Honda may be looking to take on the Hoveround in the competitive personal mobility segment. The company unveiled its E-Canopy three-wheeled scooter at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show. Honda envisions the all-electric trike primarily for personal use, though the large optional trunk may also make the vehicle ideal for small delivery businesses that may need to cover short distances. The large, plexiglass windscreen should help keep the driver fairly dry in light weather, though the lack of passenger seating may be a problem should the E-Canopy ever make it to production.

We can already see roving gangs of overweight Americans whirring their way to the local Golden Arches before prowling the aisles of their favorite box stores on their Honda Hoveround E-Canopy.

Honda E-Canopy is mobility minded trike originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments
Autoblog

No related posts.

There aren’t a lot of cars out there that have more doors than seats. Usually it’s the other way around, but that’s what Volkswagen has in store with the Nils concept. The tiny one-seater packs two polycarbonate gullwing doors (plus a rear hatch) in a unique shape that envisions a future mode of transportation for European commuters.

Riding on four outboard wheels with individual fenders, the Nils is about more than its form factor, though. Behind the driver sits a 15 kW electric motor that delivers a range of about 40 miles, but with a 25 kW overboost function that can propel it to 62 mph in 11 seconds. Charging from a standard European socket takes only two hours. The diminutive concept also packs all the latest electronic safety systems you’d expect from a larger car into its 1,000-pound shape, built around an aluminum space frame.

This isn’t the first time that Volkswagen has toyed with the idea of a single-seat commuter, having showcased the Formula XL1 concept earlier this year. Nor will it be the only narrow EV concept the Volkswagen Group will unveil next week at the Frankfurt Motor Show, joining the 1+1 Audi Urban Concept in the group’s pavilion. We’ll be there to check them both out, but for now you can follow the jump for the full press release and the quartet of high-res images in the gallery for a closer look.

Continue reading Volkswagen takes another shot at single-seat mobility with Frankfurt-bound Nils concept

Volkswagen takes another shot at single-seat mobility with Frankfurt-bound Nils concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Sep 2011 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments
Autoblog

No related posts.

No related posts.