Single-wheel Ryno

Oregon-based American company Ryno Motors has thrown its self-balancing, single-wheeled, electric-powered personal transportation device into the ring with the Ryno.

Powered by a lithium-ion phosphate battery, the Ryno has a claimed top speed of 40km/h with a total distance range of nearly 50km.

Weighing just 57kg, Ryno Motors doesn't consider the innovative vehicle to fit within the scooter market, saying that its tiny physical size, excellent manoeuvrability and what it says will be a much lower retail price bracket puts it into a class of its own.

"Ryno is on a mission to offer cost competitive, energy efficient, personal transportation products allowing consumers to move through their community, business and environment in a highly efficient manner," the company says.

While the production machine will begin to roll off production lines at the beginning of next year, the brand is currently producing a limited run of hand-built pre-production machines that could be yours for US$25,000. If that's a bit hard to justify, the company is forecasting the production machines to retail for approximately US$3500.

The brand states its intentions to export the machine to Asia and Europe as well as being available in the States, however, there's no word at this stage on Australian availability.