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High-Tech Scooter Can Go 20 MPH, Charge Your Phone

The Immotor Go may seem at first like just another silly kick scooter that adults will use to zoom down sidewalk. But if you're looking for an alternative mode of transportation, this $749 scooter — currently available for pre-order at $399 on Indiegogo — comes crammed with a ton of tech.

Using digital acceleration, braking and cruise control, the Immotor Go can travel up to 20 mph and has a 20-mile range. Its so-called Super Battery, which you can swap out, runs on a smart system that doles out the right charge for specific devices, if you'd like to charge your phone or laptop off the Immotor Go's battery. Get stuck without a charge, though, it'll take three or four hours before you can get the scooter up and running again.

Immotor touts the safety features of the Go's battery. It's inside a rigid metal casing with shock-absorbing buffers between the two battery cells. When there's no request for power, whether it's from the scooter itself or a device you're charging, the battery remains off.

The Go has GPS tracking to prevent theft, and it comes packed with distractions. It's got a waterproof Bluetooth speaker and it can let users take selfies or shoot video while riding, according to Immotor. A companion app for iOS and Android acts as a wireless key for unlocking the Go, and you're able to use the app to limit speed and acceleration — a feature parents will likely embrace.

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Three wheels and front and rear suspension mean you don't have to know how to ride a bike or have experience riding a kick scooter to operate it, the company says. But while it seems easier to work than hoverboard like devices that require subtle shifts in weight to operate, we'd like to see how much of a balancing act would be required when sidewalk obstacles and dirt paths enter the picture. The Go can carry up to 275 pounds, which should accommodate most passengers.

The 31-pound Immotor Go can be folded up when you're not riding it. Immotor says it takes just 5 seconds to fold up the scooter, making it easy to store when not in use.

Your $399 pre-order from Indiegogo includes a fully assembled Immotor Go with battery and a data plan included. (The data plan costs $49 a year.) The scooter is expected to ship in March 2017.