With the smooth transition to electric transportation, there are more and more new types of vehicles. And the Twike 5, a new product that will soon go into production, seemed very interesting to us.
Cars of this type are called electric musculohybrids – they are basically a pedal-powered (muscle-powered) electric bicycle, except that the device looks like a fully clad car and can also reach a speed of 190 kilometers per hour. The range on a single charge is 310 kilometers.
The Twike 5 is an ingenious concept for a vehicle that not only gets you from A to B, but also gives the rider the opportunity to get fit if they want to increase the range of the velomobile.
You sit in a two-seater, waterproof cabin and pedal like on an exercise bike, but the pedals are not directly connected to the wheels, but to a generator that produces energy to charge a 31.5 kWh battery. This means that the Twike continues to ride even when you are not pedaling.
The passenger also has pedals so that he can train at eye level with the driver. The velomobile is equipped with three wheels, weighs no more than 500 kg and measures just 120x120x270 cm. The three-wheeled vehicle is also equipped with tires with low rolling resistance, which, together with the small size and aerodynamically correct contours of the body, results in maximum energy savings.
The construction of the vehicle consists of an aluminum alloy frame covered with thermoplastic panels. The interior is very minimalist – two anatomical seats, an on-board computer, and instead of a steering wheel, the tricycle can be controlled with a pair of two-stroke levers. There is a luggage rack at the rear for transporting goods, which makes the hybrid velomobile a rather practical small vehicle.
What is its price? Well, the Twike 5 is a short-range vehicle, so the provisional market price is around 50,000 euros for a fully equipped bike with the most powerful battery. There will be models with batteries of different capacities, right up to a 30,000 euro model that does not need a battery at all.
Source: building-tech
