Chinese mini-transport engineering company Blizwheel has spent years evolving lightweight electric scooters that fold like origami to become small enough to vanish inside a standard backpack. Its latest version is perhaps the best yet.
The Blizwheel F0.5 has just been revealed via a crowdfunding campaign. It’s a major redesign and marketing push aimed at fixing structural fragilities in its predecessors.
Blizwheel F0.5: 0.5-meter foldable e-scooter fits your bag
However, in the time Blizwheel has taken to revise its design, the laws over e-scooters have increasingly been tightening up. Some areas – like parts of New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey for example – have effectively banned them. Many US states have made riding anything electric on sidewalks illegal.
However ingenious the ultra-lightweight, ultra-portable machine is, it might risk rolling headfirst into the rapidly increasing safety restrictions in many countries of Europe and states in America. Potential buyers need to check local regulations before parting with money.
Recognizing some of the different restrictions it now faces in different regions, Blizwheel offers an American version limited to 15 mph and one for the rest of the world that tops out at 25 km/h. The top-end ‘Pro’ version also has an additional ‘private property mode’ that offers a de-restricted 20 mph (32 km/h) max.
Blizwheel/Kickstarter
After worries about speed, the small wheels have been a major safety concern for mini scooters. A pothole or curb can send a rider flying. That’s why the F0.5 series has increased wheel size to 5.5 inches from the tiny 3-inch solid wheels found on its 2021 version. These bigger wheels feature carved internal air pockets designed to flex under stress. You’ll never get a flat but will get some of the comforting compression of a pneumatic tire.
The engineers have also integrated a proprietary central polyurethane lever suspension system. The chassis features a unique rear hinge that splits slightly upon impact, helping to damp street vibrations and preventing the scooter from bottoming out on minor debris. As an additional protection, the frame is sealed with a splash-resistant rating, meaning the internal electronics are safe from dust ingress and spray during damp morning commutes.
Blizwheel first made headlines with a wild concept for motorized, folding electric roller skates. While that cool-but-crazy project was eventually sidelined, the underlying mission remained the same – maximizing rolling efficiency in the smallest possible physical footprint.
In 2021, the company launched its first folding kick-scooter. It was a geometric marvel, folding into a tiny package measuring just 15.6 x 6.4 x 3.9 in (39.6 x 16.3 x 9.9 cm) and weighing a mere 8.8 lb (4 kg).
Early backers of that Kickstarter campaign faced manufacturing delays and when units arrived, the ultra-light framework’s delicate folding joints struggled on rough urban asphalt. It showed that what works in Shanghai’s super smooth urban surfaces might not work in the rough of downtown LA or Sydney’s suburbs.
Blizwheel/Kickstarter
The new version is certainly more rugged. Blizwheel F0.5’s engineering centers on a 1.6-ft (0.5-m) fold mechanism, meaning it collapses to exactly 19.6 in (50cm) in length. To improve durability, the weight has nearly doubled to 16.3 lb (7.4 kg) for the Air model. It’s still light compared to common 40-lb commuter scooters though.
The structure is built around speed-folding agility, allowing commuters to transition from fully assembled to completely flat in, according to the live product video, a fold/unfold time of just 6 seconds. Admittedly this is dependent on the specific variant chosen, as the F0.5 lineup spans an array of configurations.
This consists of the non-electric Lite framework (a mechanical kick-scooter frame), a mid-tier single-motor Standard version, dual-battery Air flavor, and the premier Pro variant. The Pro version utilizes dual 250-W all-wheel-drive hubs to generate the torque to climb an impressive 15% hill incline. The makers claim a maximum range of 12 miles (20 km), with a charge time of up to two hours.
Blizwheel/Kickstarter
As before, Blizwheel is crowdfunding the new e-scoot on Kickstarter, where backers can take advantage of aggressive early entry points. The baseline tier is the F0.5 Lite version, positioned at an Early Bird pledge level of US$199 (representing a 33% discount off the planned $299 retail price). This starter level includes a purely mechanical, non-motorized kick-scooter framework with no battery or motor.
Stepping up to true electric power requires backing the Standard Version, which currently starts at $349, a 42% cut from its intended $599 retail price. This includes a single-motor configuration alongside a baseline battery cell array and a standard charging brick. The lightest of the motorized bunch is the Air model, which is currently pitched at $479 (it’s expected to retail at $869). And the dual-motor Pro variant tops the options at $499, slicing 45% off the retail of $899.
All crowdfunding campaigns carry an element of risk, and Blizwheel’s previous outings have not been without issue. However, the mobility company is open and apologetic about such things, and is promising to have “learned the lesson” this time. If all goes to plan, the brand has set a tentative estimated delivery timeline for early backer shipments to begin arriving on doorsteps by December.
Source: Kickstarter
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