Swedish design engineer Mikael Kjellman names many reasons why his decidedly car-like PodRide should come to mass production. PodRide is a velomobile that is meant to be a practical everyday vehicle. It has approximately the same sitting position and seat height as a small car, allowing easy access and good visibility in traffic. Its four wheels are narrow enough for bicycle paths but are still stable in the curves.
Rider’s pedaling power is a 250-watt crankshaft-mounted motor, taking the PodRide to an electronically limited top speed of 25 km/h. One charge of the onboard battery pack should be good for a motor-assisted range of about 60 km. Other features include a full LED lighting system, 14-speed hub transmission, air-sprung suspension, rear cargo compartment, interior defogging fan, and a manually operated windshield wiper. The electric motor and the battery are the same as on an electric bike so it is legally a normal pedal cycle and may therefore be operated on bicycle paths and without a license.
Kjellman’s assessment is that with a large-scale production the price would be 2 – 3000 euro. If there are more people interested, it would be a reason to start building the first series.
