CES 2016: In a sea of ‘hoverboards’, Irish firm Jyro stands out

Irish company Jyro may have been tucked away in the back of the Sands Expo centre, but the stand's placement couldn't have been better. At the back of it was a clear channel that could be used to demonstrate its product - a lightweight foldable electric scooter that it was officially launching at CES.

And it wasn’t short of volunteers looking to try out the product. In a hall filled with people precariously balancing on “hover boards”, the Jyro seemed a lot safer to try out - and a lot more fun.

It’s capable of reaching speeds of up to 25 km and will travel between 8km and 26km before it needs to be recharged - the range depends on the model you choose. Weighing at 6.5kg, it claims to be the lightest foldable electric scooter in the world. It has a special mechanism that allows you to fold it in two second, and flip it back out just as quickly.

The battery is built into the frame, and it fully charges in about five hours.

it’s easy to use too. You have to kick off before the electric motor starts, which eliminates the risk of the device starting to accelerate before you step on to the board and leaving you trailing after it. Flip one switch to accelerate and the other to brake. It picks up surprising speed but it’s easy to manoeuvre. The electronic brake can almost stop you dead, if you need extra stopping power, there’s a mechanical one on the rear.

The brand is part of Dublin-based Yvolve Sports, which also developed the Y Fliker scooters that have become popular among children. But the Jyro isn’t aimed at the kids market, with the company instead seeing it as something that would be a perfect fit for commuters. That’s probably evident from the price - it’s available to preorder from $1,199 - but it’s a slick way to travel.