbye to our beloved gasoline-powered motorcycles and cars is indeed a sad notion, the new age opens doors to endless possibilities in the field of design and technology.
Tons of radical, futuristic designs have begun popping up left and right, all of which depict an envisioned future centering on EVs. One design in particular has managed to catch my eye. The brainchild of Spanish artist and designer Nacho Alfonso, the Honda Baiku is a conceptual one-wheeled electric scooter which would have been a completely bonkers concept ten years ago, but is well and truly a possibility given today’s advancements in technology. If it were to come into fruition, the Baiku will probably feature sophisticated gyroscopes and sensors in order to keep upright.
Inertial Motion Units, or IMUs have been around for some time now. Your smartphone probably has a basic iteration of an IMU which enables you to play your favorite mobile games and toggle between landscape and portrait display settings. Performance-oriented motorcycles have begun making use of IMUs to unlock tons of safety features and electronic rider aids, too.
Technology aside, perhaps the most striking feature of the Honda Baiku concept is its uncanny resemblance to the Honda Motocompo, a tiny gasoline-powered scooter from the early 1980s. Nacho Alfonso has done an excellent job in creating a modern-day evocation of a personal mobility device that was way ahead of its time. The Baiku concept, however, boasts tons of tech features including a retractable saddle, fully digital instrument cluster, and LED lights. It even comes outfitted with Bluetooth smartphone integration which allows the rider to control all the scooter’s settings via a mobile app.
While the Honda Baiku is well and truly still a conceptual machine, there’s no denying that radical designs like itself fuel the future of the motorcycle industry. The notion of a one-wheeled, self-balancing scooter isn’t exactly new, either. It’s just that up to this point, these things were considered as gadgets and toys, as opposed to actual mobility devices. Who knows, maybe the future of EVs will change all this?
Sources: Yanko Design, Design Boom, Nacho Alfonso