The Honda Motocompacto Is A Retro-Electric Box On Wheels

motocompacto
(Honda)
motocompacto
(Honda)

Honda’s designers have been thinking outside the box … and ended up with a box.

The Motocompacto is a new portable electric scooter that’s going on sale this year as a zero emissions compliment to the brand’s four-wheel vehicles.

The Motocompacto draws inspiration from the Motocompo of the 1980s, which was powered by a 49cc gasoline engine and had a collapsible design that allowed it to fit in a trunk.

motocompo
The gas-powered Motocompo was also designed to fit in a trunk. (Honda)

The new take is a battery-powered front-wheel-drive bike with a 12-mile riding range that can be replenished in 3.5 hours from a 110-volt home outlet.

(Honda)

It has a top speed of 15 mph, weighs 41.3 pounds, is equipped with a light and digital instrument cluster, and will be priced at $995 when shipments begin in November.

And while the packable ride-on will be built in China, it was designed by a team at American Honda split between California and Ohio, so we decided to give it a waiver to qualify it for American Cars And Racing coverage.

motocompacto 2
The handlebars, seat and rear wheel were designed to fold within the body. (Honda)

Its also envisioned to be paired with the 2024 Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX electric SUVs that will be made in the USA using General Motors Ultium electric vehicle platform.

“Motocompacto is uniquely Honda — a fun, innovative and unexpected facet of our larger electrification strategy,” said Jane Nakagawa, vice president of the R&D Business Unit at American Honda.

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“Sold in conjunction with our new all-electric SUVs, Motocompacto supports our goal of carbon neutrality by helping customers with end-to-end zero-emissions transport.”