electric cargo scooter lightfoot can carry bags under its solar panels

Meet lightfoot, the electric cargo scooter with solar panels

A recent solar-powered electric cargo scooter has come to town, and it goes by the name Lightfoot. The mastermind behind the vehicle is Otherlab, whose spin-off team plants two large solar panels on both sides of the cargo scooter. They serve as the extra power to the ride and as the doors to the lockable and weatherproof compartment underneath them. The vehicle may look compact, but the design team says that riders can fit up to 15 kilos of objects in the storage, enough space for three large grocery bags, a work bag, a helmet, a carry-on suitcase, or other items.

Lightfoot has no clutch, gears, or pedals. Instead, the electric cargo scooter speeds away with an intuitive twist-and-go throttle and two 750W brushless DC motors that can generate 90Nm of peak torque. It also comes with a 48-volt, 1.1 kWh battery that allows the vehicle to travel up to 37 miles or 60 kilometers on a full charge. Aside from the battery, the dual 120W solar panels provide an additional 18 miles of range per day. If the electric cargo scooter is parked, Lightfoot recharges itself as it absorbs sunlight, and each hour of sunbathing powers it with three more miles.

all images courtesy of Lightfoot

Clamshell design to allow for lockable storage compartment

Otherlab designs its electric cargo scooter Lightfoot with city trips and daily commutes in mind. That’s why it’s slender, so it can navigate narrow roads, and riders can even bring it on bike lanes (if needed). It can also accommodate two riders and runs with a maximum speed of 20 miles per hour. The design, inspired by the Vespa and the Volkwagen bus, affords a clamshell body, meaning the solar panels open outwards to reveal the compartment. Just under these panels, the rider can rest their feet on the footpegs, and the rounded seating part is cushioned to make them comfortable as they cruise on the road.

The design team says that their electric cargo scooter is modular, meaning the parts can be removed and replaced to allow for easy repairs and maintenance. Handyman riders then may be able to fix or tweak Lightfoot at home or even bring them to their local bike shop for adjustments. While the sides have solar panels, users may still need to plug the electric cargo scooter for charging during gloomy days, and the battery can reach 80 percent in around 90 minutes using the scooter’s 600W onboard charger and a standard 110-volt wall plug. As of publishing the story, Lightfoot is available for purchase, and its delivery begins in January 2025.

a recent solar-powered electric cargo scooter has come to town, and it goes by the name Lightfoot