11-10-2021, 02:47 AM
I'm an advocate for electric cars needing to get back to basics. There's no need to be running off, sticking in 56-inch touchscreens, or making the EV larger than a small European state. Really, one of the things we should be working on is taking existing chassis, finding ways to quickly convert them to EVs, and worrying about all the fancy stuff later. Nothing new under the sun and all that, which is how I found myself driving a converted motor tricycle from 140 years ago through the British countryside.
Not sure what image you were expecting here but: Yes, this is an electric cargo motor tricycle from 1881. Or, well, an unbelievably faithful replica of one that Hart commissioned and artisan bicycle designer Christian Richards built.
When Hart and Richards set out to replicate the cabin motor tricycle French inventor Gustave Trouvé took to the streets of Paris in 1881, there was so little documentation that a quick sketch was basically all there was to go off of. It's significant, as a vehicle, because it was rechargeable and Trouvé drove it down regular roads—which as anyone who's driven in Paris knows is kind of an experimental experience even if you're in a well-tested Renault Clio.
The illustration showed Trouvé's electric tri moto wasn't purpose-built, he had to convert it. He'd used an existing pedal vehicle made by a British manufacturer and converted the chain to run from the motor rather than the pedals. And the reason no further information about it exists is that he took it for a drive, presumably decided it went well, and then disassembled the whole thing. He took the motor and battery with him to work on an electric boat project that would lead to him inventing the outboard motor.
Since the 3 wheel motorcycle was authentically replicated, it had wobbly, slim wheels and hard rims—no real tires. So when you add a little bit of electric torque to it and things start moving, they feel like they might get away from you. The speed of acceleration, driven by that large wheel, feels a lot faster than it is and like it could just keep going until it throws you into a ditch. After a few minutes though, you get the hang of it. The system's simple and it doesn't really need a brake, although it has cushy leather straps as brake pads, that make a shushing sound when activated.
Not sure what image you were expecting here but: Yes, this is an electric cargo motor tricycle from 1881. Or, well, an unbelievably faithful replica of one that Hart commissioned and artisan bicycle designer Christian Richards built.
When Hart and Richards set out to replicate the cabin motor tricycle French inventor Gustave Trouvé took to the streets of Paris in 1881, there was so little documentation that a quick sketch was basically all there was to go off of. It's significant, as a vehicle, because it was rechargeable and Trouvé drove it down regular roads—which as anyone who's driven in Paris knows is kind of an experimental experience even if you're in a well-tested Renault Clio.
The illustration showed Trouvé's electric tri moto wasn't purpose-built, he had to convert it. He'd used an existing pedal vehicle made by a British manufacturer and converted the chain to run from the motor rather than the pedals. And the reason no further information about it exists is that he took it for a drive, presumably decided it went well, and then disassembled the whole thing. He took the motor and battery with him to work on an electric boat project that would lead to him inventing the outboard motor.
Since the 3 wheel motorcycle was authentically replicated, it had wobbly, slim wheels and hard rims—no real tires. So when you add a little bit of electric torque to it and things start moving, they feel like they might get away from you. The speed of acceleration, driven by that large wheel, feels a lot faster than it is and like it could just keep going until it throws you into a ditch. After a few minutes though, you get the hang of it. The system's simple and it doesn't really need a brake, although it has cushy leather straps as brake pads, that make a shushing sound when activated.