People around the world have been doing their part to go green by looking at other ways to commute with fewer carbon emissions. Many have turned towards bicycles, but others miss the comfort and convenience of a car. What if there was something a little bit in the middle?
Inventor Grant Sinclair has come up with a working design called the Iris eTrike. This small, motorized vehicle is the spiritual successor to the Sinclair C5 vehicle that his uncle, Sir Clive Sinclair, developed in 1985.
While the Sinclair C5 didn’t light the world on fire back in the 1980s, the Iris eTrike has quite a few upgrades that set it apart. For starters, this eTrike travels about three times as fast with a maximum speed of 30 miles per hour. The body itself was inspired by the aerodynamic helmets that are used in velodrome bike racing. Crash helmets for skiing also made their influence in the body’s Quantum Foam EPP material that protects the rider.
Visibility is always a concern with smaller modes of transportation. To keep the rider safe, the Iris eTrike features LED headlamps, brake lights, and turn signals. The chest height, high-level profile of the eTrike also helps to attract attention.
For a longer commute, storage space is a big necessity, and this is where this eTrike shines. Iris features a lockable rear compartment that has 50 liters of space. Whether for personal shopping, express couriers, or food delivery, the Iris eTrike allows for a green way to carry goods.
Iris runs on a 250-watt geared hub motor that uses regenerative braking to recharge the battery in transit. This allows the eTrike to travel up to 50 miles after a one-hour charge. The hybrid design of the vehicle automatically starts the motor when pedaling. Additionally, the battery powers a few extra features inside the cabin. A universal smartphone dock can easily be used for GPS, music playback, and more. The phone also can be used to stream footage from the built-in rearview camera.
Other features include a hinged acrylic canopy to keep the rider dry and channeled air vents to keep air flowing inside the cabin.
The Iris eTrike can be pre-ordered now with a 99-pound ($124) deposit. With a final price of 2,999 pounds ($3,762), delivery is estimated for the fourth quarter of 2017.