A 3-wheeled scooter that has the ability to tilt on turns is a bridge between a motorbike and a traditional motorcar. These electric scooters have a small footprint and offer privacy, and could be the key to a sustainable future. Peugeot has taken these key factors into account while building their 3-wheeled scooter.
These hybrid scooters were developed as a part of the “Efficient Urban LIght Vehicle” (EU-LIVE) European consortium, an urban mobility project involving 12 partners from six countries. The consortium aims to standardize a European approach for the design, development, and building of electric L-category vehicles, which consists of motorbikes, mopeds and all-terrain vehicles with three or four wheels.
The hybrid 3-wheeled scooter is powered by 2 electric in-wheel motors as well as an internal combustion engine which combines with a 48 V Samsung battery to offer a total range of 300 km. The electric motors handle city driving at speeds of 70 km/h but you can shift to the 31 kW single cylinder gasoline engine to take the scooter up to 130 km/h.
Having a footprint of only 2.4 x 0.85 m, the 3-wheeled scooter is based on an architecture similar to that of a tricycle and Groupe PSA claims that the hydraulic tilting system will make the drive easy and it will be just like riding the previous well-accepted model. The cabin is heated inside and comes complete with seatbelts and an airbag. The doors rotate in line with the body conserving, even more space when you need to park the vehicle.
“Groupe PSA has committed to protecting individual freedom of movement. EU-LIVE is an illustrative example of it,” says Carla Gohin, Senior Vice President, Research, and Advanced Engineering. “This new electrified light vehicle allows an individual, safe and sustainable mobility thanks to its zero-emission mode.”
So would you buy one once it enters production?