Mobility News

Forget Hoverboards. Hover Shoes Could Be The Next Big Thing

Brooklyn-based Jetson Electric will unveil its Motor Kicks this spring. They slip under your shoes and move at speeds up to 7 mph. They’re the latest advancement in the electric transit trend gripping the nation.

“They’re sensor-powered,” explained Jetson’s VP of Operations Michael Ruskin. “Essentially the sensors are working together through a gyroscope to ensure that they are constantly at equilibrium, so that way the user feels like the ride is an extension of themselves.”

Motor Kicks won’t be the only hover shoes to hit the market. Segway released its own self-balancing skates earlier this year, but Jetson says Motor Kicks are different in the way they light up and play music during a ride.

“We believe that people aren’t just riding our products because they’re techie, although that’s part of it. The truth is that it’s the way someone feels when riding it,” said Ruskin.

It all comes as a study by Populus Insights shows that the adoption of electric transit, including scooters and bikes, has reached an all-time high in major U.S. cities. Just Electric scooter startups Lime and Bird both raised hundreds of millions of dollars last year and are said be valued at about $2 billion.

But could regulations ultimately stand in the way of electric transit’s full potential?

In New York City, council members have put forward bills to legalize electric scooters and bikes. Critics say their arrival could wreak havoc on the congested streets and sidewalks.

For more coverage, watch the video included in this article.