More fun than a bike, more convenient than a scooter, the Blaze Smart EV is the best new way to get around town.

When you live in a big city, there are lots of ways to get around without a car, like motorcycles, scooters, and bicycles. But motorcycles are a little dangerous, and scooters can be costly to maintain. Bicycles are inexpensive, but they’re slow and they can be exhausting, especially if you have to pedal up numerous hills on your commute.

Japanese car dealer and automobile developer Blaze has a happy medium for you: the Blaze Smart EV electric motorcycle! It’s compact, convenient, eco-friendly, and it’s faster than a bike, but much easier to maintain than a motorcycle or scooter.

The Blaze Smart EV is 100-percent powered by electricity, so if you’re feeling the heat from climate change, this bicycle might help ease your conscience a little. It charges within three-and-a-half hours using an ordinary electrical outlet, so you won’t have to find a special charging spot, either.

Its lithium iron battery has a 30-kilometer (18 mile) lifespan on a full charge, and it can go up to 30 kilometers per hour, indicating that it can ride for a solid hour at full speed before running out of juice. It’s also got enough ‘oomph’ to climb hills with ease, so residents of hilly neighborhoods can breathe a sigh of relief.

The Smart EV is compact: only 120 centimeters wide (less than four feet) when fully extended. Plus, it folds in just five seconds to half that size, which makes it convenient to store when you’re not using it. It’s fairly lightweight, too, at only 18 kilograms (less than 40 pounds), which is light enough to be carried by most adults.

To make it even more convenient, it also has Bluetooth and USB connectivity for hooking up to your favorite devices, and it has a security alarm that appears to sound off when it’s touched without the key. It also comes in four stylish colors: black, white, khaki (which is more like a forest green), and wine red.

Just because it’s small and light doesn’t mean it’s flimsy, though: this motorcycle has undergone multiple tests to confirm its durability before its release. The handlebars, seats, and frame have all been weight-tested and can hold up to 1,000 kilograms (705 to 2,200 pounds) depending on the part, although the recommended weight limit for a rider is 120 kilograms (about 264 pounds).

Each of its parts has also survived the brine test, indicating that they’re strong against corrosion and rust, so your Smart EV should stay shiny for a long while. The tires should also be able to hold up under good road conditions, since they’re a durable 31.5 centimeters (almost 12.5 inches) wide.

These compact electric motorcycles have already been on the market for a few months, and the demand for them is already quite high. At this time, though, interested customers can only order a Smart EV directly from Blaze, where they retail for about 128,000 yen (about US$1,150).

However, due to customer demand, they’re currently recruiting other dealers to sell their product across the country. This process has only just begun, so it might take a while for these motorcycles to be available at stores, but if you’re planning a trip to Japan at the end of the year, you might be able to find one when you get here.

It’s also small enough and light enough to check in as baggage on an airplane without excess fees, so why not make it a travel companion to the fancy Japanese washlet you will inevitably buy?

Source, images: ValuePress