Exploring Japan’s $999 Walkcar: The Compact Electric Vehicle That Fits in Your Bag

The term “Walkcar” is a blend of two words that typically don’t go together. The Walkcar is a personal electric vehicle created by Cocoa Motors, a Japanese company, marketed with the tagline “the car in your bag.”

 This device is small enough to be portable in a small bag pack and convenient in an electric car. 

 If you’ve ever seen the Walkcar in a bag – you’d immediately notice its small dimensions and highly durable construction. It looks more like a laptop with wheels on it though the feeling you get when you touch it is much more solid than this. It has a few screws that can be seen, a carbon-fibre component at the base, and a grip area which makes it very portable. 

 The wheels of the Walkcar resemble those of desk chairs. They are tough and chequered and do not have grooves on the soles like most running shoes. This design element could make some people anxious about the device’s stability; however, the gadget has been designed to be small but efficient. 

 Depending on the model type, the Walkcar is controlled by four sensors placed on the device’s platform; they are activated as soon as the feet of the person touch all the sensors. The position of the user is slightly leaning forward, and this might be quite tricky in the beginning, particularly for those who have been using other forms of boards such as the skateboards or the snowboards. It is easy to step off if the user feels she or she is about to fall due to the low height in relation to the ground. 

 When the user wishes to stop the Walkcar, they have to raise their toes to unclamp one of the sensors, which causes the Walkcar to slow down steadily. It would help if you moved your hands in this cultivation because this manoeuvre can be clumsy initially but gets easier as one practice. 

 This is paired with the Walkcar, which has three modes, which are controlled using a button located on the back. The fastest mode, however, could go as far as 10mph. Although this does not sound very fast, it feels somewhat faster because the device is compact. 

 Steering the Walkcar involves shifting balance, which can be considered less natural than in other types of PECVs. Here, we must state that driving the Walkcar backwards is impossible. 

 Nevertheless, the wheels are quite reliable and manage sidewalk cracks and thoroughly average-quality asphalt surfaces. For large breaks or any other object on the road, the low ride height reduces the chances of a rider and the bike getting unbalanced. On the other hand, the Walkcar’s performance on ice is not very stable, and there are factors affecting it. 

 For smooth terrain, such as a tennis court, the Walkcar is compact and fun to ride on. According to the respondents, turning, stopping, or shifting the mode can be interesting as it gives the user a gliding experience similar to walking and driving. 

Previously, the walker costed around $1980 (around £1450 or AU$2570). This price factor reduced as its market size increased. Now you can get a Walkcar for $999, with slightly higher prices for the pro versions.

 In sum, the Walkcar may be considered the single portable solution for those interested in an electric vehicle. It is portable and reliable, and as such, it can serve as a viable means of transport within a specific context focused on commuting in the city.