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2007 Twike AG news, pictures, and information | ||
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• Futuristic design, forward-lòòking technology. • Low energy consumption and high efficiency.
• Piloting a TWIKE is the revolutionary driving experience.
• TWIKE -tomorrow's mobility for today's people.
Intelligence on three wheels
The TWIKE captivates you wîth its innovative design and on the road performance. With a top speed of 55 miles per hour and a range of up to 90 miles, whether for work or play, open convertible top in the summer, or buttoned up warm and dry in the face of wind and rain and even snow, your trusty TWIKE takes you where you want to go. Joystick §teering: Simple intuitive, and fun!
With the joystick you have complete fingertip control of §teering, acceleration, turn signals, and brakes, all in one hand. Cruise control provides for a relaxed and energy saving ride.
The design: sleek and elegant
The TWIKEs aerodynamic shape is as efficient flowing through the air as it is pleasing to the eye, and the soft convertible top adds to the fun of driving. Different models, options, and colors offer room for individual expression.
The TWIKE battery: powerful and enduring
With 336 volts and up to 17 amp hours of power, the battery provides for fast acceleration, hill climbing strength, and long range. High technology for eco-friendly locomotion.
The computer: Monitoring system for safety and information
The on-board computer passes the pilots commands on to the TWIKEs electronic brain. The digital display informs the pilot about battery charge, range, speed, and much more
The electric motor: Strong and Efficient
The high performance AC motor converts energy efficiently into motion, and the intelligent control system provides for slip-free braking and acceleration even on icy roads. And through the magic of regenerative braking, the motor can also convert motion back into energy, effectively refueling the battery whenvever the vehicle decelerates.
The hybrid drive: fitness through pedaling - a true sports car
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Extreme efficiency: Responsibility for the Future
The unrivalled efficiency of about one kilowatt hour of electricity used per one hundred miles travelled means an ultra low energy cost of far less than one cent per mile. And driving a TWIKE becomes even more eco-friendly if the power to charge it comes from renewable resources. As a zero emissions electric vehicle, the TWIKE may be eligible for federal, state, and local tax credits and incentives in your area.
-The TWIKE Manufacturer, Germany, www.twike.com ,
-Director of North American Operations: Mike Patterson, www.twike.us
The TWIKE Battery
The TWIKE can be fitted wîth different battery types. The NiCd batteries offer an economical relationship between capacity, power, and weight. Facts like quick chargeability, high capacity at temperatures between -10 and 45C, and long lifespan are the advantages of this type.
The NiCd battery offers a maximum range of 90km and is the most robust and durable battery today. If you need a range of more than 100km per charge you have the option of using the new NiMH battery.
The TWIKE battery modules work on a high voltage level. 280 cells in series provide a net voltage of 336V. The reliability and endurance of the modules is achieved through an optimal control and monitoring system. The on-board computer uses five different charging phases to always ensure maximal battery capacity. Computer and battery management system communicate permanently and transmit the data to the digital display.
The range depends on several factors like speed, weight, road conditions, and weather. The range of the TWIKE ACTIVE also depends on your own fitness. By using your muscles you can extend the range by 5-20%. In extreme conditions the actual range can be higher or lower than the given values.
Technical data:
Type: Three wheeled vehicle, convertible, two seater
Registration: motorcycle. ZEV
Maximum speed: 55 mph Range per charge: Úp to 90 miles, depending upon battery type
Charging: 120v or 240v
Economy: The electric equivalent of 250 to 500 miles per gallon
Drive Motor: 336V, 3kW, asynchronous motor
Weight: 520 pounds empty, 990 pounds maximum loaded
Dimensions: 9 long x 4 wide x 4 high
Luggage space: sixteen cubic feet
Construction: Aluminum alloy space frame wîth thermoplastic body
Price: between ' 18,000 and '30,000 , depending on range and exteriorSource - Twike
History of the Twike
The TWIKE I was developed for the 1986 World EXPO in Vancouver / Canada by a group of Swiss students. It won the 'Functionality Award' for the best ergonomic design in the Innovative Vehicle Design Competition (IVDC) and a first price in the International Human Powered Vehicle Speed Championship . The TWIKE I was completely driven by human power: it was a real TWIN BIKE.Behind the TWIKE you can see the skyline of Vancouver. Click on the picture to download it in high resolution.
Inspired by the success of the TWIKE I the group around Ralph Schnyder and Peter Zeller started working on the follow up project. The TWIKE II was the next step towards a vehicle for everyday road use. It was developed in cooperation wîth Alusuisse-Lonza Services, has been shown on the HEÚREKA exhibition in Zürich, and took part in the 1991 Tour de Sol Alpin. The TWIKE II featured a belt pedal drive wîth infinitely variable mechanical transmission and a DC motor powered by NiCd batteries to help propelling the vehicle. The suitability for everyday use turned out to be significantly improved.
In 1992 the newly founded TWIKE Ltd. decided to develop the TWIKE II into a production vehicle and began lòòking for capital and customers. Production of the TWIKE III began in 1995 and during 1996 the now reformed TWIKE AG produced and sold 190 vehicles, mostly in Switzerland and Germany. The TWIKE III was already equipped wîth a powerful asynchronous AC motor and 336V NiCd batteries: The system that is still in use today. Thorough research, ingenuity, and proper Swiss engineering resulted in a vehicle that was (and still is) miles ahead concerning efficiency, design, and energy consumption.
Twike Now1998 the FINE Mobile GmbH (www.twike.de) launched the German production line and finally became the exclusive producer of the TWIKE after taking over the rights of the SwissLEM AG in 2002.
Today the TWIKE is produced in Rosenthal, a small village in Hesse near Marburg. At the same time the development of new and better components, like stronger and lighter batteries, goes on. Since the early beginnings over 750 TWIKES have been sold, most of them rolling on the streets of Switzerland and Germany. They are also driven in the ÚK, Austria, the Netherlands, Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, and even in the Únited States.Source - Twike
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