We love concept vehicles. A fresh spin on a conventional mode is even better. So we decided to check this one out – the electric-assit tricycle. The “ELF”! What a way to reduce emissions.
Ok, ok, it doesn’t sound as cool as the Gossamer Condor, but give it a chance. It will certainly save you money on gas and still allow you hit the road. It is built with a 45 percent aluminum frame and equipped with weatherproof 80 percent recycled shell, an electric-assist drivetrain, a solar panel for charging the battery, LED head lights, tail lights, turn signals, and of course, an impressively loud horn. There’s also a smart phone/tablet app in development that will provide data on battery use, calories burned, route optimization and allow owners to connect with users in the area. We think this has big potential in our list of greener cars. The parent article here has much more information.
“An increasingly urban culture, coupled with rising awareness about resource depletion and global climate change, may be about to change all of that. Following a stint in the corporate social responsibility sector, [Robert Cotter, creator of the ELF] began exploring the possibility of a velomobile, or pedal-powered vehicle, aimed at the urban commuter market:
‘The bike industry is huge in the U.S., but it is largely geared toward recreation and sport. We know there are vast numbers of people who would be interested in biking, but they are concerned about safety, convenience, or they simply don’t want to turn up to work in sweaty Lycra. If we can get a fraction of that market, we’ll be home dry.'”
Read on in the article, you may be inspired by the creator’s mission and message. Said Cotter, “We’re watching the cost of Chinese labor and fossil fuels going up, while unemployment in the West is at critical levels. We’re riding that wave, and aiming to build a radically different business model that will keep our costs and environmental impact down.”