Linky is a foldable electric longboard that fits in a bag, offering a viable last mile mobility solution that is truly portable… and fun!
Just launched on Kickstarter, the Italy-based company is made up of four young travel-buffs who kept finding themselves in foreign places, wishing they had a mode of green transportation without the limits of schedule and location.
With two years of work, the team (composed of two engineers, a technician and a business manager) developed one of the lightest full-length electric longboards in the world, with the advantage of a patented folding mechanism that first reduces, then folds the board in half. Using their backgrounds in automotive mechanics and power train systems (the CEO worked at Ducati), it’s also powerful, sturdy and safe.
A big part of their project is the development of a family of Italian designer backpacks that let you carry Linky – and other stuff – around, freeing up your hands and making Linky more portable than other longboards, foldable bikes or scooters. Working with a manufacturer in Le Marche who makes bags for luxury brands, there’s a sleek daily knapsack that fits your laptop and essentials, a bare-bones commuter bag, and a carry-on sized duffel, all in matching tones of bamboo, jeans and eco-suede.
Linky is fun and easy to ride. Anyone who’s been on a snowboard or surfboard will find it immediately familiar, while beginners have tried it and found it easy to get used to. The team has studied the perfect flex vs. rigidity for a sporty riding feel that will satisfy longboard enthusiasts as well. The motor is controlled by an ergonomic hand-held remote, while an app (in progress) will provide riding mode options and read usage details.
Now for a few details: Linky weighs 4.9 kilos (10.8 pounds) and is made of high strength polymers from the automotive industry, carbon fibre, and a bamboo deck. You can ride 15 km (9 miles), and it charges to 85% of its capacity in just half an hour. It’s top speed is 30 km/h (18 mph), and it’s been tested to resist up to 160 kilos (352 pounds). One of the most important things for the design team is that Linky be safe to carry on an airplane, so it’s been engineered to respect IATA regulations for batteries in the air, either carry on or checked.
Linky is a start-up from Falerone, a small hill-town in the Le Marche region of Italy, and is made up of 4 founders, average age 28. Entirely self-funded until now, they’ve recently won €20,000 in a local business plan competition. If their Kickstarter is successful (they’re aiming for €100,000) they intend to set up production locally, and make Linky using artisanal methods, entirely in Italy. The board, which ships with one of the custom bags mentioned above, retails for €1099, though early bird units are available for as low as €799. The first units will ship by the end of 2016.
