It’s not quite a bicycle, and not quite a car — it’s a bicycle-car, and it’s called PodRide. At first glance, PodRide looks something like a very small and thin Smart Car, but under its fabric exterior lies a recumbent bicycle — as well as some technology including a 250 watt electric motor to assist with travel. This makes PodRide a little more sophisticated than your average bicycle, obviously more comfortable in the rain and snow, and still completely legal in most bicycle lanes.
Created by Swedish designer, Mikael Kjellman, the PodRide features four wheels and, with the help of the electric motor, a top speed of about 15-miles-per-hour, and overall dimensions of 180cm x 75cm x 14cm; this makes the bike-car slim enough to fit in most bicycle lanes, but wide enough to comfortably accommodate the “driver.” The body itself is waterproof and the windshield is heated to help deal with snow and ice.
“I really like to bike, but where I live in Sweden, the weather is not always very bicycle-friendly,” Mikael explained. “So I designed and built a four-wheeled bike with full fabric body to keep dry and warm in all weathers. I have driven it to work every day for a year now and it has proven to be a very practical and comfortable little vehicle.”
Other features include a full LED lighting system, 14-speed hub transmission, airsprung suspension, rear cargo compartment, interior defogging fan, and a manually-operated windshield wiper.
If you’d like a PodRide of your own, Mikael plans to offer both an assemble-it-yourself kit, or a fully-assembled production model for around $2,845.
more from Kjellman…
PodRide is a four wheeled bicycle with full body, giving a dry and safe ride in all weathers. Run the electric motor and just Cruise along or turn it off and exercise, bike to work all winter, park free in the city center, skip the traffic jams, use both roads and bike paths, no uncomfortable saddle, no driver’s license, cheape to run and great for the environment.
Presentation
PodRide is a velomobile that is meant to be a practical every day vehicle. It has approximately the same sitting position and seat height as a small car, allowing easy access and good visibility in traffic. It has four wheels to be narrow enough for bicycle paths but still be stable in the curves. It has a full waterproof body to keep you warm and dry in any weather, heated windshield with wipers, soft seat with back support, air suspension and studded tires in winter. A small trunk for your shopping bags and a hitch for a bike trailer when you want to bring your kids. The electric motor and the battery are the same as on an electric bike so it is legally a normal pedal cycle and may therefore be operated on bicycle paths and without a license.
Technical data:
Height: 180cm Width: 75cm Height: 145cm Seat Height: 50cm Weight: 70kg Wheel: 20inch tires Wheelbase: 88 cm Turning radius: 1.75m Motor: 250W electric Gears: 14 speeds hub Range: 60km Speed: 25km/h Co2 emissions: 7g/km (EU-electricity mix) (car 140g/km, Electric car 70g/km)
PodRide
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