Is CLEVER the ultimate solution for safe and versatile transportation?
Posted on 08/10/2008 under: News, Technology
You'd agree with me that a motorcycle can never replace a car as the simplest and cheapest way to get from point A to B. Due to its small length and width, a motorcycle permits you to maneuver through tight gaps and congested roads with a little effort, which a car can certainly not do.
The two main demerits of a bike are its poor safety and comfort. A collision with an oncoming vehicle in a bike results in grave injuries or sometimes death to the rider and pillion. CLEVER has got the safety area covered by designing the vehicle with the required features to protect its passengers, so much so that it is certified by Euro NCAP as a safe vehicle, who awarded it 8 Euro NCAP points in the frontal impact test. CLEVER is not relaxing on the accolade though. It has analyzed the outcomes of the tests closely and has made specific enhancements like stiffening the seats and reinforcing the swing arm to make the vehicle much safer.
Even though this is a city car and one would anticipate it to be powered by batteries or alternate means, CLEVER has used an internal combustion engine which utilizes CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) instead of gasoline or diesel for its operation. The 230 cc one-cylinder engine which coaxes out 12.5 kW, brags of a 0-60 mph duration of 7 seconds, which is more than satisfactory for city driving, permitting you to zip through traffic signals and roads and more significantly a CO2 emission statistic of just 59.5 g/km means you are officially a tree huger.
To keep the weight down, CLEVER uses a lightweight aluminium space frame construction for its chassis, which is chiefly liable for the vehicle's overall weight of 136.1 kg. Reduction of frontal surface area and the glib design gives it maximum aerodynamic benefit and low sensitivity to side winds. The vehicle seats two persons and has a maximum speed of 100 kph.
The idea of a tilting three-wheeled vehicle is nothing new. Carver, a firm in Netherlands, is already manufacturing and marketing a vehicle which looks and surprisingly sounds similar to CLEVER. However, what's significant is the versatility of this vehicle. It's safe, eco-friendly, powerful, easy to operate. What more can you expect? Head over to the Official site to learn more.
Source: CLEVER Project
