I'm 49 years old, live in Brazil, i just completed 1 year learned how to ride a bike, 3 months ago i sold my car, now i go to work every day by bike, i'm more happy than before, never imagined one day i´ll come to be so happy for my choice of abandon the car.
+Miranda Studio I physically got a new place to live and a job at a different location such that I could safely bike to work becasue my commute to work (at my old job from old house) via car was irritating me beyond belief! I am very glad I moved.
+Miranda Studio Chiefly that's because of the idiot car drivers that are hostile toward cyclists, or not paying attention to what's going on around them, like the guy in the car behind me the other day with a mobile phone directly between his face and windscreen. Don't get me wrong, the vast majority of drivers are courteous as long as the cyclists return the favour. I have noticed a marked improvement in my home city since the awareness advertisements on TV have been playing for a short while, in conjunction with new laws that make close passes illegal and prosecutable.
This should be a maker kit. I mean, it looks like a maker kit that happens to have a pre-built option. These are being assembled by hand, and it looks like, and I'm cool with that, but someone needs to copy this and sell a kit for folks with more time (AND LOVE FOR THE IDEA) than money!
Wow I just read some comments, yes there are some issues, however this could have great promise for developing countries where people don't have access to water and electricity (that we take for granted). Not having access to these two things is terribly limiting. Plus you can get a whole lot more stuff on one of these things which makes it more appealing and it keeps you relatively dry. I think it could definitely be cheaper, however it's not being produced in large factories instead it's being made on a small scale in towns and cities over the US and has been providing local people with jobs, I think this man deserves a lot more respect. The tricycle makes you more visible to people driving cars which in turn helps keep you safer. The underlying issue in western society is that cars are seen as a status symbol, bike riders are not respected and this angers me. I have a friend from Amsterdam who doesn't own a car, he's not overweight, he's in good shape and he's not wasting money on one of the fastest depreciating objects your can buy.. the car.
Technically, US Federal government law allows it to be sold as a bicycle, but not all state laws consider it a bicycle. In Texas, it might be considered a motor-assisted scooter, but it would be limited to streets with a speed limit of 35mph or less. If it isn't that, then the other options are moped or motorcycle, both of which require a license and neither of which are allowed on bicycle paths.
Wow! This is one of the most fantastic ideas I have seen in quite a while. I ride a recumbent tadpole tricycle right now, so I totally get it! Just think, with the sun helping along the way, one could easily take a cross-state bicycle journey. I would be very interested in learning more about the solar panel aspect of the project. I have a BionX electric pedal kit which could be installed onto my tricycle; I just need to figure a way to capture sun power. Great work.
Why not just use a bicycle? Lighter, cheaper, less to go wrong. Cargo bikes for hauling, city bikes for light shopping and commuting. The dutch manage just fine with a 100+ year old design. Before some troll mentions hills, I live in a hilly city and manage just fine, even though I am very heavy, and not in any kind of shape. Simply no reason to reinvent the wheel.
Why not? For all of the reasons he mentions in the first 5 minutes. Mentioning hills isn't "trolling." It's a legitimate objection to riding, which Mr. Cotter is properly addressing to get more people to use bikes. It's smart. I live in San Francisco, myself, (is there a hillier city outside of Nepal?) and work 12 hour night shifts as a nurse. I'm on my feet the whole time and body kills when my shift is done. I'd love a little assist as I climb Russian Hill on the way home. A bike like this also means that, on the way to work, I don't have to show up drenched in sweat and just sit in it for 12 hours. Also, if it matters, I am quite fit. And what about the weather? Not having to be directly exposed to the elements is a nice alternative, too. Innovation should never stop. I welcome ideas like this. Keep 'em coming.
If you bike hills regularly, and you're still overweight & out of shape, you must have a very short commute! ;-) The main reasons people don't commute to work is arriving at work sweaty.. rain.. and danger due to poor visibility by motorists. This addresses all those issues. I think it would sell well if the price was right.
Nothing wrong with tinkerers innovating. The knowledge gained by figuring out and building nuclear bombs might one day be the engines (or at least part of) interstellar vehicles.
Dann Marceau 9 mos. ago, but bike SEA is out bc. rats are that size, bc. moss can be 3 in. deep, or bc. it rains/sleets sideways into the motor too much?
This is awesome.I am obsessed with viewing every video about Organic Transit,their ELF and other neat variation designs.I got rid of my car two years ago because I didn't want to feel personally guilty about making the Earth uninhabitable due to excessive Carbon Dioxide emissions and something like this is a great sustainable substitute. Kinetic Energy (or Energy) equals one half times mass times velocity squared so fast speeds are extremely wasteful and dangerous and so is excessive mass too.
He says multiple times that "it is a bicycle" and "you can use it anywhere you can use a bicycle". At least in my county, this is not true. The fact that it has electric assist makes it illegal to use on the bike paths here. It must be only human powered to be used on the bike paths, and on many of the dirt trails here. That takes nothing away from the fact that one could ride it on the street to commute and carry cargo.
+Steve Stadler US law allows it to be sold like a bicycle, but the individual state laws require it to be licensed like a moped or a motorcycle, to be used on the road.
This is great. Its good to see something innovative that's not just a concept but something that you can actually purchase as a consumer. How do you park outside without anyone stealing it? For practicality I think it's more worth it just to buy a 150cc scooter for the same price. It can go 55+ mph and get about 70 mpg. I wouldn't feel very safe riding the Elf among traffic as I would on a scooter. For short trips around town a bicycle does just fine for me.
1) it locks the same as any bike and has a removable motor key 2) apples and oranges - scooters are dirty noisy dangerous things that emit co2 3) a bicycle does not keep you out of the sun and weather and can not haul 20 bags of groceries or a passenger inside
the legal limit for most states is a 750watt motor ,otherwise you have to do the whole license,registration and insurance as a moped,even though it's a motorized assisted bike,..for 8grand...uh no.
Just amazing. If things like this are possible, why are we still polluting our environment with CO2 emissions from the combustion engine?! There needs to be a better way, and this seems to be just the sort of building block we need.
Rob Cotter/ Organic Transit filled for bankruptcy in June 2019. This was inevitable especially if you knew or worked with him. I am actually surprised it lasted as long as it did.
We are indeed "passive " to the consequences of our actions of driving cars. When you calculate the manufacturing pollution, driving pollution , oil production pollution, road building pollution , the amount of times we bailed out car industry and airline industry with our tax dollars 💵. The cost is mind boggling, both in dollars and environmentally. Keep driving .....
A Dutchman's opinion: nope It fits comfortably on bike trails It looks like 2 would be a squeeze on that trail, let alone passing eachother in a timely fashion. It legally can go everywhere a bike can go. I hate "technically legally", it got us the mini car that technically was allowed to clog our cycling infrastructure untill legislature noticed. 350 pounds (disclaimer: i don't do pounds, and with all those Americans trying to lose pounds, i'm surprised they still actively use them) Jokes aside, a bakfiets does this just as well, or a basket on the steering wheel will do 99% of the job... or bicycle bags... Solar, batteries This was pre ebikes i guess People don't want to fall over These people have never ridden a bike They don't want to get caught in bad weather It's really not that bad, it's just water really. They don't want to kill themselves going over a big hill What's a hill? (Like i said, the Dutch oppinion) But seriously, i don't see how a heavier vehicle would change that, and there is no reason you couldn't add an electric motor to a regular bicycle. Very shippable So was my bike, poor guy dragged it up several flights of stairs, but he did it, just had to turn the handlebars, tighten the bolt and attach the front wheel. Environmentally friendly materials Same can be applied to bikes. How to park Google dutch train station parking, the answer is size. Can be used for packages, food delivery, other services. The Dutch: way ahead of you... Can help poor countries Many people already use bikes to help carry water. And if they retrofit a cargo bike/trike/quad they could carry a week's worth of water for the village in one trip. All in all, i think it is great that you are trying to get Americans out of their cars and peddling instead. I just don't think this is the way to do it, a regular bike can do 90% of this. The problem in the US and many other countries is the lack of proper infrastructure, and that is where the answer to the car problem lies. Even not wanting to be caught in bad weather is accounted for in Dutch infrastructure, with stop lights that will prioritize cyclists in bad weather, and bridges and underpasses where you could take shelter if you don't want to get wet.
I'm hoping there's not a problem but here in Portugal it is illegal to use a mobile phone while driving, the question is then can the iphone be used for communication while it's being used as part of the vehicle control?I love your ELF and look forward to the day that they are made in Europe.
So it does protect you from the rain better than "normal" bike does but I don't see windshield wiper installed so all in all it's not much useful in the rain. (But in general I like the idea ELF and believe its the best solution to overcrowded, overpolluted cities ).
A body, solar cells, light-weight battery, and nuVinci CVT hub added to the price of a custom recumbent trike, make it hard to believe $4k is what they are willing sell it for.
Well, I've worked and lived in many cities. I don't think "big oil" is the biggest problem to get biking/non-automotive movement going. Unless you live in a large city like New York, many cities don't have the infrastructure for bikes or connecting public transit to bikes. Even DC has horrible alternatives to automotive transportation.
While I do agree with this completely. If we all decide to change our behavior, they will listen. It is a 2-way street of rewarded corruption. Great comment, though!
They should just make on the wider lane streets a bike/bus lane. I don't mind sharing the lane with buses. Have the bike lanes on the right hand side of these bus lanes.
because a bicycle is equal to saving money for the future and it saves your life it gives you freedom . i have been cycling for nearly 12 years and i agree with all the cyclists
NO, there are no width limitations, you just made that up. Wheelchairs and trikes and double strollers are allowed. Every day more local ordinances are passed that increase the width of trails. In Seattle it is 10 to 12 feet minimum. In all cases it is up to the individual to share the trail and yield when required.
The Elf and now the E-fox both North Carolina start-ups work well for fair-weather environmentalists. I know this because I would buy one instead of a moped which would be cheaper and faster but I would not replace my car with one, which leads me to my point. One person commuting to work or the store on a dry day might get one if they are motivated by its eco factor but that person, me included, would not be willing to forgo all the other conveniences of the automobile which this type of vehicle simply can’t provide. Face it a car has evolved into the perfect creature comfort and replacing it will take a lot more ingenuity. In the meantime I’m saving my pennies because I do want an elf.
Kevin15047 Absolutely! I agree 100% which is why I want one. I love the idea that I'm helping somehow in my own little way. Because I'm not a billionaire with the resources to make monumental changes, at least I can take comfort in recycling, buying local, saving energy and cycling to work. The Elf and E-fox are an improvement on the bicycle in that they increase the appeal of bicycle commuting to those who might be turned off by full on exposure to the elements. Logistically speaking, it wouldn't be difficult to Velcro on canvas doors on a rainy days. I'm just speaking to the cavernous gap there is to bridge between bicycles and motor vehicles which other than walking are the only two options to commuting locally.
Absolutely nothing and some people actually just might ride their bicycles in the cold and snow but not most people. For most people the convenience of a closed in climate controlled cabin that is self propelled can't be beat and both the Elf and E-Fox have open Cabins with minimal battery support, not exactly a replacement for a car they are but they are way more cumbersome than a bike. So if you are up to riding a bike in the winter or if you are not up to giving up your car then what room is left for the E-fox or the Elf? These end up as fair weather novelties. A more comprehensive market is just not feasible at this time.
tubeMonger Like Anthony said, nothing wrong with a bike at all. It's just that this might appeal to people who wouldn't ride a regular bike. Don't ask me who. I can't imagine why people ride (exclusively) road bikes when Dutch bicycles are so much more practical. This'll appeal to some people. What I wouldn't give just for the damn blinker. Oh and I ride my bike, rain, snow, night, whatever. As the Dutch say, you're not made of sugar, you won't melt.
If you've ever seen mass bicycle parking facilities you can see a problem with this, you'd still need parking lots. Besides, this seems like a nuisance for cars on the roads for it going too slow and hard to see, and a nuisance for bikes on bike trails for being too wide
Nope, it goes anywhere. It takes 1/4 the space of a car. Actually it is cars that are the nuisance for bikes on the roads. Not too wide for the vast majority of all bike trails. I have been using mine daily for 3 years. It's all good.
THEY WILL never never let you get away with it. not now. not ever. they and i thing you no who im talking about.will make fun of the people using them. making the person feel less a person.i would love for something like this to work. but if ever you need a to fix them im your man.
Shows how little you know, 1000 have been sold and a new competing US vehicle is being built. Make fun of us? I'm the town hero, getting cheers, thumbs up and friendly honks every day as I run my errands cleanly.
No, it's not "Selling well". You know what sells well? Normal bikes, they're cheap and don't fall apart. Make this thing out of metal, and under $1000, and you're onto something
Wrong again. Close to 1000 sold and the demand has sparked a second competing US brand. Every day you are proven wrong again as another one rolls off the assembly line. How does that feel? 3 million road miles logged, two 4000 mile trips prove they do not "fall apart" as you incorrectly attempt to assert.
Not a problem - I park mine on the end of the bike rack or chain it to a post while shopping. No more hikes from the nether reaches of a parking lot. In fact all the merchants I meet are so enthused by my ELF they encourage me to park it right next to their front entrance.
Better yet. Invest in a good folding bike from a reputable manufacturer (Brompton, Dahon, Tern). Fold it up and take it on any public transit, even during the restricted hours, when ordinary bikes aren't allowed. Fold it up and carry/roll it into your workplace and stash it under your desk. Also, they're just as fast almost any traditional bike.
I'm sorry, but when did TED start promoting ads??? This guy's ideas don't really flow, which is quite unlike any TED I've ever seen... Lack of preparation shows... Great idea... Too expensive... Ugly model... Better luck next time.
collateralus fair enough since I haven't seen all of them I can't say they're all sales pitches, so Correction: All TEDx things I've seen are sales pitches.
I didn't like the developing county analogy. People who need to fetch water cannot afford a 60 USD bicycle which would really change their lives. if solving poverty in the developing world is what is being attempted.. then infrastructure to water conservation and supply needs to be worked and nothingwrong with bicycles in the first place
Solar power to work, pedal power home...hmmmnn. Okay if you work night shift I guess. But who cares about getting to work sweaty when you're on nightshift haha!
Totally incorrect. He has mastered the bicycle and had the vision to expand its use to reduce the abuse of high speed personal cars. He is a true visionary.
No. Not mastered, just learning to balance one. Mastery includes the vision to think of better ways for using the bike. This is what Rob did. Losers who want to troll here trying to denigrate genius are just losers. You all succeed only in humiliating yourselves.
As somebody here has already so eloquently said: Bi = 2 Cycle = rotating spinning. Two wheeled vehicle that you cycle/rotate. Thanks for that remark! Now back to my point: "This guy has obviously not understood the bicycle." Now back to you brainy guy - try and use that organ and put those two together. You might see sort of a light. Now back to this guy who put a roof on an electric tricycle where he cosily leans backwards... I suppose he's American. And a professor I assume. Who stopped cycling when he was 16 and therefore never experienced what it is actually like - to ride a bicycle like a man. It's the extrapolation of a horse. And the horse rider. Not exactly a professor completely derived from real life transporting himself in a horrendous green little carriage. While being dressed in some horrendous clothes. Yuk!
Sorry we have been and will continue to ride it on any trail where it is safe to do so. That includes obeying all trail and road rules regarding sharing the road and yielding where required. You also have to share the trail with wheelchairs and other trike designs.
I'm more encompassing of other people wanting to use the trail than I was a year ago. Sometimes you gotta slow down and chill and swat the flies lol. Means you get to see what is around not in a blur.
I agree. I understand that the ELF is legal on multi-use trails but it is a powered vehicle. I'm not even really in favor of people on e-bikes being on the trail but at least they don't take up nearly as much space. As it is, on the Burke-Gilman (Seattle area) trail cyclists already have to deal with self-righteous women 2 or 3 abreast with strollers giving you stink-eye when you ask if you can pass. There are also horses on the trail that leave horse sh** on the trail and if I see it again I will collect the horse sh** and throw it at the rider. My point is that there are already many challenges to face on multi-use trails that don't involve trying to get around a POWERED VEHICLE, whether it is partially pedal power or not. As it is, some entrances to the trail have pretty tight bollard spacing that would throw a wrench in trying to use the trail with the ELF. Are we supposed to share the trail with electric motorcycles now? Electric mopeds? If you can go 20-30 mph you belong on surface streets.
I'm 49 years old, live in Brazil, i just completed 1 year learned how to ride a bike, 3 months ago i sold my car, now i go to work every day by bike, i'm more happy than before, never imagined one day i´ll come to be so happy for my choice of abandon the car.
I carry groceries everyday on my backpack. You can avoid hills and take another route. Planning your ride ahead is the key.
Perfect, the only problem is, US roads are not bicycle friend.
+Miranda Studio
I physically got a new place to live and a job at a different location such that I could safely bike to work becasue my commute to work (at my old job from old house) via car was irritating me beyond belief! I am very glad I moved.
+Miranda Studio Chiefly that's because of the idiot car drivers that are hostile toward cyclists, or not paying attention to what's going on around them, like the guy in the car behind me the other day with a mobile phone directly between his face and windscreen.
Don't get me wrong, the vast majority of drivers are courteous as long as the cyclists return the favour. I have noticed a marked improvement in my home city since the awareness advertisements on TV have been playing for a short while, in conjunction with new laws that make close passes illegal and prosecutable.
That will never change until we take the roads back by getting on bikes and riding, cleanly and sustainably.
Slowly and thankfully that's changing.
Dutch roads are. Problem is, if you replace all bikes with these things there'd be a massive gridlock. Just like on the road.
This should be a maker kit. I mean, it looks like a maker kit that happens to have a pre-built option. These are being assembled by hand, and it looks like, and I'm cool with that, but someone needs to copy this and sell a kit for folks with more time (AND LOVE FOR THE IDEA) than money!
Wow I just read some comments, yes there are some issues, however this could have great promise for developing countries where people don't have access to water and electricity (that we take for granted). Not having access to these two things is terribly limiting. Plus you can get a whole lot more stuff on one of these things which makes it more appealing and it keeps you relatively dry. I think it could definitely be cheaper, however it's not being produced in large factories instead it's being made on a small scale in towns and cities over the US and has been providing local people with jobs, I think this man deserves a lot more respect. The tricycle makes you more visible to people driving cars which in turn helps keep you safer. The underlying issue in western society is that cars are seen as a status symbol, bike riders are not respected and this angers me. I have a friend from Amsterdam who doesn't own a car, he's not overweight, he's in good shape and he's not wasting money on one of the fastest depreciating objects your can buy.. the car.
Fresno, CA ... it would be so awesome here!!!
I'm in Fresno too. Not a very bike friendly town.
I just watched a long advertisement
rational and healthy way of thinking, I wish more ppl were like U mate
I love it!!! How can you cut the cost, or in the way the smartphone industry did it, subsidize it?
So, it's a very expensive e-tricycle. Nothing wrong with it, but I don't really see why a normal bike isn't sufficient for most people.
because it is less stress when you sit on it. like comparing cars to motorcycles
you havent seen velomobile prices. it ranges 8000-11000.
Technically, US Federal government law allows it to be sold as a bicycle, but not all state laws consider it a bicycle. In Texas, it might be considered a motor-assisted scooter, but it would be limited to streets with a speed limit of 35mph or less. If it isn't that, then the other options are moped or motorcycle, both of which require a license and neither of which are allowed on bicycle paths.
I like the sales pitch and I believe there is a tiny blue ocean of consumers that need extra comfort in cycling.
Since when did TEDx become a sales pitch?
TEDx is not equal to TED.
Wow! This is one of the most fantastic ideas I have seen in quite a while. I ride a recumbent tadpole tricycle right now, so I totally get it! Just think, with the sun helping along the way, one could easily take a cross-state bicycle journey. I would be very interested in learning more about the solar panel aspect of the project. I have a BionX electric pedal kit which could be installed onto my tricycle; I just need to figure a way to capture sun power. Great work.
Why not just use a bicycle? Lighter, cheaper, less to go wrong. Cargo bikes for hauling, city bikes for light shopping and commuting. The dutch manage just fine with a 100+ year old design. Before some troll mentions hills, I live in a hilly city and manage just fine, even though I am very heavy, and not in any kind of shape.
Simply no reason to reinvent the wheel.
Why not? For all of the reasons he mentions in the first 5 minutes.
Mentioning hills isn't "trolling." It's a legitimate objection to riding, which Mr. Cotter is properly addressing to get more people to use bikes. It's smart.
I live in San Francisco, myself, (is there a hillier city outside of Nepal?) and work 12 hour night shifts as a nurse. I'm on my feet the whole time and body kills when my shift is done. I'd love a little assist as I climb Russian Hill on the way home. A bike like this also means that, on the way to work, I don't have to show up drenched in sweat and just sit in it for 12 hours. Also, if it matters, I am quite fit.
And what about the weather? Not having to be directly exposed to the elements is a nice alternative, too.
Innovation should never stop. I welcome ideas like this. Keep 'em coming.
If you bike hills regularly, and you're still overweight & out of shape, you must have a very short commute! ;-)
The main reasons people don't commute to work is arriving at work sweaty.. rain.. and danger due to poor visibility by motorists. This addresses all those issues. I think it would sell well if the price was right.
Nothing wrong with tinkerers innovating. The knowledge gained by figuring out and building nuclear bombs might one day be the engines (or at least part of) interstellar vehicles.
You wouldn't make it in Seattle.
Dann Marceau 9 mos. ago, but bike SEA is out bc. rats are that size, bc. moss can be 3 in. deep, or bc. it rains/sleets sideways into the motor too much?
This is awesome.I am obsessed with viewing every video about Organic Transit,their ELF and other neat variation designs.I got rid of my car two years ago because I didn't want to feel personally guilty about making the Earth uninhabitable due to excessive Carbon Dioxide emissions and something like this is a great sustainable substitute.
Kinetic Energy (or Energy) equals one half times mass times velocity squared so fast speeds are extremely wasteful and dangerous and so is excessive mass too.
He says multiple times that "it is a bicycle" and "you can use it anywhere you can use a bicycle". At least in my county, this is not true. The fact that it has electric assist makes it illegal to use on the bike paths here. It must be only human powered to be used on the bike paths, and on many of the dirt trails here. That takes nothing away from the fact that one could ride it on the street to commute and carry cargo.
+Steve Stadler US law allows it to be sold like a bicycle, but the individual state laws require it to be licensed like a moped or a motorcycle, to be used on the road.
This is great. Its good to see something innovative that's not just a concept but something that you can actually purchase as a consumer. How do you park outside without anyone stealing it? For practicality I think it's more worth it just to buy a 150cc scooter for the same price. It can go 55+ mph and get about 70 mpg. I wouldn't feel very safe riding the Elf among traffic as I would on a scooter. For short trips around town a bicycle does just fine for me.
1) it locks the same as any bike and has a removable motor key
2) apples and oranges - scooters are dirty noisy dangerous things that emit co2
3) a bicycle does not keep you out of the sun and weather and can not haul 20 bags of groceries or a passenger inside
the legal limit for most states is a 750watt motor ,otherwise you have to do the whole license,registration and insurance as a moped,even though it's a motorized assisted bike,..for 8grand...uh no.
Just amazing. If things like this are possible, why are we still polluting our environment with CO2 emissions from the combustion engine?! There needs to be a better way, and this seems to be just the sort of building block we need.
Rob Cotter/ Organic Transit filled for bankruptcy in June 2019. This was inevitable especially if you knew or worked with him. I am actually surprised it lasted as long as it did.
oof. was he not a good manager?
We are indeed "passive " to the consequences of our actions of driving cars. When you calculate the manufacturing pollution, driving pollution , oil production pollution, road building pollution , the amount of times we bailed out car industry and airline industry with our tax dollars 💵. The cost is mind boggling, both in dollars and environmentally. Keep driving .....
A Dutchman's opinion: nope
It fits comfortably on bike trails
It looks like 2 would be a squeeze on that trail, let alone passing eachother in a timely fashion.
It legally can go everywhere a bike can go.
I hate "technically legally", it got us the mini car that technically was allowed to clog our cycling infrastructure untill legislature noticed.
350 pounds (disclaimer: i don't do pounds, and with all those Americans trying to lose pounds, i'm surprised they still actively use them)
Jokes aside, a bakfiets does this just as well, or a basket on the steering wheel will do 99% of the job... or bicycle bags...
Solar, batteries
This was pre ebikes i guess
People don't want to fall over
These people have never ridden a bike
They don't want to get caught in bad weather
It's really not that bad, it's just water really.
They don't want to kill themselves going over a big hill
What's a hill? (Like i said, the Dutch oppinion)
But seriously, i don't see how a heavier vehicle would change that, and there is no reason you couldn't add an electric motor to a regular bicycle.
Very shippable
So was my bike, poor guy dragged it up several flights of stairs, but he did it, just had to turn the handlebars, tighten the bolt and attach the front wheel.
Environmentally friendly materials
Same can be applied to bikes.
How to park
Google dutch train station parking, the answer is size.
Can be used for packages, food delivery, other services.
The Dutch: way ahead of you...
Can help poor countries
Many people already use bikes to help carry water.
And if they retrofit a cargo bike/trike/quad they could carry a week's worth of water for the village in one trip.
All in all, i think it is great that you are trying to get Americans out of their cars and peddling instead.
I just don't think this is the way to do it, a regular bike can do 90% of this.
The problem in the US and many other countries is the lack of proper infrastructure, and that is where the answer to the car problem lies.
Even not wanting to be caught in bad weather is accounted for in Dutch infrastructure, with stop lights that will prioritize cyclists in bad weather, and bridges and underpasses where you could take shelter if you don't want to get wet.
Good idea. Might be cold in some states for winter
I'm hoping there's not a problem but here in Portugal it is illegal to use a mobile phone while driving, the question is then can the iphone be used for communication while it's being used as part of the vehicle control?I love your ELF and look forward to the day that they are made in Europe.
So it does protect you from the rain better than "normal" bike does but I don't see windshield wiper installed so all in all it's not much useful in the rain.
(But in general I like the idea ELF and believe its the best solution to overcrowded, overpolluted cities ).
bummer that they are illegal in Hong Kong. I want one
A body, solar cells, light-weight battery, and nuVinci CVT hub added to the price of a custom recumbent trike, make it hard to believe $4k is what they are willing sell it for.
Enclosed velos sell for 8 to 12 thousand with no motor or solar or passenger carrying ability. This is a bargain at the current $8,450 base price.
Awesome job Jessica. Very eloquent and quite a compelling argument for solar. How can I help?
Well, I've worked and lived in many cities. I don't think "big oil" is the biggest problem to get biking/non-automotive movement going. Unless you live in a large city like New York, many cities don't have the infrastructure for bikes or connecting public transit to bikes. Even DC has horrible alternatives to automotive transportation.
While I do agree with this completely. If we all decide to change our behavior, they will listen. It is a 2-way street of rewarded corruption. Great comment, though!
They should just make on the wider lane streets a bike/bus lane. I don't mind sharing the lane with buses. Have the bike lanes on the right hand side of these bus lanes.
it's unfortunately illegal in Hong Kong
because a bicycle is equal to saving money for the future and it saves your life it gives you freedom . i have been cycling for nearly 12 years and i agree with all the cyclists
No, you cannot use it anywhere bicycle goes. There are width limitations on bicycle paths. Tricycles are not allowed on bicycle paths in some cities.
NO, there are no width limitations, you just made that up. Wheelchairs and trikes and double strollers are allowed. Every day more local ordinances are passed that increase the width of trails. In Seattle it is 10 to 12 feet minimum.
In all cases it is up to the individual to share the trail and yield when required.
Are you telling that because it's allowed in Seattle, it has to be allowed everywhere ?
The Elf and now the E-fox both North Carolina start-ups work well for fair-weather environmentalists. I know this because I would buy one instead of a moped which would be cheaper and faster but I would not replace my car with one, which leads me to my point. One person commuting to work or the store on a dry day might get one if they are motivated by its eco factor but that person, me included, would not be willing to forgo all the other conveniences of the automobile which this type of vehicle simply can’t provide. Face it a car has evolved into the perfect creature comfort and replacing it will take a lot more ingenuity. In the meantime I’m saving my pennies because I do want an elf.
True. But even if people just use this on nice days for short trips, it would do a world of good, and it would do the world some good. :)
Kevin15047 Absolutely! I agree 100% which is why I want one. I love the idea that I'm helping somehow in my own little way. Because I'm not a billionaire with the resources to make monumental changes, at least I can take comfort in recycling, buying local, saving energy and cycling to work. The Elf and E-fox are an improvement on the bicycle in that they increase the appeal of bicycle commuting to those who might be turned off by full on exposure to the elements. Logistically speaking, it wouldn't be difficult to Velcro on canvas doors on a rainy days. I'm just speaking to the cavernous gap there is to bridge between bicycles and motor vehicles which other than walking are the only two options to commuting locally.
Kevin15047
Using ELF only on nice days? What's wrong with a bicycle then?
Absolutely nothing and some people actually just might ride their bicycles in the cold and snow but not most people. For most people the convenience of a closed in climate controlled cabin that is self propelled can't be beat and both the Elf and E-Fox have open Cabins with minimal battery support, not exactly a replacement for a car they are but they are way more cumbersome than a bike. So if you are up to riding a bike in the winter or if you are not up to giving up your car then what room is left for the E-fox or the Elf? These end up as fair weather novelties. A more comprehensive market is just not feasible at this time.
tubeMonger Like Anthony said, nothing wrong with a bike at all. It's just that this might appeal to people who wouldn't ride a regular bike. Don't ask me who. I can't imagine why people ride (exclusively) road bikes when Dutch bicycles are so much more practical. This'll appeal to some people. What I wouldn't give just for the damn blinker. Oh and I ride my bike, rain, snow, night, whatever. As the Dutch say, you're not made of sugar, you won't melt.
Idk about anyone else but I was hoping for tips in commuting to work by bike in the rain, cold, hills, etc.
If you've ever seen mass bicycle parking facilities you can see a problem with this, you'd still need parking lots.
Besides, this seems like a nuisance for cars on the roads for it going too slow and hard to see, and a nuisance for bikes on bike trails for being too wide
Nope, it goes anywhere. It takes 1/4 the space of a car.
Actually it is cars that are the nuisance for bikes on the roads. Not too wide for the vast majority of all bike trails. I have been using mine daily for 3 years. It's all good.
The Great Blue Ocean also doesn't want to pay $5000 for their supplementary vehicle, I'm sorry. That's more than a down payment on a Leaf or Smart ED.
All motor vehicles cost you between 3 and 8K annually to own and operate. This does not.
40% of US car journeys are 2 miles or less? 40%???? Wow.
I worry about my bike getting stolen/vandalized if bike to places like stores/gyms.
For that Amount of money it needs to be able to carry a passenger, cargo, and completely protect the riders from rain. So close, but still a FAIL!
Correct, it needs to be able to carry grocery and heated. In the summer I am sure vents open will cool it, but winter will be cold ..
THEY WILL never never let you get away with it. not now. not ever. they and i thing you no who im talking about.will make fun of the people using them. making the person feel less a person.i would love for something like this to work. but if ever you need a to fix them im your man.
Shows how little you know, 1000 have been sold and a new competing US vehicle is being built.
Make fun of us? I'm the town hero, getting cheers, thumbs up and friendly honks every day as I run my errands cleanly.
What about bike theft?
Kenith McIntosh What about car theft?
It has a key for the motor, It can be locked the same as any other bike. It can have a hidden GPS tracker.
Needs a better design and cheaper. It's $5,500.
It is $8,450 and still selling well. People want sustainable transportation options.
No, it's not "Selling well". You know what sells well? Normal bikes, they're cheap and don't fall apart. Make this thing out of metal, and under $1000, and you're onto something
Wrong again. Close to 1000 sold and the demand has sparked a second competing US brand. Every day you are proven wrong again as another one rolls off the assembly line. How does that feel?
3 million road miles logged, two 4000 mile trips prove they do not "fall apart" as you incorrectly attempt to assert.
Anyone else here because gas is expensive and you are looking for alternatives?
I'd just get a bike there are a lot .more places you can go & park than you can an ELF.
Yes
No.
Not a problem - I park mine on the end of the bike rack or chain it to a post while shopping. No more hikes from the nether reaches of a parking lot. In fact all the merchants I meet are so enthused by my ELF they encourage me to park it right next to their front entrance.
Better yet. Invest in a good folding bike from a reputable manufacturer (Brompton, Dahon, Tern). Fold it up and take it on any public transit, even during the restricted hours, when ordinary bikes aren't allowed. Fold it up and carry/roll it into your workplace and stash it under your desk. Also, they're just as fast almost any traditional bike.
It's not alternative to bikes but to cars. Can You take up to 300 pound of extra cargo on Your bike?
Ford GT for the win!
Loser.
i feel im watching Sleeper.
A vehicle for the way the world ought to be.........
I'm sorry, but when did TED start promoting ads??? This guy's ideas don't really flow, which is quite unlike any TED I've ever seen... Lack of preparation shows... Great idea... Too expensive... Ugly model... Better luck next time.
Mark Bandeira It's not TED it's TEDx- HUGE difference. Stick with the real TED talks.
Mark Bandeira
Agreed, this really caught me off guard. It's a fucking sales pitch.
Mark Bandeira All TEDx things are sales pitches.
Leggo My Ego not really, at least I'd like to believe they're not. Some are decent but yeah; most are just glorified kickstarters.
collateralus
fair enough since I haven't seen all of them I can't say they're all sales pitches, so Correction: All TEDx things I've seen are sales pitches.
I didn't like the developing county analogy. People who need to fetch water cannot afford a 60 USD bicycle which would really change their lives. if solving poverty in the developing world is what is being attempted.. then infrastructure to water conservation and supply needs to be worked and nothingwrong with bicycles in the first place
i am now replacing my car to an expencive road bike
Solar power to work, pedal power home...hmmmnn. Okay if you work night shift I guess. But who cares about getting to work sweaty when you're on nightshift haha!
This guy has obviously not understood the bicycle.
Thomas Milburn :-)
Totally incorrect. He has mastered the bicycle and had the vision to expand its use to reduce the abuse of high speed personal cars. He is a true visionary.
He has mastered the bicycle?! Well done him. But most people master the bicycle around the age of 5.
No. Not mastered, just learning to balance one. Mastery includes the vision to think of better ways for using the bike. This is what Rob did. Losers who want to troll here trying to denigrate genius are just losers. You all succeed only in humiliating yourselves.
As somebody here has already so eloquently said:
Bi = 2
Cycle = rotating spinning.
Two wheeled vehicle that you cycle/rotate.
Thanks for that remark!
Now back to my point: "This guy has obviously not understood the bicycle."
Now back to you brainy guy - try and use that organ and put those two together. You might see sort of a light.
Now back to this guy who put a roof on an electric tricycle where he cosily leans backwards... I suppose he's American. And a professor I assume. Who stopped cycling when he was 16 and therefore never experienced what it is actually like - to ride a bicycle like a man. It's the extrapolation of a horse. And the horse rider. Not exactly a professor completely derived from real life transporting himself in a horrendous green little carriage. While being dressed in some horrendous clothes. Yuk!
And soon, self-driving vehicles ...
Yabba dabba do!
Are you looking for a part time helper
Overkill for people with more money than good sense and physical ability.
the message is great, but the messenger needs speaking lessons.
No he does not. Excellent delivery.
Keep those monstrosities off bike trails. Gonna take out us poor cyclists.
Sorry, but it looks the size of a Suzuki Swift. Fail.
he stole that symbol from the MBTA...noob
That “bike” is 10K
No thanks
Guess only the super wealthy can go Green.
the first cars were expensive, then the model-T happened.
This is a commercial for this guy's company. Poorly played, TED and Organic Transit.
really there was a design process for that?!!! omg what a fail. electric bicycles make far more sense
Ummm please don't ride that on the trail.
Sorry we have been and will continue to ride it on any trail where it is safe to do so. That includes obeying all trail and road rules regarding sharing the road and yielding where required. You also have to share the trail with wheelchairs and other trike designs.
Well we'll weave around when we get to a good straightaway.
I'm more encompassing of other people wanting to use the trail than I was a year ago. Sometimes you gotta slow down and chill and swat the flies lol. Means you get to see what is around not in a blur.
I agree. I understand that the ELF is legal on multi-use trails but it is a powered vehicle. I'm not even really in favor of people on e-bikes being on the trail but at least they don't take up nearly as much space. As it is, on the Burke-Gilman (Seattle area) trail cyclists already have to deal with self-righteous women 2 or 3 abreast with strollers giving you stink-eye when you ask if you can pass. There are also horses on the trail that leave horse sh** on the trail and if I see it again I will collect the horse sh** and throw it at the rider.
My point is that there are already many challenges to face on multi-use trails that don't involve trying to get around a POWERED VEHICLE, whether it is partially pedal power or not. As it is, some entrances to the trail have pretty tight bollard spacing that would throw a wrench in trying to use the trail with the ELF. Are we supposed to share the trail with electric motorcycles now? Electric mopeds? If you can go 20-30 mph you belong on surface streets.
Perfect for people who like to look like a duche nozzle on the way to work!
oh, fuck off.
One of the most anti-sexy things I have seen in a long time.
too big.