The New Sinclair C5....

[spen666]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-28221374


What interested me more was the inventor's idea these will be used in bike lanes.... I bloody hope not

 

[Bimble]

Yes, I saw it on the news this morning too - the IRIS - bit more about it here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38960275

Electric trike with a shell. Can't remember if they mentioned the price they hope to sell it for though (and don't have speakers on the PC at the mo to listen to the clip)?

 

[fossyant]

It will be in cycle lanes.

 

[numbnuts]

I want one, oh hang on I already have a trike all I need a motor and a battery

 

[DCLane]

The 30mph bit looked interesting.

It also looks quite wide

 

[mickle]

It's nice to see Shaun making a splash, I used to go out with his big sister.

 

[Smokin Joe]

The C5 was ahead of it's time, as stated in the link. Sinclair made the mistake of describing it as an electric car prior to it's launch and everyone was expecting a standard motor car powered by an electric motor, so when it was launched and was a million miles away from that no-one took it seriously. With more acceptance of low speed vehicles in cities today plus the vast improvement in battery technology a modern C5 could be a winner.

 

[spen666]

The C5 was ahead of it's time, as stated in the link. Sinclair made the mistake of describing it as an electric car prior to it's launch and everyone was expecting a standard motor car powered by an electric motor, so when it was launched and was a million miles away from that no-one took it seriously. With more acceptance of low speed vehicles in cities today plus the vast improvement in battery technology a modern C5 could be a winner.

Some serious problems with them, including

Where do you park them at your home to charge them and or where do you park them at your destination ( and or charge them)

 

[MontyVeda]

I think i'll stick to the standard bike, and an anorak.

 

[mickle]

The C5 was ahead of it's time, as stated in the link. Sinclair made the mistake of describing it as an electric car prior to it's launch and everyone was expecting a standard motor car powered by an electric motor, so when it was launched and was a million miles away from that no-one took it seriously. With more acceptance of low speed vehicles in cities today plus the vast improvement in battery technology a modern C5 could be a winner.

The C5 wasn't ahead of it's time. Sinclair (rather arrogantly in my view) never bothered to research what was then occuring in the bicycle/human power world before designing his monstrous sh!tter. If he had he might have discovered that there were lots of people developing light, pedallable, aerodynamically efficient and fast recumbent trikes that could go around corners. The C5 was so sh!t that put back human power by 20 years. The farking thing couldn't be adjusted for leg length FFS.

 

[Salad Dodger]

I only know what I saw on TV, but I still think the overall concept is wrong. Too low and too slow (assuming 15mph) to be safe on urban/suburban roads.

Why couldn't he have just developed a decent electric motor scooter? Maybe with some protection from the elements, like BMW tried. www.autoevolution.com/news/bmw-rumored-to-surface-a-300cc-class-scooter-98228.html

 

[rualexander]

Alternatively from scandinavia

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/podride-a-practical-and-fun-bicycle-car-bike-bicycle--2#/

http://www.podbike.com/

 

[Bimble]

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/podride-a-practical-and-fun-bicycle-car-bike-bicycle--2#/

That just makes me think of the Flintstones ... Yabba ... oh, no, nevermind.

 

[ufkacbln]

Why shouldn't it be in cycle lanes? It's not really different from an electric assist trike?

Apart from a speed that is double the legal limit for an electric tricycle?

The present form is illegal and requires the registration and insurance of a motor vehicle

00:36 on Bimble's link

It has no more right to a cycle lane than a moped or motorcycle

 

[Drago]

Nice idea, but as demonstrated its verging on being a moped. In fact, if the front wheels are more than 46cm apart you start moving into the realms of something that might be designated as a car, and all the licencing, taxation and insurance grief it brings.

Having said that, a small, personal electric car for short journeys is a good idea in my book.

Edit - £2999 or £3499 depending on the version.