Honda recently introduced a compact, foldable electric scooter known as the Motocompacto, also dubbed a suitcase scooter. A Japanese rival electrical scooter firm has emerged, potentially posing a significant competitive threat. Introducing Arma, the pioneering lunchbox-inspired scooter that sets a new standard for portable transportation.
The Arma scooter’s compact size and light weight make it a highly portable option, outdoing Honda’s Motocompacto in terms of ease of transportation.
While the Motocompacto is compact enough to fit discreetly in a car trunk, the Arma electric scooter boasts a sleek design that allows for effortless transport by tucking it under your arm, as if walking. In the end, it has developed a convenient compact design, allowing it to be carried like a lunch box or a small bag. At a mere 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms), it’s surprisingly easy to grasp and wield comfortably.
Compact in design, this device measures approximately 8.5 by 11 inches (21 centimeters by 30 centimeters) when viewed from its aspect ratio, equivalent to an A4-sized piece of paper.
While the scooter’s design offers multiple folding joints, outdoing even Honda’s renowned Motocompacto in this regard, its sleek and minimalist aesthetic enables it to compactly fold down to a size comparable to a standard wheelchair scale.
The company asserts that this product takes mere 30 seconds to fold and unfold seamlessly. As soon as they’re able to ride it, customers can enjoy an estimated 9.3 miles (14.5 km) of range from their scooter. That’s likely calculated with a significant wind advantage.
While the 14.9 mph top speed may not be blazingly fast, my hesitation stems from concerns about the safety and control of such a heavy vehicle at higher velocities. While they claim the product is suitable for users up to 220 pounds or 100 kilograms, a more detailed examination suggests that its sturdy design and construction might justify such a high weight capacity. Or at a minimum, that’s the price tag if it prioritizes production. The corporation claims they aim to produce the scooter by next year; I’ll reserve final assessment until I witness it rolling off the assembly line.
While Honda’s Motocompacto scooter may not possess the same level of compactness as the Arma electric scooter, weighing roughly four times its weight is still a significant difference that should be acknowledged. The all-new 2023 Civic Si has officially launched in the US market, with production underway and initial orders being taken at Honda dealerships nationwide. In reality, I have recently ordered one for myself, and I am eagerly awaiting its arrival later this year.
Priced at $999, the Honda Motocompacto offers a competitive starting point, whereas the final value of the Armesto scooter remains uncertain. Although they’re trying to presell the product at its identical value through crowdfunding, I wouldn’t advise anyone to donate due to it being a prototype and not yet fully tested.
Explore the world of Arma from the comfort of your own home with this video.
