Could This Electric-Assist Quadcycle Replace Your Car?
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
Two wheel eBikes are often touted as car replacements, but they are still essentially just power-assisted bicycles. But what about a weather-protected four wheel version?
The Elecy hopes to create a new market segment with its pedal-electric vehicle that's halfway between a car and an eBike, as it comes with full weather protection and seating for two (adult in the front and a child in the rear) plus 300 litres of storage space. This new iteration of a microcar is not yet ready to hit the streets and is currently only in prototype form. It's the brainchild of a British Formula 1 engineer, Tamara Ivancova. Drawing on her expertise in composite manufacturing and engineering, she says the Elecy "provides a safe, comfortable, and high-performance alternative to cars in cities."
The four-wheeled, composite-bodied microcar is made largely of recycled and renewable materials, and utilizes standard bicycle parts wherever possible. It can be legally ridden on the road or in bike lanes, it has a maximum electric-assist speed of 25 km/h (16 mph), and it can reportedly travel up to 80 km (50 miles) per 3-hour charge of its battery.
All images courtesy of Amara Automotive | Click to enlarge
That battery can be removed for charging. What's more, an extra battery can be added for extending the range. And, if the weather is looking good, the aerodynamic canopy can be removed, allowing it to be enjoyed cabriolet-style.
Other features include GPS tracking and an LED lighting system that consists of headlights, tail lights, turn indicators and brake lights. The Elecy measures 2.5 m long by 0.8 m wide by 1.3 m tall (98.4 by 31.5 by 51.2 inches).
There is no indication yet of pricing. However, as a proof of concept, she plans to take her four-wheeled pedal-electric vehicle across 23 countries and more than 18,600 miles, using only the prototype.