If you're lucky enough to see one of the first electrified MonoTracers weaving through the traffic, you could be witnessing the future of road travel. You can certainly spot one in the September edition of Wired magazine along with four other futuristic rides.
OK, the Swiss-made MonoTracer is probably going to remain an esoteric form of transport for now, but Peraves (with some help from BMW) is solving two of our biggest traffic concerns here -- congestion and pollution.
Whittle down a car to the width of a motorbike then add flip-out stabilisers and you'll end up with something much more streamlined, efficient and fun. Unlike an electric car, it only takes up half a lane, so the MonoTracer is in many ways the ideal form factor for today's congested roads. And with the unveiling of this electrified model, Peraves has even weaned itself off fossil fuel.
By combining the comfort and stability of a car with the efficiency and narrow gauge of a bike, the BMW-powered MonoTracer E hogs less highway and uses lithium ion batteries in place of a polluting combustion engine. That means, it can whisk two people along in comfort and style at speeds of 250km/h.
The driver uses handle bars and hand throttle to drive/ride the MonoTracer, while their passenger can stretch out on the single back seat behind them. It's an aerodynamic arrangement, but more importantly, it can be taxed and parked like an electric bike.
Meanwhile, the low resistance of a two-wheeled bullet-shaped vehicle ensures the MonoTracer has a greater range than any electric car. The downsides? Well, some might feel less secure in a Tron-style taxi made of fibreglass and, being far from mass produced, it is rather expensive at almost €80,000.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
