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A Dutch engineer has built the world's smallest electric scooter (pictured) which can fold down to fit inside a work bag

Commuting to the office could be about to get faster and more fun.

A Dutch engineer has built the world's smallest electric scooter which can fold down to fit inside a work bag in just 10 seconds - or be pulled along like a large briefcase.

But despite its small size, the scooter can reach a speed of 12mph (19km/h).

When a rider is using the vehicle, the scooter stands at four feet tall (125cm) and three feet (97cm) long.

But it can collapse to just one foot in height (32cm) and one foot 10 inches (57cm) long when folded up – small enough to stash in a bag and to fit beneath the seat, or in the overhead compartment on a train.

It weighs 26lbs (12kg) and has a range of almost 10 miles (16km) before the battery requires a charge.

The electric vehicle is fitted with a LiFePO4 battery and a permanent magnet brushless engine.

Mechanical engineer Anton Schaap from Hilversum in the Netherlands, said: 'As far as we know, it is the most compact vehicle in the folded state.

'It can be folded in just ten seconds and it can also be unfolded in another ten seconds.

The 53-year-old came up with the idea for the compact vehicle when the company he was working for planned a move away from the railway station to a new location.

Speedy: When a rider is using the vehicle (pictured), the scooter stands at four feet tall (125cm) and three feet (97cm) long. The vehicle can currently reach speeds of 12mph (19km/h), but the final model could be faster depending on local regulations

'Most employees travelled by train to work, so I was figuring out how they could reach the new office five miles (8km) from the railway station,' he said.

Schaap hopes that charge time will be a few hours when the scooter is ready to be sold and estimates it will cost around £800 ($1,350).

'We have planned a speed of 12mph (19km/h) but it could also be faster or slower, depending on local regulations,' he said.

Compact: The electric scooter can collapse to just one foot in height (32cm) and one foot 10 inches (57cm) long when folded up - small enough to stash in a bag and to fit beneath the seat, or in the overhead compartment on a train. It can also be easily pulled along like a small suitcase (pictured)

A commuter's best friend? A Dutch engineer has built the world's smallest electric scooter which can fold down to fit inside a work bag - or be pulled along like a large briefcase (pictured)

'It is great because it is both compact and clean so you can take it inside your house or office without soiling the interior, or taking much space.

'This prototype is not the final production design, but we expect the charge time to be about a few hours, comparable to your mobile phone.

'The price strongly depends on the numbers that can be produced. The larger the numbers, the lower the price can be.'

Small: The electric scooter - pictured stashed inside the boot of a small car - can be folded in just ten seconds and unfolded in the same time, according to the investor