RE: Lit Motors C-1
Tuesday 2nd September 2014
Commercially speaking, two-wheeled cars - or motorcycles with bodies on - have signally failed to set the world on fire. The Ecomobile is arguably the most successful of the genre, with continuous production over two decades from the Peraves factory in Switzerland, but the number built is tiny and it was never what you might call a looker. The Eco's successor, the Monotracer, is more contemporary in appearance, but its 1200 BMW bike engine and 14-gallon fuel tank are perhaps a little out of step with today's thinking. And neither of the Peraves machines ever fell into the budget category.
A range of 200 miles is claimedSan Francisco outfit Lit Motors is aiming to boot the enclosed bike into mass acceptability. The story goes that founder Danny Kim was nearly crushed by a Defender that was clearly angered by his attempts to make it run on bio-diesel. Seven years later, as a kind of protest against what he perceived as massive waste in the transport sector, Kim set up Lit with the stated aim of creating a new class in personal transportation.
The idea's good, but when will see one?So, when can you have one? Ah well, there's the rub. Officially, the Lit company line of first deliveries by late 2014 still stands, and (largely) refundable deposits against an unspecified number of the first 1000-vehicle first production run have been placed in escrow accounts with that in mind, but the company's failure to release a working prototype has generated some skeptical forum scuttlebutt about its ability to deliver on its deadline. The one thing in Lit's favour is that bikes don't have to go through the same costly and expensive safety certification programmes that cars do in the US.
Lit Motors C-1
The two-wheeled car goes electric with a 200-mile range and $24K price
A range of 200 miles is claimed
Lit's first product, the C-1, is an all-electric machine with 20kW in-hub motors in each wheel promising 100+mph performance. Range has been quoted as up to 200 miles, with a four-six hour charge time. Control moment gyroscopes (or CMGs) consisting of a spinning rotor and motorised gimbals that tilt the rotor's angular momentum to provide 1300lb ft of balancing gyroscopic torque, enough (so the company says) to keep the machine upright when stationary, or even if it's been T-boned by a bigger vehicle. Real car features like a steel unibody chassis, airbags and premium audio add credibility to the C-1. The price: a projected $24,000 (£14,500) in the US.
The idea's good, but when will see one?
We hope Kim makes it happen because, although gyro controlled two-wheeled cars are far from new - Wolseley's monstrous Gyrocar was built exactly 100 years ago - one that's both good-looking and vaguely affordable would be rather new. Not to mention a handy way of beating city traffic without getting wet.
Discussion
four-six does not work with numbers in word form. Also a costly and expensive certification process?
Back on topic it looks like an interesting concept. It could make an excellent city commuter vehicle, decent range, zero local emissions and a much smaller and narrower footprint than even the smallest car.
Back on topic it looks like an interesting concept. It could make an excellent city commuter vehicle, decent range, zero local emissions and a much smaller and narrower footprint than even the smallest car.
How can it make no sense on any level?
If your commute takes place on some country roads or clear a-roads then fine, use a car.
However if 20% of the cars in a city centre, or congested stretch of motorway during rush-hour suddenly became something the size of a motorbike but that could be driven in the same clothes as when driving a car, and without having to put laptops in rucksacks or worry about getting wet - both the road conditions and the air quality in the surrounding area would be improved. Plus it'd be quieter.
It would also mean companies could spend less on costly employee car-parks (looks out of the window at the new 5-level car park being built next to the existing 2 level one) - because you'd get 3 or 4 into each car space.
It makes sense on a whole host of levels..surely.
If your commute takes place on some country roads or clear a-roads then fine, use a car.
However if 20% of the cars in a city centre, or congested stretch of motorway during rush-hour suddenly became something the size of a motorbike but that could be driven in the same clothes as when driving a car, and without having to put laptops in rucksacks or worry about getting wet - both the road conditions and the air quality in the surrounding area would be improved. Plus it'd be quieter.
It would also mean companies could spend less on costly employee car-parks (looks out of the window at the new 5-level car park being built next to the existing 2 level one) - because you'd get 3 or 4 into each car space.
It makes sense on a whole host of levels..surely.
I love the idea. I even want one. It won't work for it's intended purpose though as it's too big/ not manoeuvrable enough to lane split and probably wouldn't fit in a bike parking bay. Darn sight more fun that those noddy electric cars. In fact I'd say it's the sports car of the future.
Just imagine whooshing about in one though. You'd feel like a fighter pilot especially with added machine guns.
Just imagine whooshing about in one though. You'd feel like a fighter pilot especially with added machine guns.
keith2.2 said:
How can it make no sense on any level?
If your commute takes place on some country roads or clear a-roads then fine, use a car.
However if 20% of the cars in a city centre, or congested stretch of motorway during rush-hour suddenly became something the size of a motorbike but that could be driven in the same clothes as when driving a car, and without having to put laptops in rucksacks or worry about getting wet - both the road conditions and the air quality in the surrounding area would be improved. Plus it'd be quieter.
It would also mean companies could spend less on costly employee car-parks (looks out of the window at the new 5-level car park being built next to the existing 2 level one) - because you'd get 3 or 4 into each car space.
It makes sense on a whole host of levels..surely.
I completely agree. I do 100 miles a day round trip on a congested motorway, and have to get on-site at my client by 8am if I want to park in the on-site car park, otherwise it's full and I have to use the off-site park & ride which adds a further 15-20 mins onto the commute each way. If your commute takes place on some country roads or clear a-roads then fine, use a car.
However if 20% of the cars in a city centre, or congested stretch of motorway during rush-hour suddenly became something the size of a motorbike but that could be driven in the same clothes as when driving a car, and without having to put laptops in rucksacks or worry about getting wet - both the road conditions and the air quality in the surrounding area would be improved. Plus it'd be quieter.
It would also mean companies could spend less on costly employee car-parks (looks out of the window at the new 5-level car park being built next to the existing 2 level one) - because you'd get 3 or 4 into each car space.
It makes sense on a whole host of levels..surely.
I'd have one of these in a flash if it was as safe as a car and as dry as a car, and was affordable. It would speed up my journey and I'd also have a hope of being able to park it when I got to work too.
Harry H said:
Just imagine whooshing about in one though. You'd feel like a fighter pilot especially with added machine guns.
Absolutely. Imagine the fighter plane style nose art you could have on it too. 
Edited by JonRB on Tuesday 2nd September 10:55
V8 FOU said:
Love it.
Only thing is, it would have "gyro anxiety" - if the batteries are getting very low, you could imagine pulling up to some lights and the whole thing beginning to slowly wobble and fall on its side as the gyros stopped.....
It they're smart enough to get the thing built I'm sure they may well have given that scenario some thought.Only thing is, it would have "gyro anxiety" - if the batteries are getting very low, you could imagine pulling up to some lights and the whole thing beginning to slowly wobble and fall on its side as the gyros stopped.....
V8 FOU said:
Love it.
Only thing is, it would have "gyro anxiety" - if the batteries are getting very low, you could imagine pulling up to some lights and the whole thing beginning to slowly wobble and fall on its side as the gyros stopped.....
Haa.Only thing is, it would have "gyro anxiety" - if the batteries are getting very low, you could imagine pulling up to some lights and the whole thing beginning to slowly wobble and fall on its side as the gyros stopped.....
I can imagine it now....
Youre sat at the lights and the one in front starts to sway a bit..... You know that the gyro is packing in and you sit their with baited breath waiting for the moment it topples on its side like a striken cow.....
AlpinaB5s said:
Youre sat at the lights and the one in front starts to sway a bit..... You know that the gyro is packing in and you sit their with baited breath waiting for the moment it topples on its side like a striken cow.....
Or, presumably, you press a button that lowers the stand. After all, you're not going to be want to be chewing up battery power making it stay upright when it's parked so it's going to have to have a conventional stand. 
JonRB said:
AlpinaB5s said:
Youre sat at the lights and the one in front starts to sway a bit..... You know that the gyro is packing in and you sit their with baited breath waiting for the moment it topples on its side like a striken cow.....
Or, presumably, you press a button that lowers the stand. After all, you're not going to be want to be chewing up battery power making it stay upright when it's parked so it's going to have to have a conventional stand. Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff