Baby strollers are the latest electric vehicle
The eStroller is not a newfangled concept vehicle but a real product coming to parents (and babies) later this year.
Automotive and electronic parts supplier Bosch has developed an electric drive system (complete with a battery, electric motors, sensors, and app connectivity) for strollers -- yes, the four-wheeled carriers babies sit in and parents push.
The battery and two motors on the back axle help push the stroller up a hill or make it easier to push along anywhere. Going downhill? The motors help with braking, and if the stroller is released, the parking brakes will go on -- phew. The sensors on the stroller measure acceleration, speed, and road type to help make for a better ride.
The e-stroller is also "smart," with a Bluetooth connection to an app that tells you how much power is left. The app also allows you to set an alarm if someone tries to push the stroller away. The stroller has a loudspeaker that will emit a beep, and the parking brake will engage.
The battery lasts for up to 9 miles based on how parents and caretakers are using the stroller and how much they are relying on electric assistance. It's the same as those used in Bosch power tools, so you can swap those out as needed — how convenient! It takes about two hours to charge up the stroller battery. Added bonus: Parents can charge smartphones in the stroller system's USB port. More convenience!
If you do run out of battery, the e-stroller just becomes a regular stroller you have to push on your own.
Announced Monday, the eStroller system will be available on Swedish company Emmaljunga strollers in Europe later this year and will roll out to (get it?) more stroller suppliers eventually.
Life as a baby is so plugged in these days.
UPDATE: Sept. 3, 2019, 9:47 a.m. PDT Back in July, Cybex launched the e-PRIAM stroller with a battery, electric motors, and sensors to also make stroller-time easier. Although helpful on uphills, downhills, and uneven surfaces, this e-stroller is not app-connected.
It starts at about $1,450.
Sasha is a news writer at Mashable's San Francisco office. She's an SF native who went to UC Davis and later received her master's from the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. She's been reporting out of her hometown over the years at Bay City News (news wire), SFGate (the San Francisco Chronicle website), and even made it out of California to write for the Chicago Tribune. She's been described as a bookworm and a gym rat.
