Original URL: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/01/13/yike_bike/
Yikes! It's the Yike Bike
Leccy penny-farthing, anyone?
Posted in Hardware, 13th January 2010 14:50 GMT
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A bunch of “entrepreneurs, engineers and dreamers” have turned their backs on headline-grabbing e-cars to come up with an electrically powered shrunken penny-farthing.
Yike Bike has supposedly been designed to “dramatically change” urban transport by providing city dwellers with a fast, safe and easy way to get around town.
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Safety conscious consumers look away now, though, because instead of sitting firmly on a saddle with handlebars in-front of you, Yike Bike asks you to perch atop in 20in wheel and grab onto a pair of rear-mounted handlebars.
Yike Bike: the future of urban transport?
The travel gadget’s frame is constructed from carbon composite, weighs in at 9.8kg and folds away into a compact 43l unit once you reach your destination.
An integrated lithium-ion battery lets the rider travel at speeds of up to 14mph, but Yike Bike only has a maximum distance of six miles. Its battery can be fully recharged in 30 minutes, the designers said.
Yike's short range and high price could put some off
Online advance orders [2] are currently being taken for the Yike Bike, which will cost up to €3900 (£3480). A UK launch is planned, but an arrival date hasn’t been announced. ®