Honda creates Striemo venture for micro-mobility
Honda announces a dedicated micro-mobility business called Striemo Inc. The new venture has already designed the first product, a three-wheeled scooter of the same name. The kickscooter features a special balance assist mechanism for more stable riding.
Honda says the balance-assist covers the entire speed range, from strolling to riding a bicycle. There appear to be three speed modes from 6 kph (to walk alongside) over 15 kph to 26 kph. Honda classifies a range of up to 30 km and 3.5 hours charging time to full.
While the company does not disclose the workings of the balancing feature – likely gyroscopic – Honda says the calculations are based on one-tenth of a millimetre from the centre of gravity.
The new company website reveals 20 kg weight for the e-scooter and a load capacity of 120 kg. The Striemo also folds, and it looks like it could then be easily rolled along on its two rear wheels.
Honda did not provide more detail on the battery. However, the company has presented swappable systems for two-wheelers since 2018. It is part of the ‘Swappable Batteries Consortium for Motorcycles and Light Electric Vehicles’ with Yamaha, KTM and Piaggio as reported.
Yotaro Mori, Co-Founder & CEO of Striemo, who previously worked for Honda Motorcycles, commented, “One of the fun factors of mobility is discovery and first encounters.” Striemo was “leveraging know-how in the area of ‘human studies’ acquired from motorcycles,” he said.
Striemo is scheduled to go on sale in Japan this year and in Europe in 2023. Japanese residents may now register their interest online, but prices are not out yet.
The new venture is made possible through Honda’s ‘Ignition’ business creation program. The company says it gives shape to the original technologies, ideas and designs of Honda associates to contribute to solving societal issues and creating new value for customers and society. The program started in 2017.
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