ON ENERGY-EFFICIENT AND FUN TRANSPORTATION

EASY RIDER

Here's a description for a vehicle you don't see everyday, from Technoride:

"...three-wheel motorcycle in a rain-proof bubble, plus safety, fuel efficiency, and low emissions."

What are they describing? A concept "car" called CLEVER:

"...the CLEVER concept car is intentionally three-wheeled: It's a prototype two-passenger urban vehicle that's fuel-efficient, low-pollution, and relatively safe. The CLEVER, or Compact Low Emission Vehicle for Urban Transport, is the creation of nine European research and industrial partners."

A car designed by committee, some government sponsored no less.  You wouldn't have high expectations for something like this, but the specs look promising:

"The technology behind the CLEVER is a tubular frame (aluminum, with plastic bodywork) that protects the driver and the passenger, who is seated (not straddled) immediately behind the driver.

It uses a 218cc compressed natural gas (CNG) engine from Rotax, an enlarged version of the gasoline powerplant in the BMW C1—a fascinating two-wheel motorcycle-in-a-bubble that protects the driver in spills and rollovers.

The engine has a reported fuel economy of 108 mpg (2.6 liters per 100 kilometers) with a range of 125 miles or 200 km from its twin six-liter carbon fiber tanks."

Good you say, but does it have any oomph?  Well, the article states:

"Acceleration for the CLEVER is 7 seconds from 0 to 40 mph, with a top speed of around 60 mph, or 100 kph."

Not quite a motorcycle, but definitely better than a Vespa. 

My question is, does it have a navigation system and a plug for an iPod?

Comments

[brian]

the question is how much it will cost. If a production version can be had for under $10K, I might be interested.