There is a concept in a new-product introduction, "if you do not look good using it, it will not catch on." At first, I thought the Ryno Motors's motorized unicycle was a little silly, but after seeing the promotional pictures with the industrial background, I slightly changed my mind.
The unicycle, dubbed the Ryno, acts like something in between a motorcycle and a Segway. The electric motor powered cycle self balances on one axis, but side to side is still controlled by the operator. The onboard batteries give the cycle a travel distance of 30 miles. Like EVs, it has a rapid and trickle charge option. However, the battery is removable for easy swapping if there is no time for a recharge. Software control handles everything from balance, steering, and the disc brakes.
With a top cruising speed of 20 mph, it is not a vehicle for the open road. Instead, the Ryno is being geared towards security applications. The Ryno sits the rider at "eye-level." It sits low enough where the user can put their feet down and stand up easily. A definite perk for police activity.
The niche market is already buying them on pre-order, at a $25,000 price tag each. Despite the price, Ryno Motors has taken five pre-orders with plenty of interest for more. The company is going to limit the initial run to 50 hand-made Rynos. The final production model is planned to sell for $4,200 USD. Unfortunately, even the production model will still be in the niche.
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