America finally gets a 1-passenger commute

[Angel And The Wolf]

Often, a reverse trike will have a double wide rear tire to give both ends the same grip. Front wheel drive is better, but more complex and expensive.

[freebeard]

You may be able to implement traction control on a single drive wheel, but with front-wheel drive there is an opportunity for torque vectoring. The SOLO's competitor has that.

[Angel And The Wolf]

There is also the Twin Tire option. Twice the shoulder grip in turns.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp2XM_Yocug

[Angel And The Wolf]

Originally Posted by freebeard

You may be able to implement traction control on a single drive wheel, but with front-wheel drive there is an opportunity for torque vectoring. The SOLO's competitor has that.

Is there another full bodied single seat electric commuter trike?

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Traction control would be super easy to implement. You only need wheel RPM to be measured independently, and if the rear is spinning faster than the front, reduce power.

You could still skid which would mean no brakes on the rear and 1 brake on the front side in the direction of the skid, not sure how well it works though.

[redpoint5]

I'd probably not even build brakes on the rear wheel. As others have pointed out, you can engineer the traction such that the rear has approximately the same traction as the front in neutral corners (not accelerating or braking).

I've said it before though; I don't see a point in building trikes because the small savings is not worth the lower utility, lower safety, and worse handling characteristics. Having a tire in the center of the car intrudes into the interior volume, and presents a 3rd line of travel on the road which is not kept clear of debris from other vehicles like the other 2 lines of travel.

[kach22i]

I think the Solo's looks and aerodynamics are better thought out than earlier competitors.

They have higher aspirations too.

March 2017
Electra Meccanica Tofino promises electric twist on the classic roadster
https://newatlas.com/electra-meccani...-solo-r/48672/

There's never any guarantee these small startups will be able to deliver on their promises, but Electra Meccanica has successfully brought the Solo to market – albeit a year behind schedule. At the moment there's no reason to assume the Tofino won't be the same, although building an expensive sports car is a different game to building three-wheeled commuters.

https://electrek.co/2017/03/28/elect...tric-roadster/


Other views of the Solo.......................

https://inhabitat.com/meet-solo-an-a...o-single-seat/



2016
Electra Meccanica Solo, Canadian 3-Wheeled Car, Could Be Game-Changer
https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/0..._11980210.html

The Solo is classified as a car in Canada and as an autocycle in 41 U.S. states, company spokesperson Jeff Holland told the media. That makes the car exempt, in the U.S., from airbag requirements.

Autocycle?

[ennored]

Federally speaking, in the US, 3 or less wheels is a motorcycle. Motorcycle crash standards, motorcycle emissions standards, etc. Stepping up to car standards isn't a small task.

[freebeard]

That's the platform that Arcimoto abandoned for handlebar steering. It saved hundreds of pounds and inches of wheelbase.

This design change was a eureka moment for Arcimoto founder Mark Frohnmayer that created a chain reaction of upgrades to the design. The transition from a steering wheel to handlebars significantly reduced the weight (by 700 lbs.) and product complexity, while improving battery performance, ease of entering and exiting the vehicle, and ride quality, ultimately giving it a sportier feel.

https://www.arcimoto.com/faq

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by ennored

Federally speaking, in the US, 3 or less wheels is a motorcycle. Motorcycle crash standards, motorcycle emissions standards, etc. Stepping up to car standards isn't a small task.

Thanks for bringing this up. That must explain the allure of engineering a 3-wheeler then. I'd do the same thing because finding loopholes in absurd laws is my pleasure. For instance, it's crazy that I'll get a ticket for not wearing a seatbelt in a car, but it's perfectly legal for me to sit on the exterior of my vehicle (motorcycle) with no restraints.