Shoe-like roller skates could wheel into China and US

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Remember GoGo Tomago from the 2014 Disney movie "Big Hero 6"? Well, the futuristic electric roller skates that she wore to fight are about to become a reality.

Called Blizwheel, the shoe-like personal transportation vehicle mixes traditional roller skates with an electric scooter.

GoGo Tomago, character from the 2014 Disney movie "Big Hero 6". /Photo from web

"I was an industrial engineering student at University of Florida and I saw a group of people ride around campus standing completely upright on giant wheels," Leo Liu, developer of Blizwheel told Forbes, referring to the two-wheeled, self-balancing scooter Segway.

"Those are very cool, but they're a bit bulky and unwieldy," he added.

The Blizwheel consists of two traditional in-line skate frames, each with a 9.1-inch-diameter electric wheel attached to it.

Battery, sensors, and electric speed controller are stored inside of Blizwheel's wheels. /Photo via Blizwheel

"The large wheel itself is the motor. Everything else, from battery, sensors, ESC [electric speed controller] are stored inside," China-born Liu told Forbes. "We believe we are the world's smallest electric vehicle."

According to the Blizwheel's official website, the electric roller skates, mostly made of aluminum, are as light as a laptop.

With a maximum speed of 15 miles per hour, Blizwheel allows users to switch between walking and skating. /Photo via Blizwheel

With a maximum speed of 15 miles per hour, the futuristic personal vehicle allows users to switch between walking and skating, meaning that they don't have to take the wheels off when walking down stairs.

Forbes reported that Liu is considering debuting the product in the US and China.

Scooters banned on China's streets

Electric scooters have grown in popularity in China as a way to avoid traffic jams.

The Blizwheel, said Forbes, should appeal to the "in-between transport" market, which refers to distances too long to walk but too short to take a bus or taxi.

Electric scooters are banned on street since mid-2016 in Beijing. /AFP Photo

According to Blizwheel's website, the company has already opened a Beijing bureau. However, it will likely face a number of challenges in China.

According to local authorities, electric scooters and balancing vehicles have been banned on the streets of big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou since mid-2016 due to safety concerns.

As the ban has already affected some leading electric scooter companies, it is unclear if Liu can explore his home country on wheels...or if he'll have to walk.

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