Mr. Möscheid, since when has the TWIKE 5 been in planning?
It has been in the planning stage since 2010. When we won third place in the X-Prize with the TWIKE 4, we all knew that we wanted to build this vehicle in series. The riding fun that this small, lightweight vehicle offers simply cannot be compared with anything else! We always say that it has the genes of a motorcycle and a car. And that’s how it rides.
Why doesn’t the TWIKE 4 come after the TWIKE 3?
The TWIKE 4 was a test vehicle. Not only did we show that we can build a high-performance, market-oriented vehicle, we also learned a lot in the process. Although we had intended the TWIKE 4 for series production from the outset, we realized during development that many points could still be optimized.
What are these points?
I don’t want to give too much away at this point. Just the following for now: At 650 kg, the TWIKE 4 is still clearly too heavy for us. 500 kg is the upper limit that we have set ourselves for the TWIKE 5. The range should be higher and the top speed can also increase considerably, as the chassis allows significantly higher speeds.
Even though it only has three wheels?
We developed the chassis together with a renowned chassis expert who normally works for the big names in the automotive industry. In fact, the TWIKE 4 is already capable of enormous cornering speeds. And that’s despite the fact that its center of gravity is actually too high. The TWIKE 5 will be able to circle around corners like a sports car.
Does the weight apply with or without batteries?
Of course with! This weight is unrivaled. A BMW i3 weighs 1.3 tons and even such small cars as an i-MIEV weigh more than a ton. Every kilogram saved is a plus in range. And the electric drive can only really show its full potential, also in terms of energy efficiency, in a lightweight vehicle. The TWIKE 5 will set a new benchmark!
Thank you very much for the interview!
