WalkCar

A portable mode of transportation that’s small enough to fit in your backpack? Yes please! If you want to roll around on what looks like a laptop on wheels, then this may be the latest technology for you.

Officially starting pre-orders in October this year, Japanese company Cocoa Motors touts their invention to be the “world’s smallest electric vehicle”. Prices are looking to be around 100,000 yen, which is approximately $1200 NZD.

Designed for the perpetually can’t-be-bothered, WalkCar removes the need to use legs when walking to your destination, and is so compact, you just might never walk anywhere again.

To operate the ‘vehicle’ simply tilt your body towards your destination and WalkCar will follow.

Is this the start of humanity’s descent into perpetual sloth, a la Wall-e? Idealog hopes so.

Smartrax Ninebot-one

A similar vein is tapped with the tiny motorised transportation device known as Smartrax Ninebot-one.

Weighing only 13.8kg and able to travel up to 40km on a single charge, Smartrax says the design is “intelligent and fashionable”.

(Iridescent lamps fitted into the Ninebot-one allow for tens of thousands of colour options).

Whilst you won’t be overtaking any cars on the Ninebot-one, it does get up to 18 km/h.

For those who foresee using their Ninebot-one on more rugged terrain, an upgraded model is available in the form of the Gotway Msuper, with a bigger tire, a top speed of 40 km/h, and a heavier weight of 15kg.

Smartrax is a British company that specializes in futuristic personal transportation devices, which all interestingly look like something out of Futurama.

For those unsure about purchasing, hire packages are available.

Autonomous quadcopter

Whilst still in its prototype stage, Dutch engineer Thorstin Crijns one day hopes to build a quadcopter transport system that doesn’t need a pilot.

While he is still in the stages of flying the quadcopter himself, his plan is to eventually develop his idea into a hands-free, flying taxi type system.

We shall wait and see where this one ends up.

The motorised surfboard

While not the newest invention, an honourable mention has got to go to this motorised surfboard, which spits in the face of wave-power and puts a motor on something that probably shouldn’t have it.

A somewhat jet-ski/surfboard hybrid, the most recent design we’ve seen is from Spanish company, Onean.

The company currently has two designs on sale, with a third set for release soon.