Honda has a new e-scooter called the Motocompacto, which has an aesthetic that I would describe as “irresistibly, heartbreakingly dorky and adorable.” The all-electric Motocompacto is inspired by the Motocompo the company sold in the early 1980s, which also featured a foldable design but which of course featured an internal-combustion engine.
The new Motocompacto features an updated, but still retro look, with an all-white body that looks vaguely 1950s pop sci-fi. The scooter folds down for portability, and has a total range of 12 miles, with a battery that charges to full in 3.5 hours with its onboard charger using a standard household outlet. It will retail for just $995, and will actually go on sale at Honda and Acura dealers in November, in case you were thinking this was just a concept (you’d be forgiven for that mistake).
Honda’s original 1980s Motocompo personal scooter. Image Credits: AB12
Honda’s Motocompacto has a top speed of 15 mph, and it’s aimed at first- and last-mile transportation needs. It also works with a dedicated app that can store and set things like lighting and ride modes, similar to other e-scooters on the market. Honda points out also that this is a uniquely American design, since it’s the result of the work of Honda engineers from Ohio and California.
Since this thing will definitely breed superfans like myself, Honda is also offering a full lineup of branded accessories, including a backpack and apparel, as well as more functional add-ons like a helmet. And that broad white surface is intentionally designed to make you want to pepper it with stickers for bringing your own unique character to this sweet boxy boy.
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Kudos to Honda for continually making things weird. Pardon me while I update my business cards to read “Darrell ‘Motocompacto’ Etherington.”