We’ve seen lots of new, small EV commuter solutions of late, the little Renault Twizy quadricycle being one of the first of a new breed to make it to the market.
But now it looks like the Twizy could have some competition with the unveiling of a new vehicle that’s something like a cross between motorcycle and a car.
The new C1, developed by Lit Motors was revealed at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in San Fransisco this week, as the little start-up firm competes for the Disrupt Cup from the tech publication.
Like a car, the C1 is enclosed, a benefit it boasts over the open-sided Twizy. But like a motorcycle, the C1 balances on two wheels, but it is gyroscopically stabilised, so that it won’t fall over, even when hit by another vehicle (watch the vid for proof of this cool concept in work). You don’t need a helmet to drive it, because of its car-like structure, but it in the US, it would be likely that you’d need a motorcycle licence.
The electric vehicle is also expected to travel around 200 miles on a single charge, a top speed of 100 miles, and a 0-60 time of around six seconds-much better performance than many other small EVs.
Danny Kim, project manager for the C1, hopes to start producing the little model from next year, with prices expected to start in the region of $19,000 ( around £11856) according to BusinessInsider.com, before higher production volumes will allow the model to drop to $12,000 (£7488) by 2014. Kim hopes to raise around $20 million to build a beta prototype before moving towards a product launch.
Faye has been writing about cars and environmental issues since 2007. A suspected eco-warrior working on the corporate inside, Faye mainly likes the weird, quirky vehicles that show a distinct environmental advantage. Her ideal car has enough room to fit a bale of hay in the boot. When not working, she likes nothing better than to head out on her bicycle and explore the countryside.
Alex Kovnat
Gyro-stabilized? Good. Some elderly motorcycle enthusiasts, to avoid having to give up their Harleys altogether, ride three-wheelers so as to avoid the balance challenges of two-wheelers.
September 11, 2012