When designing a new piece of hardware, such as the KoumKoum, there are two types of components to source, with completely different risk factors.
- Catalog components already exist and are offered by one or several companies. These include screws, wheels, bearings, for instance. We know that these components exist, and the only risk is not finding them at a price low enough.
- Custom components, made specifically for the KoumKoum. For instance, the batteries and the aluminium frame. Here, the risk is that the component may be impossible to make, or that no manufacturer accepts to make it.
End of June 2025, we achieved a significant milestone in the development of the KoumKoum by receiving tailor-made batteries from a manufacturer. The batteries are made to the exact electrical specifications of the KoumKoum, and have a custom shape that fits perfectly in the KoumKoum.
We tested the batteries and they are good for now. With a voltage of 20V and a capacity of 0.520 Ah per battery, the two batteries in a single KoumKoum offer a combined capacity of 10.4 Wh (20 x 0.52). Because the user will use one KoumKoum per foot, this will lead to a total battery capacity of 20.8 Wh, enough for a range of a bit more than 5 km.
We now continue our tests, including safety tests (high-current use, what happens when shorted, what happens when physically damaged).