NY DESIGN WEEK 2013 - WANTED DESIGN
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NY DESIGN WEEK 2013 - ICFF
FRIEZE NEW YORK 2013
Though not as relentlessly rectilinear as Joey Ruiter's wicked Moto Undone motorcycle, designer Eric Vaughn's Boxx scooter is an innovative transportation design with a similarly unconventional shape. Portland- based Vaughn, who has until now stuck with leaking a slow trickle of press images, finally debuted the Boxx to the public at this week's Portland International Auto Show.
What makes the Boxx so unique is how an often overlooked element of the vehicle—its initial distribution to consumers—has directly informed its physical design. At 40 inches in length, the Boxx's easily-boxed shape can be shipped directly to purchasers via UPS, though its 120-pound weight may vex the man in the brown suit. Also, all of the Boxx's electronic components are stored in an internal device called the Cube (we're guessing it's that break-line-defined area immediately aft of the handlebars), which can be easily popped out of the scooter and shipped for servicing.
From a performance standpoint, the all-wheel-drive, electricity-powered Boxx will run for 40 miles on a single charge, with the speed limited to 30 m.p.h. to keep the vehicle in the no-license-required scooter class. On-board storage will reportedly fit two grocery bags and an extra battery that can double the range, though it's unclear if those items will compete for the same space. And a neat, futuristic touch is the onboard laser projector, which generates two 1.5-inch-wide beams on the pavement on either side of the vehicle as a sort of visual safety lane for surrounding vehicles to observe.
The Boxx has been at least three years in the making, and at press time the vehicle's website was still not quite 100%; but Vaughn, who has so far sold four of the $3,995 vehicles, hopes to have a firm sales apparatus in place by Q2 of this year.
via portland tribune
Comments
You'll get more mileage if you bevel the front of that thing--cut air resistance while still looking nice and rectilinear. Now, where does one hang one's grocery bags?
Considering the overall drag coefficient with a rider, a beveled front would make little difference, especially at the speeds it's rated for.
Also, there's room for two bags under the seat. One in the 80 mile version.
I stand (slightly) corrected. From the designer, "BOXX has Two Cargo bays. One front and one rear. And it has Two Battery bays. You get two bags with two batteries onboard. if you only have one battery you could use the second battery bay additionally for a third storage bay.. which would hold a laptop and softgoods."
Just curious, as an owner of various motorcycles and power-sports designer, have you addressed the turn markers from side view. Vehicles directly beside you may not realize your intentions if they cannot see your side markers.