1-wheel sub-crotch rocket rattles your nethers with 10,000 watts

It's been a minute since we checked in on the electric unicycle (EUC) game, and unsurprisingly, the Chinese are still innovating hard. The all-new KingSong F16 Aven sounds like a type of fighter jet and will feel nearly as fast thanks to the 10,000 peak watts powering you over all types of terrain via a single wheel located mere inches from your gennies, all while you hang on to ... nothing but the air rushing at your body. KingSong takes any potential sting out of the experience with a quad-damper suspension system and gives its latest one-wheel quick-release hardware for easy tire changes and wheel swaps. Launched this month, the new F16 Aven actually slides into the entry level end of KingSong's high-performance "Off Road" F-series, which also includes the insane 67-mph (108-km/h) F18 and somehow-more-insane 72-mph (116-km/h) F22. We suppose none of them quite stack up to the absolutely bonkers 87-mph (140-km/h) InMotion V13 Challenger (or the company's 93-mph P6 that has since replaced it as speediest dog in the pack). The all-new KingSong F16 Aven electric unicycle lights up the night (with an assist from the campfire) KingSong But the F16 Aven's 50-mph (80-km/h) of speed capability isn't anything to scoff at ... especially when you remember you're shin-choking a single wheel upon which you have to lean forward to accelerate – push that face right into the rushing air ahead. The rig locks out full top speed for the first 3 miles (5 km), then assuming you're not hanging on by a foot while being face-dragged across pavement, it unleashes full power and speed. Or maybe it lifts the speed lock even if you haven't gotten the hang of it – KingSong makes no qualifications outside of saying it unlocks at the 5-km mark. We'd really prefer that number to be more like 50 km, maybe 500, and grounded in how well one is riding, but it is what it is. With speeds up to 50 mph, the all-new F16 Aven is no slouch as KingSong's entry-level EUC in its category KingSong Interestingly, the F16's 10,000-watt peak power is higher than the F18's 9,000 watts, but the latter has a higher rated power of 5,000 watts. The F16, meanwhile, packs in a cool 3,500 rated watts to go along with 170 Nm (125 lb-ft) of torque. A series of four shocks with independently adjustable compression, rebound and spring preload delivers up to 3 in (80 mm) of frame travel to eat up bumps, drops, leaps, stairs, potholes and more. The F16 puts its four-shock suspension to work in tackling a staircaseKingSong The F16's in-house-developed 2.2-kWh battery pack powers the motor for up to 68 miles (110 km) of electric wheeling per charge, plenty of juice to get out there and back. If you do run out of power before getting where you need to be, you can roll or carry the 83-lb (38-kg) solo-wheel to the nearest electrical outlet and charge it back to full in four to five hours ... or just charge it back enough to get where you're going. The more impressive part of the battery, though, is that it's split into four individual packs to assist with the F16's quick-release construction. First introduced on the F18, the quick-release system aims to make it as fast and painless as possible to remove the entire wheel. KingSong says wheel removal is as simple as taking out nine screws and popping free a few snap-and-play electrical connections to separate the entire wheel, complete with in-wheel motor assembly, from the upper chassis. Once the wheel is free, you can change the tube in case of a flat or install a new tire. KingSong installs its quick-release hardware to make changing a tire much quicker and easier than on alternative EUC designsKingSong The quick-release design stands in contrast to EUCs that entail a more extensive side-access process requiring you to remove the foot pedals and side panels, disconnect multiple electronic connection points, and unbolt the motor itself to free the entire wheel for tire removal. KingSong describes that type of process for its older models here, and it sounds well more laborious than the F16's setup. The F16 also introduces a smart architecture that features proximity locking and unlocking. The owner doesn't even need to pull a smartphone out to unlock and power up the wheel because it does so automatically when he or she approaches. It also shuts down and locks up when he or she walks away. A square dot-matrix display shows critical information on board, and vehicle settings and battery monitoring can also be viewed through the KingSong app. Over-the-air updates keep the mainboard, display and battery management system running smoothly. The F16 has a large rear lighting area for high visibility to othersKingSong The new e-uni features a 30-W headlamp and an extensive RGB rear lighting system to maintain visibility after dark. That rear setup includes both brake lights and turn signals. "Aven" is KingSong marketing speak for "adventure" and "avenue" mashed together, pointing to its hybrid combination of road and off-road capability. It comes shod standard in a 16 x 3-in on/off-road tire. IPX6 water-resistant protection encompasses the battery, while the main vehicle body checks in at IP54. A little "rock climbing" with the all-new KingSong F16 Aven electric unicycleKingSong The F16 Aven is available for preorder in the US now and, as of publishing, is advertised at an early-bird special price of US$2,599. Deliveries will begin in late November to early December. Source: KingSong