Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Ethanol, Flex-Fuel, Hybrid
Three-wheeled hybrid Carver bike/car on the way. Can you say cool?
I've gotta admit that Devilstower's post on the three-wheeled Carver is contagious. He gushes over the possibility of this $16,000 flexible-fuel hybrid high-mpg vehicle, and it makes me think about putting in for a space on the waiting list. We've got to have patience, though. The standard (non-hybrid) Carver isn't even available yet - it's due in January - and who knows when the hybrid will make an appearance. When it does, though, it'll be a cool vehicle to drive around town. This all might be a pipe dream though, as the standard version will cost over $40K and only gets 43mpg. Still, the initial impressions and specifics (zero to sixty in 8 seconds, with car tires in back, motorcycle tire in front) are interesting and intriguing enough to warrant further inspection when the release date gets closer.
[Source: Political Cortex, suggested by Mark Sumner]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Peter 11:36AM (8/19/2006)
A used Miata has similar performance and costs less than 50 %
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Maddi 2:25AM (7/14/2008)
There's a miata forum on real world MPG for owners. Most post their mileage in the mid 20's. The carver is almost double in MPG.
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef7fd68/20
Howard Lee Harkness 1:22PM (8/19/2006)
"Cool" is a lot less important to me than practical". In order for me to get an EV or a hybrid, there are several conditions that must be
met.
1)Most important, the "alternative fuel" vehicle must have a total cost of ownership over a 5-7 year period no more than for a late-model small used pickup, driven about 12,000-14,000 miles per year.
2)The "alternative fuel" vehicle must have a reasonable range (for me, that would be at least 150 miles per re-fuel; more would be better), a reasonable re-fuel time, and convenient commercial access to fuel.
3)The "alternative fuel" vehicle must handle in a manner similar to any other small car, and must *not* require speciality licensing (e.g. motorcycle) or have any other restrictions (e.g. low-speed vehicle) that are not placed on a small pickup truck.
4)The "alternative fuel" vehicle must be reasonably safe to drive.
5)The "alternative fuel" vehicle must have enough hauling capacity to be convenient. For me, that means the capacity to haul a pallet-load of violins -- or at least the ability to tow a small trailer on occasion. It also means two passengers plus enough room to haul the occasional load of groceries.
For a lot of folks, unless it hauls 4 or more passengers, it can't be a 100% replacement for the family sedan.
When an "alternative fuel" vehicle can meet the above conditions, I will be driving one. The Carver bike/car flunks most of them.
Note that I really don't care if a car can go from zero to 60 in under 3 seconds -- 12 seconds would be just fine for me. I'm mature enough that I don't feel a need to drive a muscle-car.
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Devilstower 5:25PM (8/19/2006)
It's not going to replace the "family sedan" when it comes to taking the kids on long trips. However, with 90% of all trips having only one person on board, and a similar number of adults making a daily solo commute, there certainly seems to be a place for a lightweight two-seater.
And dang it, just what's wrong with fun anyway?
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Steve C. 10:30AM (8/21/2006)
Not sure what the appeal is . . .
It isn't a "car." If it were a car, you might expect to have more protection than the average motorcycle, which this thing doesn't have.
It isn't a "motorcycle." If it were a motorcycle, you would pay less than half that amount for a vehicle with better performance.
If it is an "urban vehicle", then maybe you're talking about something of real utility, but it would have to be price-competitive with the lowest priced cars -- Fit, Yaris, etc.
As it is, it can only be described as a "toy."
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Peter 10:57AM (8/21/2006)
I love this thing. It takes the best of both cars and cycles IMO.
From car it gets: No helmet requirement, all weather protection, no special skills/license. Some cargo capability.
From motor cycle it gets the thrills of banked turns like driving a motorcycle.
A much cooler compromise than the VW thing that had all the requirements of motorcycle, but drove like a car.
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Ian 3:56AM (8/22/2006)
This is a cool ride if you spend most of your time commuting alone. I'd buy one if the price was right, but at $40K it's just too damn expensive.
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Cornelius Van Milligen 8:07AM (11/26/2006)
We built a similar vehicle without the "lean to turn" feature. We used a standard 3.5 hp gasoline engine to power the ultralight 3 wheeler. In the demonstrations it did 55 mph with a 150lb passenger and was very fast off the line.
While the test demo received exceptionally high mpg we hope for only about 250 mpg in the production model, or about 1/10 of the test model.
We will raise the profile slightly, add a few creature comforts and increase the hp of the engine.
A hybrid would be very simple and achieve significant mpg, perhaps using a tiny diesel engine to allow for multifuel potential.
Cornelius Van Milligen
Kentucky Enrichment Inc
cavm@aol.com
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Michael J. Kaer 2:17PM (11/28/2006)
Bucky Fuller came up with something like this way back when they still had fins on the cars and traffic cops standing on Islands. His could carry passengers and had a turning radius so he could circle the cop as he went down the road. They way he designed it was 2 wheels up front and the 3rd in the back steering like a rudder. It was teardrop shaped to reduce wind resistance. He was not allowed to show his car with the others at the big auto show( the big guys where afraid). If his car had been mass produced way back then, I think we would not be in the mess we are in with SUV's and Trucks ruleing the road. Just my opinion.
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d brown 3:06AM (12/09/2006)
G.M. LET PEOPLE TEST A 2 IN FRONT ONE YEARS AGO. 2 IN FRONT IS HARDED TO DO BUT UINDER STEERS AT THE LIMIT. THEIRS WAS FULLY COVERED TO. LEASD BURN MOTERS ARE GREAT BUT CAN NOT PASS NO2 TESTS. US FORD WANTED TO USE ONE STANDERD BACK IN THE EARY 9O'S. COULD NOT PASS EPA TESTS
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Laura 10:11PM (9/10/2007)
Personally, its a perfect option for me. A vehicle that is meant for one to two people, can park easily (Los Angeles Here) Less manufacture waste, and environmental waste, and will only continue to improve. The techniques for a motorcycle only would partially help here, its internal control, is far more like a car. A short physic's class would be a better pre-requisite. It offers more protection then a motorcycle as well, it has an encasement, Roll Cage installation is a necessity in my mind, but I feel that way about any small vehicle that can be crushed by the unnecessary size of a Mega-Vehicle (vans, trucks, even sedans for most people are not necissary)
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JeffandKim 1:08PM (10/21/2007)
Oh, and one more thing! The American version, as opposed to the "TOY" Dutch version, as it's commonly called, will be better and a bit safer, as it shall have airbags, a roll bar, much lower price of about half, or less than that even, in the American made one. They said it costs over £22,000 which is around $45,000.00 US, I think. But, the American one will be better and cost around £8787.35 which about $18,000. I'm not sure. Maybe a little more, but, not much. Which would you prefer?!
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JeffandKim 1:25PM (10/21/2007)
Sorry about the typing errors. But, anyway, The price will be lower and it will have a better option of luxury items, better radio/CD, better safety features, better roads lol, better color choices, and better room, I think, I'm not too sure but, the Carver of Holland has enough room for two in comfort. Wish I had it now! This is one of the better ways to go to get rid of the gas prices! They keep going up to pay our enemies so, why don't we go to things like this or to hydrogen fuel that we've been promised so often?!!!! But, we don't get because the corrupt politicians keep us on OIL! We've always had better ways to go but, they always kept raking in our money and keeping and holding us back from better things! They are all criminals! Watch the movie "TUCKER", if you don't believe how they held us back from better cars. Immagine how advanced we'd be, if the politicians were honest! You wonder where the flying cars are, when all science and science fiction books/novels and movies told us to expect a very futuristic world by the year 2000?!!! Well, that ended because of corrupt oil and that lead us to muslims becoming so influencial and strong throughout the world which we face today and that's partially why we need new immigration policies to save our culture and nation! This Carver will be fun and lets get some more ideas and fun ways to travel going!!! Lets demand better, more fun family vehicles too that won't add up to a mortgage payment just to go for a drive!!!
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JeffandKim 11:31AM (10/28/2007)
However, I wouldn't stick my hand out the window when turning, like the guy in the photo! You could possibly lose a hand or an arm if you should hit an object or even a manhole cover or rock! etc
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JeffandKim 11:32AM (10/28/2007)
We'll be buying the new Carver car / bike when it comes out in 2008. Our Jeep Liberty just takes too much gas and it's lease is up then, so we opted for this, since there's only the 2 of us. It's "fantastic"! Can't wait! I bet you see hundreds of them by the time 2008 closes.
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Brad 9:33PM (1/20/2009)
Not a bad machine. But the price is still waaaaaay to high given the amount of practicality of the car. The price of just going to work and back, with an occasional stop at the market, isn't economically viable for a vast majority of people.
But if the cost comes down to reality............
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Harry 9:55AM (3/03/2009)
Since an American icon, Harley-Davidson motorcycles, sells new for $20,000 to $40,000, and they sell about 200,000 of them per year, maybe the market for this motorized car/bike is bigger than you all think. Under more normal economic circumstances (think when the Republicans get back in charge in 2010 or 2012) the market should be able to support such a vehicle. I'm a Harley rider at age 65 and I could see myself in one of these. There are many trips I take by myself locally that I don't ride the Harley because of the apparel needs when riding on two wheels, that I drive a gas guzzling Jeep to because of convenience, comfort and weather considerations. If I owned a Carver, I would use it almost every day. When are franchises/dealerships being offered. I am interested.
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