Uno transformer scooter goes from unicycle to motorcycle

Electric scooters are practical and fun, but annoyingly, they don't transform into unicycles. Oh wait, yes they do -- say hello to the Uno.

The Uno has been around since it was a Segway with attitude, invented by a Canadian high-school student. The bike balanced on two parallel wheels and looked like a unicycle on steroids.

The latest prototype, which is being shown off at CES this week, adds a third unmotorised wheel that stretches out the front at high speeds, transforming the Uno into a normal-looking scooter, which we assume also defends the Earth from its evil robot enemies.

According to BPG Motors, the company that makes the Uno, the bike stays stable during the transition, enabling you to keep cruising along while you punch the air and your neighbours gape and point.

When it's balancing on two wheels, the scooter's small size means it has a one-metre turning radius and it could be tucked away indoors or transported in a lift.

The gyroscopically stabilised unicycle mode is also more stable than a motorcycle at low speeds, says BPG on its website.

BPG told CNET.com that it plans to bring the Uno to Europe first, where we shamelessly scoot around without worrying that it reflects badly on our personal endowments. The scooter should arrive in limited quantities, at about the same price as a top of the range Vespa scooter, or around £4,000.

Clap your eyes on the photo gallery above to see the Uno in both its guises.