Electric Velomobiles: as Fast and Comfortable as Automobiles, but 80 times more Efficient
solar.lowtechmagazine.com
About a quarter of the existent wind turbines would suffice to power as many electric velomobiles as there are people.
  • frightful_hobgoblin@lemmy.ml
    17·
    3 months ago

    I feel there’s probably some reasons they haven’t become popular.

    • Don’t turn as nimbly as a bike

    • Can’t put them on your shoulder and carry them indoors, onto a train, etc. like as a bike

    • Don’t climb hills as well as a bike (source)

    • 20× the cost of a bike, maybe that could be brought down by economies of scale if they were more popular

    I could imagine a velomobile being preferable if you’re commuting from a satellite town to the city, and the journey consists of a long straight road.

    I’d definitely say they’re worse for getting around the city, and their comparative advantages are bought at the price of significant extra overhead.

    • ertai@programming.devOP
      2·
      3 months ago

      I’m not sure the bike is the accurate comparison target compared to the scooter or car for commuting. Also, I think the main reason they are not so popular is laws. I think there was another article on solar.lowtechmagazine where this was discussed, but from my fuzzy memory, the issue there is not yet a separate category for these kinds of high speed limit, electrical assistance vehicles. You either have to use it like a bike, in which case in many countries you are not allowed to go past a low set speed limit (something like 30 km/h) with elecrical assistance, or you have to register the vehicle to be in the category of motorbikes, in which case you are subject to the same rules, like having a license plate, needing to get your vehicle checked at the garage every year and other things. Maybe try to find the article, it will be better explained.