It's not a vacuum cleaner or a lawnmower, it's an easyglider. Photo / Alastair Sloane
It is called the easyglider, and the young woman scooting around on it at the vast Frankfurt Motor Show complex used it to good effect.
The three-wheeled convenience was designed by Swiss businessman Peter Fehervari. It has won all sorts of awards since being launched in Europe in
2005.
Fehervari came up with the idea in 2001 and had the prototype approved for use on Swiss roads in 2004.
The front wheel assembly houses a quick-charge battery which drives the easyglider and powers the small front headlights.
Fully charged, the battery gives the contraption a range of 15km.
A metal rod with a flexible front end links the front wheel to the scooter's rear platform. Another metal rod holds the handlebars and cable controls for the brakes, throttle and lights. When not in use, it folds down to a 50cm x 30cm package.
The easyglider's top speed is a modest 20km/h.
Company promotional material says: "Easyglider is your new fun and sports vehicle. No more waiting around. Cutbacks, bottom turns, tricks and moves - all you need is your own imagination.
"Thanks to the built-in headlights, the easyglider can also be used at night. There's no better way to explore urban nightlife."
It also has a sound system linking an MP3 player to four on-board speakers.
