High performance Twike

The new TWIKE transports its passengers into a new vehicle dimension. With a maximum range of 125 miles per charge and a top speed of 53mph a Lion TWIKE easily meets your daily needs. At the same time the TWIKE is 10 times more efficient than a normal car. The futuristic joystick steering is easy and fun to use. The optional pedal drive adds to the fun and fitness of the passengers and saves even more energy. TWIKE owners don't pay road tax or congestion charge, and can park and charge for free in London!  With 7.1 Kilowatt hours with estimated up to 125 miles non stop. Charging time 3.5 hours with a normal plug, Includes free best quality CD player radio & MP3

When constructing the TWIKE space frame the swiss engineers found an ideal ratio between weight and stability, providing for maximum safety of passengers and pedestrians.  The frame structure is in the form of a safety cage. It is made from aluminium, so that during a crash the major part of the energy is absorbed by deformation.  Calculations done by the ETH Zürich prove the crash safety of this 30 kg construction.   Attached to the frame is the hood that tilts upwards to allow access to the interior. The front part of the hood is covered with safety glass, the rear with a detachable PVC or fabric cover.

Specifications

The space frame is covered by Luran® S, a thermoplastic resin made by BASF. This material is easy to recycle and even after 20 years it can be moulded into a new body. The covering provides the TWIKE and its passengers with weather protection and being made from Luran® S it doesn't corrode.  The traditional TWIKE colour is white: the colour of the Luran itself. Of course it can be painted in any desired colour, but that makes recycling more complicated.

The main structural part of the TWIKE is a thick U-shaped aluminium tube on which all other parts are mounted. The open end of the U is screwed onto the front of the battery compartment which turns it into a very rigid structure. The space frame and the undercarriage as well as seats and hood hinges are mounted directly onto this tube.

The TWIKE is equipped with independent suspension, damping is provided by original KONI spring struts. The asynchronous motor is fitted with a differential gear and drives both rear wheels. The pedal drive of the TWIKE Active provides the possibility for both the driver and passenger to actively contribute to the propulsion of the vehicle. Both sets of pedals are linked by a freewheel so that driver and passenger can independently choose whether they want to pedal or not. The fitted 5-gear box allows comfortable pedalling at speeds between 15 and 45 mph. The pedal drive is connected directly to the drive train by a freewheel to provide maximum efficiency.

One of the most prominent features of the TWIKE is of course the steering. The single front wheel is mounted in a fork that is connected to a mechanical joystick by a long push rod. Moving the joystick sideways therefore turns the front wheel sideways too. This method of steering is very intuitive and easy to learn. It is also very lightweight and provides enough room for pedalling the TWIKE Active.