second white’s VtoV 2000 concept gives the electric scooter a more grown-up role

south korean design agency develops an electric scooter concept around safer and more responsible urban mobility.

Iñaki Laguardia August 5, 2026 3 min

RETHINKING THE ELECTRIC KICKBOARD

South Korean design agency Second White developed VtoV 2000 in 2023 as a conceptual electric scooter proposal presented to Hyundai. Rather than introducing a production-ready vehicle, the unrealized project examines how the increasingly common kickboard could evolve into a safer and more credible component of future urban transportation.

Electric scooters have become a familiar answer to the last-mile problem, offering an affordable and relatively low-impact alternative to cars and motorcycles for short journeys. Their rapid spread, however, has also introduced accidents, uncertain road etiquette, and pavements dotted with abandoned vehicles — convenience, it turns out, occasionally comes with handlebars.

second white’s VtoV 2000 concept gives the electric scooter a more grown-up role - 1 — the concept explores a new direction for urban mobility | images courtesy of Second White

A CONCEPT FOR MORE RESPONSIBLE MOBILITY

VtoV 2000 responds to these contradictions by considering the scooter as part of a wider mobility system rather than as an isolated consumer object. Second White identifies usability and safety as essential areas for development if electric kickboards are to play a larger role in reducing congestion, limiting urban air pollution, and connecting different forms of public and private transport.

The concept therefore focuses less on celebrating personal mobility as an end in itself and more on questioning how it might coexist with pedestrians, cyclists, cars, and the surrounding city. By addressing the social problems that have accompanied the scooter’s popularity, the proposal imagines a future in which the vehicle becomes more deliberate, dependable, and perhaps slightly less likely to appear sideways across an entrance.

second white’s VtoV 2000 concept gives the electric scooter a more grown-up role - 2 — Second White imagines the electric scooter as part of a more integrated transport system

SECOND WHITE SEARCHES FOR THE ESSENTIALS

The project reflects Second White’s wider design philosophy, expressed through the studio’s slogan, ‘Only the Essentials.’ Working between product and graphic design, the agency looks for fundamental value amid the constant stream of information, technological change, and standardized solutions generated by contemporary industry.

Rather than relying exclusively on big data and algorithms, Second White places emphasis on design thinking, experience, and the relationship between usability and emotion. VtoV 2000 applies this approach to an everyday vehicle whose future depends not only on electrical power, but also on whether design can make it easier to use, safer to share, and more convincingly integrated into urban life.