TREV is a new two seat electric trike from down under
While the crew at Zap! has yet to show off anything other than computer renderings of the three-wheeled Alias and four wheeled Zap-X, a team of students and faculty at the University of South Australia have built their own EV. The TREV or Two-seat Renewable Energy Vehicle uses a lithium polymer battery pack that provides sufficient energy for about 100 miles of driving per charge cycle. It also has sufficient power to accelerate the 600lb tandem seater to 60mph in a reasonable 10 seconds with a terminal velocity of about 75mph. One glance at the hollow door shell will tell you that this machine won't even come remotely close to meeting any crash safety standards in any developed country. On the other hand if you consider something like this as more akin to an recumbent electric bicycle with a full body you would be closer to the mark. Like the current and proposed products from Zap, as long as customers are aware of what such vehicles are and more importantly what they are not, this isn't a bad way to go for urban commuters.
[Source: TreeHugger, University of South Australia, via Engadget]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mr. Guiyotinne 2:50AM (1/24/2008)
Well, That´s something ME WANTS! At least in design. They should up the security a little and we have a winner.
I think 100 miles is the milestone (;D) where EVs start to make sense in an urban enviroment, and three wheelers is the way to go for weight and size. Way to go!
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GoodCheer 10:14AM (1/24/2008)
I agree. I'll take one while I wait for Aptera to get their distribution set up.
(Pssst.... Aptera... sell me a kit car where I have to put on the wheels or something).
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zaedrus 12:56PM (1/24/2008)
And the last hurdle: price?
Otherwise, SIGN ME UP.
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Ben 9:33AM (1/26/2008)
It has to be safer than a motorcycle. I'll take it as it is now. (still I wonder what it could do with an engineair motor and tank in it?)
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