Urban Transport

EV4 four-wheel-drive electric scooter leans into turns

EV4 four-wheel-drive electric scooter leans into turns
The EV4 tilting electric scooter from Jacek Skopinski
The EV4 tilting electric scooter from Jacek Skopinski
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The EV4 features an adaptive suspension system with welded aluminum wishbones that's designed to adjust to the shape of the terrain at any given moment and keep all four wheels uniformly on the ground
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The EV4 features an adaptive suspension system with welded aluminum wishbones that's designed to adjust to the shape of the terrain at any given moment and keep all four wheels uniformly on the ground
The EV4 has two 500 W electric motors and geared belt drives
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The EV4 has two 500 W electric motors and geared belt drives
Ride information, such as speed and remaining charge, is displayed on a handlebar-mounted LCD display
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Ride information, such as speed and remaining charge, is displayed on a handlebar-mounted LCD display
Nearly all components are made of highly durable aeronautical aluminum alloy
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Nearly all components are made of highly durable aeronautical aluminum alloy
The main frame of the vehicle is riveted
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The main frame of the vehicle is riveted
The EV4 tilting electric scooter from Jacek Skopinski
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The EV4 tilting electric scooter from Jacek Skopinski
The EV4 has an adaptive suspension system featuring two bicycle shock absorbers with adjustable damping
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The EV4 has an adaptive suspension system featuring two bicycle shock absorbers with adjustable damping
The EV4 can reach a top speed of 40 km/h (25 mph)
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The EV4 can reach a top speed of 40 km/h (25 mph)
The EV4 has an adaptive suspension system and welded aluminum wishbones designed to adjust to the shape of the terrain
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The EV4 has an adaptive suspension system and welded aluminum wishbones designed to adjust to the shape of the terrain
The EV4 is available with a 36 V Li-ion battery pack in either 20 Ah or 40 Ah configurations
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The EV4 is available with a 36 V Li-ion battery pack in either 20 Ah or 40 Ah configurations
The 20 Ah Li-ion battery pack offers a range of up to 50 km, depending on riding style, with the 40 Ah batteries doubling that
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The 20 Ah Li-ion battery pack offers a range of up to 50 km, depending on riding style, with the 40 Ah batteries doubling that
Jacek Skopinski with version 5 of the EV4 tilting electric scooter
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Jacek Skopinski with version 5 of the EV4 tilting electric scooter
View gallery - 12 images

Being able to lean into a corner has to be one of the greatest joys of riding two wheeled transport. Adding more wheels to a bike may increase stability and make it easier to ride, but it also strips that sublime pleasure away. Unless the multi-wheeler can tilt too. Poland's Jacek Skopinski has developed an interesting four-wheeled electric scooter called the EV4 that does just that.

"Moving within Warsaw, which from year to year is becoming more and more jammed, I lacked alternative means of transport, which could easily get around street jams, Skopinski told Gizmag. "I could simply not accept the daily, pointless and costly waste of time. I began to think about the development of an innovative vehicle that would allow for faster urban transport."

The head of light aircraft design, construction and repair firm Aero-Service set about making a must-have checklist, which included that the vehicle must be faster than a bicycle, be cheap to run yet be a high quality product, be small enough to ride on bike lanes, in parks and through forest tracks, and get from A to B faster than a bicycle but emission free. He decided on an electric drive four-wheeler for stability, but one that wouldn't be too large for use in narrow cycle lanes.

"From the very beginning the EV4 was designed and constructed just like an airplane," revealed Skopinski. "Hence, I aimed at a low weight. Nearly all components are made of highly durable aeronautical aluminum alloy. An interesting fact is that the main frame of the vehicle is riveted just like in the case of airplanes. This approach makes the main frame even more durable and lightweight."

The main frame of the vehicle is riveted
The main frame of the vehicle is riveted

He went on to explain that the EV4 has an adaptive suspension system featuring two bicycle shock absorbers with adjustable damping and welded aluminum wishbones designed to adjust to the shape of the terrain at any given moment and keep all four wheels uniformly on the ground. Its two 500 W electric motors, geared belt drives and 36 V Li-ion battery pack in either 20 Ah or 40 Ah configurations offer a top speed of 40 km/h (25 mph) and a range of between 30 and 50 km (18.6 - 31 miles) with the 20 Ah battery installed and up to double that with the larger pack on board.

The four-wheeler sports hydraulic disc brakes on each of the four wheels ensure short stopping distances. It's 150 cm long and 60 cm wide (59 x 24 in) and benefits from a height-adjustable seat. Sans battery pack, the EV4 tips the scales at 41 kg (90 lb), which increases to 47 kg with the 20 Ah battery installed and 53 kg with the 40 Ah pack. There's a twist-grip throttle and ride information, such as speed and remaining charge, is displayed on a handlebar-mounted LCD display.

Currently in its fifth iteration, the EV4 is now available to buy for €5,000 (US$7,000). It can be seen slaloming along backstreets, covered carparks and public parks in Poland in the video below.

Update March 2: Jacek Skopinski has advised revised pricing for the EV4, as follows:
New base price of €3,300
Optional 36 V 20 Ah PB gel battery for a range of about 30 km – €285
Optional 36 V 20 Ah Li-ion battery – €715
Optional 36 V 40 Ah Li-ion battery – €1,430
Optional drive and battery computer – €180

Source: Aero Service

EV4 VERSION 5 The Best of (10)

View gallery - 12 images
12 comments
12 comments
Freyr Gunnar
It looks good, but since the actual average speed in cities is around 20km/h, what's wrong with a regular bicycle or a pedelec?
40km/h is too fast to ride in clogged cities anyway, and requires wearing a helmet + taking an issurance.
Looks like a solution looking for a problem.
Bob Smogango
Looks like fun to ride.
Honest Truehistory
Electric bicycles are simpler and way better. Anyone who is not coordinated enough to ride in 2 wheel should not be riding Things like higher riding position for visibility, pedaling, regenerative brakes. And way way simpler parts.
Local Lord
I wonder where they find space to park this beast in busy city? I quess car parking lot:)
Mzungu_Mkubwa
Your title, "EV4 four-wheel-drive electric scooter leans into turns" is a bit misleading, as the vehicle is only two-wheel-drive, by all appearances. Or am I missing something?
I love the design, other than the seeming complexity. However, I think the riding position is too upright. I'd think it would be more comfortable with a little more of a recumbent position. Ramp this up a notch or two to make it keep up with traffic on neighborhood roads (no highway use) and add some weather protection, and you've got a contender for a good suburbs commuter.
Vadim Romanovich
Neat toy, but what good is a slow 25mph vehicle for? So up hill it will likely be doing 15mph? It's not as practical as a bicycle and just as slow as one. Wish them the best.
Bob Sheraton
I LIKE IT. IT LOOKS LIKE FUN, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE BALANCED INDIVIDUALS. HOWEVER DON'T GEET CAUGHT RIDING IT IN THE USA. IT HAS 4 WHEELS AND POWER AND IS NOT EXEMPT LIKE THE ELECTRIC POWERED BIKES. THE LAW IS SPECIFIC, AS TO; LESS THAN 1 HP, LESS THAN 4 WHEELS, STAY UNDER 20 MPH. TOO EXPENSIVE TOO. ONE COULD BUY A NICE MOTO FOR THAT KIND OF MONEY!
Lee Bell
An interesting buggy but not legal to ride hardly anywhere and about 3x overpriced for what you get. I can buy a nice motorcycle for the price of this thing. Why do all new electric assisted bikes, trikes and buggies cost so much? There isn't that much materials or labor in one and the motor systems don't cost very much either. My tadpole trike will do the same things this will, is more comfortable, has usable pedals and goes just as fast around a corner without needing tilting capabilities.... I have less than $1k in it.
Russell Willmoth
Looks great, looks fun, but.... it looks to me that it will need to be registered with the additional cost, plus of course insurance. But at $7,000 there are a lot of cheaper solutions to this problem, like a bike or even a small car.
JPAR
rubbish compared to the original that he's made a hash of copying
http://www.gizmag.com/sideways-on-a-tilting-4-wheeler-the-next-generation-of-fun-machines/11627/
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