There’s nothing better than sharing a beautiful day with someone you love, is there? Let’s say that someone is a small-to-medium furry friend, though. We’ve all seen big dogs in sidecars, and some small dogs in little dog carriers strapped to pillion seats, possibly involving doggles. What about those short commutes, though? If one Hokkaido, Japan-based startup has its way, the all-electric Mopet will soon be here to answer that question.
Now, as the name implies, Mopet is essentially an electric moped. Top speed is estimated to be about 37 kilometers per hour (or around 22 mph), so it’s definitely best for local commutes—preferably through a beautiful park nearby. That said, you probably wouldn’t want to go too fast while carrying your furry friend like this anyway, though.
Range is estimated at 60 kilometers, or just over 37 miles—and the battery is easily removable, so you don’t have to haul the entire moped to wherever you plan to charge it. Initial charge time the first time is 10 hours, but every time after that should take around six hours. The Mopet is also easily foldable and weighs just 28 kilograms (or just under 62 pounds), so it’s a simple matter to transport in a car. (It’s almost along the lines of an electric Motocompo, only built with dogs in mind.)
Gallery: Mopet Electric Pet Moped
Just how big is the dedicated doggy space under the seat? It’s 45 centimeters long by 33 centimeters high by 21 centimeters wide, or 17 inches long by just under 13 inches high by 8.3 inches wide. In other words, you’re definitely not getting any large doggos in there, but small and some medium dogs might fit with no problem.
The Mopet is road-legal on Japanese roads, with LED lights, indicators, a horn, a mirror, and a license plate holder. The pet compartment has a secure latching mechanism, much like any pet carrier you might use to transport your buddy to the vet or groomer or anywhere else. You could potentially even store a backpack or other small luggage inside on days you aren’t transporting your dog, too.
The creators of the Mopet posted their creation on Japanese crowdfunding platform Makuake, where they reached 1,104 percent support. Over 107 people supported the campaign, no doubt looking forward to getting their hands on one of these sweet rides for themselves and their pets.
Hopefully, it won’t be too long before we see reports from Mopet backers to tell us how the project is faring out in the wild. If you’re not one of the 107 proud Mopet backers on Makuake, do you wish something like this existed wherever you’re located?
Best Friends Forever:
Sources: Mopet eBike via Young Machine, Makuake