InMotion V12HT electric unicycle review: I have no business on a high power wheel
Nothing in my life is telling me “You should definitely hop on a high power electric unicycle,” and yet I’m glad I decided to do it anyway. After testing a smaller and lighter InMotion electric unicycle last year, the company offered me a chance to try out a significantly more powerful InMotion V12HT. And it was quite eye-opening.
The InMotion V12HT is much, much more powerful than the beginner V5 wheel I previously tested.
Unlike the cute little 20 km/h (12 mph) beginner wheel I started on, the InMotion V12HT is a 60 km/h (37 mph) beast.
But it’s not just fast. It’s also high power. The 2,800W motor has more power than I could ever need, offering not just fast speeds but also serious climbing ability. The motor can power this wheel up a 45-degree slope, which you’d have trouble walking up – let alone rolling up.
Combined with the massive 1.75 kWh battery (divided into two 875 Wh packs), that means you’ve got some serious EV gear shoved into a single wheel. It also makes for some serious range, to the tune of 96 miles or 154 km.
There’s no suspension in this wheel, but the 3″ off-road tire does give you more cushioning than you’d expect. I did both asphalt and dirt/grass riding, and I never felt like the lack of suspension was an issue. If you’re hopping down from waist height boulders then you may beg to differ, but that ain’t me.
And therein lies the conundrum here; I’m not really a high performance electric unicycle guy. And this is definitely a high performance electric unicycle. But even an average Joe like me can see the utility of a wheel like this, and of course the fun factor, too.
The device is faster than nearly any electric bicycle I’ve tried while also being much more portable than any e-bike that comes close to its range or speed.
Despite the massive weight of 65.6 lb (29.7 kg), the InMotion V12HT feels easy to roll around thanks to its folding push bar that lets you walk it next to you while it uses its self-balancing feature to stay vertical.
While I feel more comfortable on electric bikes, I can’t deny that an electric unicycle can be more convenient. I don’t have to worry about locking it up at a destination since I can just bring it inside. I don’t have to worry about where I’ll park or store it, since in a pinch I could park it under my chair.
It may not have the cargo capacity that my e-bikes do, but I even discovered another fun feature that nearly makes up for it – you’re handsfree while riding it.
That means I can easily carry a few bags of groceries in my hands, despite not having any real storage on the vehicle itself.
Is it easy to learn to ride an electric unicycle?
The short answer is, “No, it’s not easy to learn.”
That’s nothing against EUCs, they just aren’t intuitive. A small segment of the population can probably pick it up in a day. Another small segment will probably never succeed to ride one. But for most of us, you’re probably looking at a couple days to a couple weeks of hopping on, falling off, and hopping back on until your brain finally gets it.
But once it clicks, you’ll be in for a seriously fun ride. And with a powerful wheel like the InMotion V12HT that has room to grow with you, you’ll be able to take that adventure just about anywhere. The powerful motor and large diameter wheel make quick work of just about any type of terrain, meaning you could be a commuter or an adventure rider on the same day.
At around US $2,100, it’s not a cheap way to get around. And I’d probably recommend a smaller wheel to learn on, though learning on this one would certainly work too. But this would be a big investment only to discover that riding around on a single wheel isn’t for you, so it’s probably advisable to start on a more economical wheel.
But if you’re someone who has tried an EUC, already knows that you like it, and now you’re looking for an upgrade, I can see this as a great option. It’s got the power and speed for just about anyone, and it will be a long time before you outgrow it for something even more powerful.
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Hyundai is about to launch a new electric SUV in China. With its big debut coming up, Hyundai just dropped a sneak peek, and it looks like it could be the IONIQ 4. Check it out for yourself in the video below.
Is Hyundai teasing the IONIQ 4?
We caught our first glimpse of the new EV model last month after Beijing Hyundai released a few official “spy” photos.
Despite the camouflage, you can see a few design elements, like a light bar across the front, slim LED headlights, and a closed-off grille. At first, it almost looks like a smaller version of the IONIQ 9, Hyundai’s first three-row electric SUV, but with a much sportier, shaped profile.
Beijing Hyundai released a new teaser for the upcoming electric SUV this week. The video shows “a wave of high-end operations” as the vehicle dances across the snow.
The video highlights features like real-time torque control, high-speed cornering, and the SUV’s impressive body control while driving around cones.
Hyundai’s new electric SUV is being called “OE” internally, according to The Korean Car Blog, suggesting it could be an IONIQ model.
All other Hyundai IONIQ EV models were also codenamed with an “E” internally, which is raising speculation that this could be the IONIQ 4.
Like most global OEMs, Hyundai is fighting to compete in an intense Chinese EV market, which is dominated by domestic automakers like BYD.
Hyundai opened its first overseas R&D center last year in China to spearhead its comeback. It will work with local suppliers and tech companies to develop EVs designed for Chinese buyers. The new electric SUV is expected to launch in China later this year, followed by three new energy vehicles, including EVs and EREVs.
Beijing Hyundai will release more information on April 16, with the electric SUV set to “challenge the limit of driving performance.”
What do you think of Hyundai’s new electric SUV? Is this the IONIQ 4? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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Charge point provider char.gy has secured a £130 million contract to install 6,000 curbside EV chargers for Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC) – the UK’s largest installation of its kind.
London-based char.gy has also been awarded a 15-year contract to operate and maintain the charging network.
Installing Level 2 chargers curbside, where most drivers in the UK park, will enable more people to take advantage of cheaper charging rates while juicing up their EVs overnight. (charg.gy’s pay as you go night tariff, between midnight and 7 am, is £0.39/kWh, compared to its £0.59/kWh day tariff.)
John Lewis, chief executive of char.gy, said the project is “a huge moment for the UK and its EV ambitions. This partnership alone will empower thousands of residents to confidently make the switch to electric vehicles, knowing they have easy access to chargers.”
Brighton and Hove City Council is among the first to tap into the government’s Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund, designed to help English local authorities roll out charging solutions for residents without off-street parking. Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said making EV charging as accessible as possible is “crucial to making the switch to electric a success.”
The UK now has over 75,000 public EV chargers, according to the Department for Transport—and it looks like the country’s on pace to hit its 2030 target. Back in December, the National Audit Office said the rollout is “on track” to meet the DfT’s estimate that at least 300,000 chargers will be needed by the end of the decade.
Read more: Meet the UK’s largest solar + storage EV charging ‘Superhub’
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