The future of electrified personal/urban mobility looks great, and not just because we're seeing increased adoption of greener means of transport in our congested cities. If this concept is right, we're heading into the next stage of urban mobility: electrified nanomobility.
As studio design Bonshe Design puts it, nanomobility "focuses exclusively on portability and ease of use, relying on other vehicles to remain energetically autonomous." Nanomobility is essentially about last-mile solutions that integrate into your existing urban mobility solutions – preferably in as seamless a manner as possible.
That's the idea behind the Ant Formica, which is the strange-looking-but-cool e-scooter pictured in photos in the gallery. Ant Formica is an electric standing scooter, but it's also a first- and last-mile solution you can easily fold down until it's no bigger than a compact suitcase and which you can then easily carry in one hand when you get to where you need to be.
Moreover, the Ant Formica integrates into your electric sitting scooter and may charge from it as you're making your way to the parking lot, just before you jump on it for that last stretch. How's that for extra convenience on the go?
Photo: Bonshe Design
This might sound like a case of over-complicating things when you could easily walk that last mile (or the first one, depending on each individual case). In reality, though, there is demand for such nanomobility vehicles and it seems to be higher in bigger cities, where the daily commute usually involves switching a couple of public transport options, riding your own e-two-wheeler, walking, or any combination of these you can come up with.
No wonder, then, that city dwellers are looking for options that can make the commute more efficient and more fun. We've already seen some of them, from laptop-sized e-scooters to rideable luggage and e-skates, but the most common proposition seems to be that of a foldable e-scooter.
The Ant Formica would also fall in this category.
Photo: Bonshe Design
It's just a concept for the time being, but it seems like the designers at Bonshe Design have put serious thought into it, which, in turn, could imply it might head into production at some point. If that happens, we're looking at perhaps the sleekest and most elegant nanomobility vehicle of recent years, one that fits just as well on dedicated cycling paths as it will indoors, while you're carrying it.
The Ant Formica features a squared design for the handlebars, which reportedly inspired its name. It also has a folding stem, which "breaks" into two parts that will then tuck away neatly into the body, so that it becomes very compact. The same goes for the wheels, which move on a horizontal axis so they retract into the body for easy transport.
When it comes to getting the Ant Formica ready to hit the streets, you simply press a button to expand the wheelbase and then proceed to expand the stem with the handlebars, locking everything into position. Small footpegs also come out of the metal body, offering you just enough space to stand on and ride comfortably.
Photo: Bonshe Design
It doesn't look like the team at Bonshe Design explored the project beyond its exterior design, but we reckon propulsion would come via a standard in-wheel rear hub motor, with a small battery built into the body of the "suitcase." A brake light is integrated at the rear, while the handlebar has a light strip that would, in theory, offer some visibility on the road. In practice, the latter seems a bit too discreet to actually work in real-life scenarios.
Since the Ant Formica is designed explicitly as a first- and last-mile mobility solution, don't expect outstanding range or speed because it would have neither. It would have no use for them, and even if it did, delivering them would add too much weight to a vehicle that has to remain light enough to be carried in one hand with minimal effort. Judging by the available photos with the female model, this thing looks exceptionally light.
With technical specs missing, we're left admiring the design and, at the end of it, hoping this project sees further development. Because this e-scooter is beautiful, sleek and elegant in a very futuristic way – and, we imagine, potentially convenient for city commuters looking to put some fun back into their commutes.
Photo: Bonshe Design
The copper and metal gray in the design are nicely balanced out by blacks, while the design itself is sleek. From one render, it seems like the Ant Formica can be charged while riding a standard electric scooter (moped), where it would fit in as snugly as an actual piece of luggage.
If the future of urban mobility ends up including a well-developed segment of nanomobility electric vehicles, and if these end up looking like the Ant Formica, we're game for this next stage.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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