When Joel Meikle goes to work, people look twice at the Tauranga dad. They're staring at his new wheels – and we don't mean his car.

Joel rides what's described as a self-balancing electric unicycle to work called the Airwheel. It's the new battery-powered unicycle in Tauranga that could be the next ‘in thing'.

'I travel to work on mine,” says Joel. 'It's an alternative way of getting to work. If you park in a car park that is a long way away from where you work, it's a quick way to get from where you parked to your work.”

This new form of transport was enough to make this reporter Google. The website says there are six different models of the Airwheel.

Airwheels have a speed of 12km-18km and can travel distances of 20km-45km on one single charge, depending on the model.

'It's just a different hands-free way of transport that no-one's really seen before,” says Joel. 'You see one riding past and it makes you stop and look, especially when you see someone moving along hands free without peddling!

'For the young it's a cool way of getting around, they don't have to worry about their parents taking them everywhere.”

Joel has three different models of the Airwheel. 'I've got the largest powered single wheel one – which is what I usually ride because it's fun – and I've got a couple of the twin-wheel models which are really great for long commutes and they're easy to learn.

'I've found since I've started using it that my posture has changed for the better because you're constantly balancing, you know exactly what a well-balanced stance feels like.”

The battery-powered unicycle can go anywhere you would ride a bike, says Joel.

'They're a unicycle that can go all terrain. I've gone all over Tauranga, up most hills, down the gravel tracks and at skate parks.”

These new wheels don't just go in a straight line either. 'I'm still learning some tricks,” says Joel. 'You can go down stairs, spin around tight corners and ride along on one leg – and I've seen on YouTube a guy handstanding on them.”