Spira4u is the first of its kind super economical three-wheeler, which is a mix between a car and a scooter. It comes in two versions- electric and gas powered, it meets all EPA requirements for emissions, highly fuel-efficient and safe, but most of all, it is made of super light soft recyclable foam, which makes it float.
This three-wheeler is one of these things that you read about and the first thing that crosses your mind is- this is just never going to happen. To anyone’s surprise, however, it did, and its pilot production is already taking place.
What makes this car-scooter hybrid so attractive is the incredibly low weight. With a body made of fiberglass and body panels made of recyclable foam, the Spira4u comes to only 200 kg (520lb) for the gas version and 236 (520lb) for the electric. The light weight, coupled with two motors with a total power of 20kW, make the vehicle much faster than it appears at first glance. Standard electric model can reach a speed of 100 km/h (62mph), while the gas-powered hits the 85km/h (53 mph) top speed.
As for the battery packs, with a standard 72 amp, Spira4u can cover around 115km (70 miles), but the makers also offer additional battery pack that can double the range. Although this is of no concern for the still very eco-friendly gas powered version, the electric comes with a few more added advantages like reverse gear and rear-facing camera, which might just make it a lot more desirable.
The most special feature is the body panels. These give a number of special attributes to the vehicle, which make it quite unique. Firstly, they make it very safe, as the foam has an incredible shock absorption. In addition, they make the vehicle virtually resistant to any scratches, which ultimately makes parking in a car park a much more pleasant experience. They are super eco-friendly and recyclable, but above all, they make the vehicle being able to float like any conventional boat.
Now, wouldn’t it be great if you have a vehicle that can drive both on the road and on water? I think for anyone living in a city with a river running through it, or a place like Amsterdam or Venice, this attribute must be the ultimate dream. Unfortunately, the floating model is still under development.
So, let’s get back to the existing versions because there is one more point that requires mentioning, and that is the cost. The basic electric version with one motor comes at US$9000, where an extra $1500 will buy you an additional motor, and another $3500 will get you an extra battery pack. The gas-powered version is much cheaper, US$5000 buy you a Spira4u with a fuel-injected, 150 cc Chinese Wangye motorcycle engine and automatic transmission.
After becoming proud finalists in the Automotive XPrize (see video here) with their incredibly safe and eco-friendly Spira4u, the makers are now searching for companies that would be willing to manufacture the vehicle on a global scale. They are keen to use local materials in order to both bring the costs down and stimulate local business.
Image (c) Spira4u
