Electric two wheelers to debut in Paris

(courtesy of Yamaha Motor Co.)

Next month's Paris Motor Show could be about two wheels as much as four wheels, if recent reports are to be believed.

British car magazine Autocar reports that both Smart and MINI are prepping electric scooter concepts for the show, raising the possibility that one or both manufacturers could release a production model sometime soon.

The magazine reports that both would use lithium ion batteries and that the Smart scooter can travel up to 60 miles (96.5 km) on a single charge.

Autocar also says that the Smart scooter could use an airbag to provide added protection in case of a crash.

BMW-owned MINI is also said to be prepping three "retro-styled" scooters, rechargeable via a retractable lead at the rear of the bike.

Electric scooters, which are usually used in an urban environment where charging points are plentiful, could prove among the most popular of the first wave of electric vehicles.

This year, Japanese manufacturers Yamaha and Honda have both unveiled electric scooters, which are already on sale in Europe and could debut in Europe before long.

See the bikes here: http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/252635/