Remember the ICOMA Tatamel Bike? It was introduced as a pre-production concept back in October, 2021. Now that it’s January, 2023, guess what showed up at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas? That’s right, it’s the Tatamel Bike—and it’s now allegedly at least a couple of steps closer to production.
ICOMA is also the recipient of a 2023 CES Innovation Award in the Vehicle Tech and Advanced Mobility category for its Tatamel Bike. Of course, since ICOMA brought Tatamel Bike to CES, that raised one question in particular for us: Are there any plans to offer this electric folding motorbike in the U.S.?
The answer, it seems, is yes. According to the company, if all goes according to plan, it hopes to offer Tatamel Bike to U.S. customers starting in April, 2023. It’s also currently actively looking for U.S. distributors. Pricing will start at around $3,999, not including delivery fees—and may change based on the exchange rate at the time that ICOMA actually begins selling these.
Back in 2021, when we first wrote about the ICOMA Tatamel Bike concept, the company listed a whole lot of pre-production measurements for us to consider. At the time, we theorized that this could be a modern-day electric answer to the cult classic Honda Motocompo. The concept is extremely similar, even if the design has modernized to fit current aesthetic modes.
One thing we didn’t know in 2021 was its weight, which seemed fair enough as it was still a concept at that time. Now that it’s 2023, though, ICOMA has revealed that information: 110 pounds, or 50 kilograms. Since the original Honda Motocompo weighed about 99 pounds, the similarity becomes even clearer. On paper, at least, the ICOMA Tatamel Bike is, for all intents and purposes, a modern-day electric Motocompo.
The measurements, both in extended and folded forms, remain the same as in the concept version. Tatamel Bike is categorized as a Class One Moped according to Japanese licensing rules, which means that it can be ridden with a standard drivers’ license alone. Recommended load is 220 pounds, which could be a problem for larger riders. Top speed is just under 25 miles per hour, and estimated cruising range on a single charge is 18.6 miles.
The Tatamel Bike can charge on a standard household outlet, and claimed charge time is three hours. It rolls on a 10-inch wheel in the front, not unlike some more typical saddle-type scooters—but it has a smaller 6.5-inch wheel in the back. It’s not clear whether any standard scooter tires will fit the front wheel, but finding tires for the rear wheel might be of greater concern, should you want or need to change them in the future.
ICOMA Tatamel Bike has a 12 amp-hour battery, which explains its extremely small range.
The company says that it’s currently developing ways to expand capacity to 29 Ah, but it’s unclear if or when that might happen—nor what it will cost, nor the logistics of such expansion for any early adopters who previously purchased a Tatamel Bike prior to that upgrade, assuming it does become a reality.
Gallery: ICOMA Tatamel Bike - CES 2023
It’s clear that ICOMA intends Tatamel Bike to be a last-mile situation, suitable for extremely short, low-speed commuting needs. Although it folds up so compactly, its 110-pound weight presents certain challenges in transportation and storage.
The form factor and range would seemingly work well if you live in an apartment and need something simple to ride to your nearby work or school, and you don’t want to have to worry about parking when you get there. However, you’ll need to be able to roll it to wherever you intend to store it, because you’re clearly not meant to hoist it up and carry it anywhere. Again, this isn’t a problem without precedent, as the Honda Motocompo only weighs about 10 pounds less. However, much as we might love it, that’s probably also one of the reasons that the Motocompo was (and remains) a cult bike.
There’s one other issue that could be a dealbreaker, though. According to ICOMA, there is no product warranty for Tatamel Bike. As of January 6, 2023, its FAQ entry about warranties reads, “No product warranty. However, if there is external damage or missing parts at the time of arrival, we will arrange for the parts. However, we will not pay for the installation fee or the damage associated with it. We take care in packing, but we do not guarantee fine scratches.”
Since the plan is for Tatamel Bike to be produced in Japan and then shipped to any countries (including the U.S.) where it will be sold—and in at least some cases, directly to consumers—that seems like a potentially significant problem.
