I saw Lit Motors at Maker Faire yesterday. They have a mockup of what they intend to build, which is shown in the photo and they have their metal prototype.
They want to build a gyro stabilized enclosed electric motor cycle. It will have 220 miles of range on one charge and a maximum speed of 120 miles per hour and the big thing is a target price of $12000 to $16000.
They are a startup which has gotten to the prototype stage for $1 million and they need $7 million to get to limited production ready. They are based in San Francisco.
Even in a crash or at a stop light, the driver and passenger remain enclosed, upright and stable on the two wheels without any other support. The vehicle will weight about 800 pounds.
If you liked this article, please give it a quick review on ycombinator or StumbleUpon. Thanks
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels.
A frequent speaker at corporations, he has been a TEDx speaker, a Singularity University speaker and guest at numerous interviews for radio and podcasts. He is open to public speaking and advising engagements.
This form factor has been around for a while. The reason it keeps coming back is because there is a necessary niche in something that has much less than a car width or even half a car width. The amount of atoms needed to move someone will be pared down until you've reached some optimal ratio, saving both materiel and weight in a virtuous circle.
I think the biggest downside (aside from the snug fit and lack of an empty to throw your junk in) might be perceived safety and also all weather capability. For sure this is likely not do well in snowy climes, and potentially has the same weaknesses as motorcycles in the rain. Also, I wouldn't want to be t-boned in something like this unless there is a transverse titanium strut keeping me from becoming a pancake.