99PI GOES ON A SINCLAIR C5 DEEP DIVE

Forgive my rampant fanboyism, but Roman Mars’ 99 Percent Invisible is the reason Podcasts were invented. The show is famous for exploring the hundreds of hours of thought that go into the everyday world around us. From Thomassons to a surprisingly moving piece on a light bulb that never goes out, 99PI gives you a look at that 99% of the world that happens behind the scene- but the show rarely delves into the automotive universe that I tend to occupy. That’s why this 99PI episode about the Sinclair C5 is so exciting!

Funded by electronics giant Sir Clive Sinclair and built in the UK, the Sinclair C5 was a three-wheeled, battery-assisted, recumbent tricycle that Sinclair hoped would drastically reduce congestion and pollution in major cities by cutting back on the need for cars. It was a sort of proto-Twike, if you will, and the company actually built enough of the to warrant a TV commercial.

Sinclair C5 TV Commercial

It was a cool little vehicle, and seems very much in tune with the direction that personal transportation is going. Heck, 99PI even tries to make a case for Elio Motors’ trike being sort of a spiritual successor to the Sinclair C5.

I mean, both Twike and Sinclair actually delivered a number of cars to customers, but they all have three wheels, and 99 Percent Invisible isn’t really a car show. You know what I’m saying?

You can listen to the full 99 Percent Invisible mini-episode about the Sinclair C5 by clicking here. The podcast is at the bottom of their page, and the link has a bunch of great videos and pictures of Sinclair’s little velo for you to peruse while you listen. Check it out, and let us know what you think of 99PI and the Sinclair in the comments. Enjoy!

Source | Images: 99 Percent Invisible, the Telegraph.

Twike Velomobile: a Look Inside the Best

Earlier this week, we took a look at a new, enclosed bicycle concept from Virtue Bikes. It was nice-looking enough, and certainly got our attention, but (as I mentioned in that article) it didn’t provide the sort of 360-degree weather protection that you get from a “proper” velo. In light of all that complaining and negativity, it seemed like a good time to highlight something positive – so, here’s a look inside the German TWIKE.

In my opinion, the TWIKE is the best pedal-electric velomobile you can buy today. Between its low weight, fully enclosed bodywork, top-shelf components, and nearly emissions-free operation, the TWIKE has a lot going for it – but that’s not the most impressive thing about the TWIKE. This is: the TWIKE has been in production for nearly 20 years.

That’s right, the TWIKE is not a concept. It’s not some guy asking for your money in exchange for hopes and promises and (if you’re lucky) a refund if it doesn’t work out. It’s a for-real company that will sell you a for-real product. A for-real, 50 MPH human-electric hybrid product that’s good enough to nearly win the Automotive X-Prize. A for-real product that features proven, real-world capabilities in all kinds of nasty weather conditions. A for-real product you can buy, right now, for about $6800 (in “Pioneer” trim, no less).

If, you know, you live in Europe.

In the past, TWIKEs have been offered in the US for more than $26,000 (back in the heady days of 2007-2008, when gas prices first hit $4/gal. and people still had credit), but- for the moment- that barrel is dry. It’s too mad, too, because I think there’s a tremendous demand for a highly efficient, $6800 pedal-electric trike with a 20 year track record of reliability. What do you guys think? Check out the TWIKE’s cockpit and pedal drive, below, then peruse the specs and let us know what you think in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

Inside the TWIKE

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TWIKE Technical Specs

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Type of vehicle
EU	Three-wheel motor vehicle (2002/24/EG)
CH	Dreirädriges Motorfahrzeug
US	Motorcycle – Threewheeler
Dimensions / mm
Length x width x heigth	2650 × 1200 × 1250
Wheel base	1870
Wheel gauge	1090
Construction
Chassis	Tube frame and aluminium space frame with roll-over bar, 3-point safety belts
Vehicle body	Thermoplast LuranS®
Steering	Joystick with connection rod and damper
Motor
Type	3-phase-asynchronous motor with integrated reductiongearbox (11,6:1) and differential
Actual power output	3 kW at 2930/min
Maximum power	9 kW
Nominal voltage	230 Volt
Drive system	IGBT Inverter with controller and HMI
Pedal drive	integrated
Driving performance
Drag coefficient	Cw=0,325
Maximum speed	85 km/h
Acceleration 0-60 km/h	9 sec
Range per charging	more than 500 km
Max. climbing ability	22%
Battery
Type	LiMn, 392 cells
Nominal voltage	353 Volt DC
Capacity	4,8 – 5,8 Ah
Energy	1,7 – 2,1 kWh
Weight	19 kg
Energy density	96 – 116 Wh/kg
Charging time	about 1 km/min
Consumption
Efficient	4 kWh / 100km
City-cycle	6 kWh / 100km
Highway-cycle	7 kWh / 100km
Energy equivalent	0,4 – 0,7 l fuel / 100km
Mountains	+1,77 kWh / 1.000 evelation gain
Weighti / kg
Empty weight without battery	220 kg
Permissible maximum weight	505 kg
Axle load limit, front wheel	145 kg
Axle load limit, back wheel	360 kg
Chassis
Independent wheel suspension	On rear and front wheels
Wheels	Aluminum rims, front wheel 1,35“x16”, rear wheel 1,85“x16”
Tire	front wheel 2 1/4 – 16” (20×2,25) or 2 1/2 2 – 16” (20×2,50),
Brake system	2-circuit hydraulic system, front wheel disk break, rear wheels drum break, electric motor brake (recuperation with cruise control)
Luggage space
Dimensions / mm	Length x width x heigth: 400 × 1150 × 650
Volume for luggage	(with 2 seats) / co-pilot seat easily removable

Photos/technical info. courtesy of FINE Mobile GmbH.

Can You Drive a Twike in Winter?

Of all the oddball green car concepts out there – and, there are a lot of ‘em! – my favorite has to be the Twike 4XP. A human-powered hybrid, the Twike 4XP is a tiny urban runabout that you can pedal like a bicycle, but also drive around like an electric car. If you’re running low on juice, either physically or electrically, you can tap into the appropriate reserves and get home. It’s brilliant, in my never-so-humble opinion, and its most heinous emissions are easily controlled by avoiding Indian food. Still, today’s weather forecast called for “cold and freezing fog” here in Chicagoland, which didn’t sound promising for the little Twike.

Putting it another way: can you realistically drive a 4XP in winter?

Because life can always get a little better, I (sadly) don’t have a Twike to try out on icy roads. That means I had to ask, and the word from FINE Mobil GmbH (the manufacturers of the Twike) was that the little machine “is very suitable for driving on snow as well as on ice. Through the drive with a three-phase motor and due to the narrow tires, the ‘grip’ on snowy roads is very good – by accelerating and recuperating. However, the ‘soft’ snow height should not be more than the ground clearance.” Which makes sense, since the aerodynamically-shaped flat bottom would make it just a sled, at that point.

Here comes the technical explanation for the grip, courtesy, again, of FINE:

The three phase asynchronous motor accelerates the vehicle by increasing the engine speed by a fixed amount per unit of time, limited to a maximum power consumption. This control mechanism during recuperation (electric braking) acts in the same way that prevents indiscriminate spinning of the drive wheels and thus receives the traction capability of the vehicle. Thus, the Twike automatically has a kind of “anti – skid control” and a kind of “ABS” during electric braking. Traction on ice and packed snow is an ultimate experience of the Twike.

So, take that how you will, I guess. Do any of you have a Twike or enclosed Velo of your own? Have you driven it in winter? Let us know how that went in the comments, below.

Source | Photos: Twike.

Frankfurt 2013: Twike Trots Out the 4XP Human Powered Hybrid

Nestled away in a small corner of this year’s Frankfurt auto show, the tiny Twike company rolled out its nearly production-ready, X-Prize contending 4XP plug-in hybrid. The sci-fi inspired, jet-fighter cockpit-styled Twike isn’t what you might think it is, though. It’s a hybrid, in that it combines the power of its electric motor with a more conventional power plant – in this case: a human power plant.

That’s right! The Twike is, essentially, a pedal-assist covered bicycle that’s intended primarily as low-impact, zero-emission urban transport. If the batteries go low, you can pedal them up. If you’re going downhill, you can use a form of regenerative braking to charge the batteries. If it’s raining, you won’t get wet. The best part, to me, is that you can use the electric motor more on the way to work and avoid showing up sweaty and stinky, and then pedal more on the way home as part of your cardio/workout routine.

The other best thing about the Twike, though, is that it really can replace a small car – especially with the upgraded battery packs and electric motor with a 45 mph top speed and decent, 50+ mile range as a pure EV at 35-ish mph – which was good enough for a trip around the world, two years ago.

SO, while the Twike might not be perfect for everyone, of course, but if you’re in the market for a small, 2-seat commuter with a proven track record of sales (Twikes have been around, in Europe, for almost a decade), manufacturing know-how (again: decade), and safety (the Twikes have been crash-tested and reportedly meet stringent TÜV standards), the Twike 4XP might be just thing.

Here’s hoping some enterprising American company has the sense to bring one of these over to the ‘States as an NEV, then. We’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, you can check out some of the 4XP’s design drawings, below, and get a sense of what it will look like in different color combinations. Enjoy!

Source | Photos: Twike, via Motorpasion.