WALES, United Kingdom (Reuters) — In 1985 celebrated British inventor Sir Clive Sinclair said his C5 electric tricycle would revolutionize personal travel.
The British public decided otherwise, shunning the C5, primarily because its design seated riders too low down, making them sometimes invisible to other vehicles. Its poor range – 20 miles – and lack of protection from the elements didn’t help matters.
More than three decades after the C5 sunk without trace Sinclair’s 44-year-old nephew Grant Sinclair believes his three-wheeled prototype Iris eTrike will prove far more successful.
The inventor, from Cambridge, had the idea to make the eTrike from expanded polypropylene foam (EPP), having played with small remote controlled helicopters constructed from the same material. EPP is also used to make crash helmets.
“I noticed each time they crashed all the internal parts of the helicopter were completely undamaged and wondered why no-one had used EPP to make an electric vehicle,” Sinclair told Reuters TV.
The Iris has normal bicycle pedals and eight-speed race bike gearing, combined with a 250-watt electric motor with rechargeable battery pack that starts automatically once pedalling is detected.
“The Iris is like a big shell on top of a very light trike chassis, with an electric hub motor on the back. As you pedal, the motor kicks in and gives you some extra momentum,” said Sinclair.
In tests Sinclair says the 55 kilogram (121 pounds) vehicle, which includes a chromoly steel trike chassis, has reached 30 miles per hour (48 kph) and been driven for distances of up to 50 miles (80 km). Recharging takes one hour.
Sinclair told Reuters: “There’s nothing else like this on the market. In terms of other e-bikes this is much lighter weight, and much safer because it’s like sitting inside a large crash helmet. It’s more efficient than a normal bike because it’s streamlined, so it glides through the air very efficiently.”
The inventor says features such as the Iris’s puncture-proof tyres made by Tannus, its plexiglass canopy, and its high seating position will ensure that the Iris does not suffer the same fate as that of the C5.
“I think the C5 would have a much easier time these days because you have cycle paths everywhere. However, when I designed this product I deliberately made it quite high up, whereas normal recumbent trikes are low on the ground and sometimes feel a little bit intimidating riding in traffic.”
Inside the Iris design are smartphone docking stations and a rear-view camera that will connect to your iPhone or Android smartphone. A direct drive hub motor with reverse functionality is currently being tested.
Innovative bicycle design clearly runs in the Sinclair family. Two years ago Sinclair’s cousin Crispin, son of Sir Clive, went public with a design for his electric bicycle, the Babel, but failed to raise the requisite funds via crowdfunding.
Grant Sinclair has taken a different route and says three established manufacturers have offered to mass produce and distribute the Iris.
Currently there is only a single Iris prototype, but pilot run production is planned with first deliveries anticipated in late 2017.
Trikes cost £3,999 – via Sinclair’s website – and can be customized for an additional £800.