The makers of the 500km electric vehicle TWIKE show project vehicle at the IAA in Frankfurt
11.9.2013 Rosenthal/Frankfurt
At this year’s IAA, TWIKE will be exhibiting the TWIKE 4 project vehicle in Hall 3.1 Stand D35. Suggestions are actively requested and collected here in order to incorporate them into the new development.
The TWIKE 4, also known as “Project TW4XP” (ThreeWheeler for X PRIZE), won 3rd place out of 136 competitors in its category in the international “Automotive X Prize” competition for highly efficient vehicles. The TWIKE 5, which is based on the TWIKE 4, is due to be launched on the market in 2014. The TWIKE is a highly efficient, lightweight and intelligent vehicle concept that differs greatly from today’s cars in terms of both appearance and handling.
TWIKE – The concept
The TWIKE is a three-wheeled electric vehicle for two people and luggage. The TWIKE 3, which has already been delivered over 1,000 times worldwide, is currently available and is unrivalled in terms of efficiency with its consumption of 5 kWh / 100 km. With its top speed of 85 km/h , the TWIKE 3 keeps up well in city traffic as well as in the countryside, while its acceleration usually causes an unexpected sensation. The TWIKE is also a human power hybrid, a detail that will also be an important part of the concept in subsequent vehicles. It combines the electric motor with a pedal unit that allows the driver to engage in sporty activities while driving without any pressure to perform and to contribute to the movement with their muscle power. This gives the occupants the opportunity to keep fit during their daily journeys. Depending on the battery , current vehicles achieve ranges of 300 and sometimes even 500 kilometres.
The TWIKE – brief history
The TWIKE was originally developed from a student project. After winning several awards at the World Expo in Vancouver in 1986 and a further development phase, the first TWIKEs were delivered to end customers in 1996. Since then, more than 1,000 customer vehicles have covered over 60 million kilometres. The TWIKE regularly demonstrates its enormous efficiency – but also its performance – at racing and driving events. Some examples from recent years include the e-miglia 2012 efficiency award, 1st place at WAVE 2011 and 2012 and victory in the “vehicle with the longest range” category at eRUDA 2013, where a TWIKE travelled over 500 km purely electrically with a battery available to the customer without recharging.
The TWIKE 5
Faster and more powerful than the TWIKE 3 , the TWIKE 5 will also be TWIKE through and through. Just like the three-wheel concept, the sporty hybrid drive is an integral part of the TWIKE genes that make this unusual riding pleasure possible. Anyone who would also like to give their opinion on the TWIKE electric speedster is very welcome to visit the IAA stand in Hall 3.1.
Source: elektroauto-news.net
