Thursday, August 1, 2013

Car-bike hybrid gives new meaning to “green”

ELF Bike
Have you ever wondered what would happen if a Smart car and a bike had babies? Well no need to wonder any more because the answer is the ELF bike.
The ELF is an “Organic Transit Vehicle” and probably the first really feasible alterative to a combustion engine car. It runs on solar power and human-mechanical power.
On just battery power, the ELF runs at about 20 mph. That’s quite a bit slower than other electric vehicles, like the Chevy Volt, but the ELF makes up for it with its price tag.
Chevy Volt: $31,645, plus gas
ELF bike: $5,000, plus shipping
There’s really no comparison. The ELF bike won’t be taking you on cross-country road trips. But for the average city dweller, the ELF could be a great alternative to a car or bike.
The ELF bike takes seven hours to charge by sunlight and one hour from an outlet. So you can commute on just battery power.
Or you can get a workout by pedaling. Unlike a bike, the ELF bike is a great deal safer. It has a shell similar to a car, with headlights, side mirrors and turn signals. And it has a 350 lbs load capacity.
If that’s not enough to excite you, using the ELF bike instead of a car can cut down on CO2 emissions. The ELF can go 1,800 miles on the equivalent of one gallon of gas. Consider the impact on the environment that could have. And the impact on your wallet.
Is the ELF bike the transportation of the future? Maybe. At the very least it’s a good step forward in green transportation

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