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Three Wheel
The plug-in hybrid carving three-wheeler from Venture
By Mike Hanlon
February 17, 2007 UPDATED IMAGES Venture Vehicles has formally announced in Los Angeles, the development of a revolutionary (not to mention very cool), 3-wheel, tilting, plug-in Hybrid vehicle under the working name VentureOne. It’s a two-passenger Hybrid vehicle that will get 100 mpg, accelerate from 0-60 in 6 seconds, will have a top speed of over 100 mph, while being priced at under US$20,000. In addition to the low-emission, flex-fuel Hybrid model, a zero-emission all-electric version is also being developed that will have an all-electric range of nearly 200 miles. A key feature of the VentureOne is the patented Dynamic Vehicle Control tilting technology from Dutch-based Carver Engineering that allows the body of the vehicle to actually tilt when going through turns while all three wheels maintain firm contact with the road. Carver already sells petrol-engined versions of the machine, and the Phiaro 3-wheeler is also closely based on the Carver. But a plug-in hybrid with a 200 mile electric range and sportscar performance is very enticing. Production is not scheduled until late 2008 and Venture Vehicles will initially offer two propulsion packages for the VentureOne: the hybrid E50 and Q100, and all-electric Venture EV model. The US$23,000 all-electric model will top the range while the E50 hybrid will sell for US$18,000 and the Q100 hybrid is expected to be priced under US$20,000. Read More
Can-Am Spyder roadster: three wheeled motorcycle
By Mike Hanlon
February 20, 2007 BRP has unveiled its first "on-road" vehicle, the 2008 Can-Am Spyder roadster. This three-wheel vehicle, with two wheels in the front and one in the rear, offers a completely new and stunning look. Powered by a proven 990cc V Twin engine designed and manufactured by BRP-Rotax, Spyder roadster, with its unique Y-architecture, can be described as part motorcycle and part convertible sports car. Later this year twelve selected American states and four Canadian provinces will offer Can-Am Spyder roadsters through BRP's existing dealer network, followed by France and Spain in early 2008. BRP will then expand its Can-Am Spyder offer to more North American states, Canadian provinces, Europe and other countries, and expects to be present worldwide within three to four years. Read More
A three wheeler from Audi
By Mike Hanlon
January 25, 2007 This interesting three wheeler is apparently work from within the Audi Design Centre, but we can’t comment any more than that because we don’t know any more. The images surfaced this week when Stefan Sielaff was appointed head of design for AUDI AG, with the three-wheeler model in the foreground. Sielaff reports to Walter de'Silva, who is responsible for design in the entire Audi brand group including SEAT and Lamborghini. Read More
Vectrix Electric Maxi-Scooter three-wheeler prototype
By Mike Hanlon
December 17, 2006 While the established players in the scooter game have shown concept machinery in the fuel cell, electric and hybrid genres, there’s one European company that has been quietly going about the business of designing and building a viable electric maxi-scooter with performance roughly equivalent to a 400cc conventional internal combustion engined mount – Vectrix. The Vectrix maxi-scooter is 100% emission free, has a top speed of 62 mph and runs for up to 68 miles on a single 2-hour charge from a standard electricity socket. Combined with low running costs, minimal maintenance, ease of operation, and generous storage, the Vectrix maxi-scooter is the world’s first practical zero-emission two-wheel vehicle. The scooter will be available within months and the great news is that Vectrix recently purchased the EV rights to the innovative Vespa three wheeled carving scooter and a prototype was displayed at last month’s Milan motorcycle show. The variable front suspension provides stability at low speeds and excellent handling at higher speeds. The 3-wheel scooter is extremely versatile and will be popular with local businesses and with consumers with limited riding experience as well as being ideal as a delivery vehicle and council/police mount. Read More
Brudeli's Three-Wheel Leanster
By Mike Hanlon
November 9, 2006 We’ve been drooling over the concept of three wheelers that tilt and carve for several years now, but in the main, they rarely see production. Machines such as Heikki Naulapaa's Magnet, Tommy Forsgren's Hermes, Dimitrios Scoutas' Skipee, Mercedes-Benz F 300 Life-Jet concept and Elisha Wetherhorn's electric RIDER have not yet seen production, though they all hold remarkable promise. The only guaranteed production carving concept of recent times is Vespa's three wheeled scooter, which is powered by a 250cc motor and isn't exactly as sporty as we'd hoped. Accordingly, we’re very thrilled to write about the coming of the Norwegian-designed Brudeli 625L, which delivers the thrill of a motorcycle with the control of a four-wheeled vehicle. The 625L uses a 625 cc KTM single cylinder motor, and will enter production in 2007, at which point you’ll be able to buy one and register it for use on the street for EUR 20,000 (US$25,000). It is intended both for on-road and off-road use, so it’s sort of like a three wheeled supermotard. Very exciting prospects for consumers indeed, and an opportunity for potential international distributors to get in on the ground floor. Read More
ZAP electric commercial three-wheel XEBRA
By Mike Hanlon
September 25, 2006 Automotive pioneer ZAP will later today roll out a new, all-electric vehicle designed to address the need for gas-free alternatives with multi-purpose city driving, from industrial fleets to commuting. Called the XEBRA PK, the three-wheeled ZAP seats two with a multi-purpose platform behind the passenger compartment that serves as a hauler, dump truck or flatbed. Selling for less than US$10,000, the XEBRA PK will debut before California regulators participating in the 2006 Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Technology Symposium in Sacramento, September 25-27. ZAP Chairman Starr cited a study that showed more than a third of new car buyers in California would buy an electric vehicle if that vehicle were priced close to a gasoline vehicle and offered similar functionality. The 2000 Green Car Institute study titled "The Current and Future Market for Electric Vehicles" used the same research methodologies employed by the auto industry to identify markets for gas vehicles. Read More
Vespa's very sporty three wheeled scooter
By Mike Hanlon
May 18, 2006 Piaggio launched the first Vespa model in 1946, creating an iconic presence in the personal transport revolution that evolved in the following decades. Sixty years on, the Italian company has come up with another revolutionary product: the PIAGGIO MP3, a three-wheeler with two independent tilting front wheels that operate in a “carving” motion. The PIAGGIO MP3 provides safety, road grip and stability levels that no two-wheeler can match, with lean angles of 40 degrees or more possible from novice riders. Available in 125 and 250 forms initially, we’re licking our lips at the prospect of the 500 version. Extensive image library. Read More
The TRIX human-powered carving trike
By Mike Hanlon
April 22, 2006 UPDATED WITH NEW PICS The first prize at the 10th International Bicycle Design Competition in Tapei is a rip-snorter. A brief look through our powered three-wheeler portfolio shows we love trikes and the carving concept of steering in particular. The TRIX uses rack and pinion steering to offer a carving-like experience to human-powered trikes, removing the utilitarian feel of the flat turning arc of a rigid frame and replacing it with pure fun without removing the intrinsic cargo-carrying benefit of the three-wheeler. The steering also means a tighter turning circle and significantly improved manoeuvrability as it can slalom between obstacles and lean into curves like a motorcycle. As it is ideally suited to negotiate narrow, or congested streets, TRIX is ideal for city centre life and can be adapted to transport goods or become a space-age rickshaw with a single, front-seated passenger. Read More
The SUB G1 - 135hp 1000cc V-twin three-wheeler
By Mike Hanlon
March 18, 2006 ADDITIONAL IMAGES For those who have looked enviously at three wheeled prototypes such as the Volkswagen’s GX3, Heikki Naulapaa's Aprilia Magnet, Tommy Forsgren's Hermes, Elisha Wetherhorn's Rider, Mercedes-Benz Life-Jet , Peugeot’s 20CUP, Toyota’s I-Swing, Dimitrios Scoutas' Skipee and the Phiaro Eternity, here’s one you can buy and use on the road. Powered by 1000cc of liquid-cooled DOHC, eight-valve, V-twin Suzuki motorcycle engine producing 135hp (98.6 kW) and 105 Nm of torque driving through a six-speed sequential gearbox, the SUB G1 three-wheeler weighs just 330kg, giving it Formula car power-to-weight, handling and aerodynamics. Set up by ex-GM automotive designers Niki Smart, Jay Brett and Nick Mynott, SUB is a small company in southern California that caters to clients who want individual specialised vehicles. Initial production preparations for the SUB G1 are underway and will be limited to a maximum of 25 units, with a minimum of 15 to start production. Cost of each vehicle will be US$80,000 with a US$25,000 security deposit. Read More
VW's 3-wheel sportcar
By Mike Hanlon
January 6, 2006 Volkswagen dropped a bombshell of significant magnitude in the automotive market overnight by showing a new three wheeled vehicle concept machine which it has billed as a crossover between sports car and motorcycle. That the mighty Volkswagen company should consider such a vehicle is surprising, but in an unprecedented move for any major manufacturer and a concept machine, the company has specified a price, indicating that the extreme performance and economy of the three wheeler could be delivered to market for under US$17,000 and inviting consumer response to the concept. Considering that the three wheel, two seater will deliver supercar performance while offering access to the carpool lane and delivering 46 mpg (5.2 l/100 km), we suspect the public response might be positive. We’ve reported on a number of three-wheel concepts recently, including the Aprilia Magnet , Mercedes-Benz Life-Jet , the Peugeot’s 20CUP, Toyota’s I-Swing and the Phiaro Eternity. Read More
Phiaro 3-wheeler prototype
By Mike Hanlon
In summarizing the opportunities for different technologies, there are some that we just can’t figure out. Why for example, are three wheelers so spectacularly unsuccessful in the marketplace when they make so much sense? There have been one or two notable three-wheeled motorized conveyances in history that have achieved success on some level – the Morgan and Reliant and maybe the Asian three wheeler known as the TUK-TUK but nothing of genuine mass appeal. The advantages of a three-wheeler are so great (light weight, stability, high power-weight, great fuel economy, narrow road footprint, protection to occupants), that we expect far more commercial success from the layout, particularly as the last five years has seen a raft of stunning concepts float across our pages, but none of them has yet proven successful. Check out this stunning array of three wheelers – Magnet, Hermes, Life-Jet, Rider, Skipee, the 20CUP and most recently, Toyota’s I-Swing. Now there’s another exciting three wheeler to have reached proof-of-concept stage – The Phiaro P67b ETERNITY has three weheels, two seats (arranged in tandem), a 50kW 660cc motor and it banks into corners like a motorcycle. It was designed in close collaboration with Dutch manufacturer Carver. Read More
Toyota's i-swing personal mobility concept
By Mike Hanlon
October 25, 2005 Toyota debuted its i-swing mobility concept at the Tokyo Show today, arousing massive public interest. Toyota's i-swing is a new personal mobility vehicle in the same vein as the personal mobility models (such as the PM , i-unit and I-foot ) Toyota has exhibited previously but one that takes the concept several steps further, with the capability of operating in a similar manner to the Segway in two wheeled mode at walking pace on a footpath so it takes up little space, or transform to a three-wheeled mode for road speeds. In addition to the joystick control, the i-swing can be controlled by body weight movements with a feeling reportedly like turning as if on snow skis. The i-swing concept proposes using Artificial Intelligence to enable it to learn the habits and preferences of users. Read More
The trioBike: ingenious triple play inner urban transport
By Mike Hanlon
September 6, 2005 Designed in Denmark, the trioBike is an affordable and flexible inner urban transport solution for a business, family or individual. The trioBike has three basic configurations – as a standard pushbike, as a human-powered transport vehicle with space for an 80 kilogram cache of goods or two children plus support system, or as a lightweight shopping trolley/pushchair. trioBike is designed to transform without the need for tools, has zero running costs (including free parking) and is obviously a pollution-free transport solution. Read More
Peugeot's exciting new three wheeler - the 20CUP
By Mike Hanlon
August 29, 2005 Expressing Peugeot’s new alignment with sport, the 20Cup is an innovative concept, both fun and dynamic: suggesting an elegant synthesis between two worlds – that of the motor car by its front aspect and that of the motorcycle by its single rear wheel. This sporty, three-wheel roadster, shown in two examples, differentiated only by colour, promises real driving pleasure through the strong sensations it evokes. Confirming its presence in high-level motor sport, Peugeot recently announced its new commitment to competition via the LMES Championship. Read More
The RIDER: an electric commuter trike
By Mike Hanlon
July 13, 2005 We’ve seen more than a few three wheelers that tilt and carve at Gizmag: machines such as Finnish designer Heikki Naulapaa's Magnet, Swedish designer Tommy Forsgren's Hermes, Australian designer Dimitrios Scoutas' Skipee and the Mercedes-Benz F 300 Life-Jet all exude motorcycle-like sports appeal. But Isreali designer Elisha Wetherhorn's carving machine is more akin to an electric bicycle. The Rider is an electric commuter concept trike that “carves” around corners, can run for four hours at 15 km/h and folds up so it can be used to go the “final mile” when used as an adjunct to traditional automotive or commuter transport. The Rider weighs just 14 kilograms, incorporates regenerative braking and a front-wheel electric motor and the 24 volt battery can be removed for ease-of-charging. Read More
Aprilia Magnet: Hybrid three-wheeler with supercar performance
By Mike Hanlon
January 22, 2005 Take a Formula One driving position, three wheels, a high-power 550cc v-twin engine designed for motocross, put an additional electric motor into each wheel, and an ingenious tilt system. Finnish student Heikki Naulapaa designed this vehicle as the main project in his design degree at the Royal College of the Arts in London. It landed him a dream job in the design department at Aprilia and maybe, just maybe, the adventurous company might build this excitement machine. With specs like that and a low aerodynamic profile, the hybrid would match any 1000cc superbike in performance and blow a Ferrari into the weeds. Read More
Mercedes-Benz F 300 Life-Jet: the three-wheeled driving machine
By Mike Hanlon
January 22, 2005 The Mercedes-Benz F 300 Life-Jet research project never saw the light of day as a showroom model, but it remains one of the most interesting and passion-invoking concepts ever displayed by the company (competing against a stellar cast). The three-wheeler research study, equipped with intelligent technology, blended the special thrill and cornering dynamics of a motor cycle with the safety and comfort of a saloon car - a combination for unrivalled driving enjoyment. Read More
Sit-down skateboarding at speed
By Mike Hanlon
The Body-Cart is an ergonomically designed, motorised, three-wheeled full-body skateboard capable of covering 70km on a single tank of fuel at speeds up to 28kmh. Read More
Hermes carving fuel cell three-wheeler
By Mike Hanlon
It's not a car and it's not a motorcycle, in fact there's not yet a word to describe the type of vehicle envisioned by the Hermes; a three wheel self balancing concept manoeuvred by intuitive steering that redefines the sensation of single person transport... it offers low trajectory flight without leaving the bitumen. Read More
Eco-Friendly Australian Concept
By Mike Hanlon
The Skipee concept motorcycle is constructed from predominantly recycled materials and powered an electric engine housed in the rear wheel. Read More
Recumbent Trike
By Mike Hanlon
Recumbent bicycles or Human Powered Vehicles (HPVs) as they are known, are both faster and more efficient and the traditional bicycle and if the idea hadn't been dealt such a poor hand by history earlier this century we could well be watching Lance Armstrong wearing the yellow jersey on a recumbent bicycle in this years' Tour de France. Read More
rob yates
- November 26, 2009 @ 12:49 UTC
