Works Electric – boutique maker of the finest battery-operated stand up scooters in all the land – has decided to hit the trail. Literally. The Portland, Oregon outfit has followed up its original Rover with a beast that's as capable in the woodlands as its older sibling is in the urban jungle.
While it may look quite similar to the road-going machine, the just-announced B14 has gone on a six-pound diet, thanks to a re-engineered chassis, and muscled up to 4,000 watts (5.4 horsepower) and 35 pound-feet of torque, with help from a new brushless DC motor. A reworking of the front steering mechanism has allowed a set of fat, 14-inch Kenda Scorpion knobby tires to be strapped on, softening up the ride and allowing for more bite in the sandy stuff.
The result of this off-road evolution is a 79-pound two-wheeler with snappy acceleration, capable of blasting down a trail at up to 35 miles per hour. The one-kWh battery is said to be good for a 25-mile range (20 miles, if you're thoroughly thrashing on it) that charges back up in five hours from any household outlet, or one hour, if you spring for the optional faster charger.
Braking up front is handled by a dual-piston disc squeezer that also triggers ABS-like regenerative action from the rear for quick, controllable stopping power. It comes with either a belt or more mud-friendly chain drive and like all scooters from Works Electric, the handle bar folds down, making it easy to tuck into a car trunk or under a desk.
The B14 proudly wears a $5,950-price tag that reflects its precision, hand-made quality, and company president and co-founder Brad Baker tells AutoblogGreen that lead time on orders is about a month. If you're not sure why anyone would want to spend that kind of money on a conveyance like this, we suggest you watch the video above and peruse the gallery below. If you'd like to see the upgraded performance of this new model applied to the city-centered Rover with, perhaps, a bit more range, hang on; we're told that will also be happening shortly.
While it may look quite similar to the road-going machine, the just-announced B14 has gone on a six-pound diet, thanks to a re-engineered chassis, and muscled up to 4,000 watts (5.4 horsepower) and 35 pound-feet of torque, with help from a new brushless DC motor. A reworking of the front steering mechanism has allowed a set of fat, 14-inch Kenda Scorpion knobby tires to be strapped on, softening up the ride and allowing for more bite in the sandy stuff.
The result of this off-road evolution is a 79-pound two-wheeler with snappy acceleration, capable of blasting down a trail at up to 35 miles per hour. The one-kWh battery is said to be good for a 25-mile range (20 miles, if you're thoroughly thrashing on it) that charges back up in five hours from any household outlet, or one hour, if you spring for the optional faster charger.
Braking up front is handled by a dual-piston disc squeezer that also triggers ABS-like regenerative action from the rear for quick, controllable stopping power. It comes with either a belt or more mud-friendly chain drive and like all scooters from Works Electric, the handle bar folds down, making it easy to tuck into a car trunk or under a desk.
The B14 proudly wears a $5,950-price tag that reflects its precision, hand-made quality, and company president and co-founder Brad Baker tells AutoblogGreen that lead time on orders is about a month. If you're not sure why anyone would want to spend that kind of money on a conveyance like this, we suggest you watch the video above and peruse the gallery below. If you'd like to see the upgraded performance of this new model applied to the city-centered Rover with, perhaps, a bit more range, hang on; we're told that will also be happening shortly.
Related Gallery Works Electric B14
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