Lit Motors will shake up the electric vehicle market with its two-wheeled, untippable C-1
September 12, 2012
C1 (credit: Lit Motors)
Imagine a vehicle that’s smaller than a Smart Car, nearly a third of the price of a Nissan Leaf ($32,500), safer than a motorcycle with a range capacity that just lets you drive and won’t ever tip over.
What you get is Lit Motors‘ C-1, the world’s first gyroscopically stabilized, two-wheeled all-electric vehicle, which launched at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco today, writes Peter Ha on TechCrunch. Oh, and it will talk to your smartphone and the cloud.
“We aim to be the future of personal transportation,” said Founder, President, and CTO Danny Kim. “By taking our vehicles to the mass market quickly and internationally, we will ease traffic congestion, decrease fuel use, reduce CO2 emissions, create 2,000 to 10,000 green jobs, and allow people to get around quickly and efficiently.”
As it scales to being mass market (~100,000) around 2018, the price of the C-1 will drop down to $12,500. It is not only expected to top out at over 100 MPH but has an estimated range of up to 200 miles per charge and will go from 0-60 in roughly six seconds.
The extended range of the C-1 is also assisted by a KERS regenerative braking system, which uses flywheels to store energy kinetically. These flywheels are also part of the gyroscopic stabilization system keeping the vehicle upright in all situations – even a collision – while allowing the control system to dictate the tilt and lean of the vehicle at all times. .
“Distracted driving is a growing problem, so this is all experienced through a minimal digital HUD to convey the right amount of data with the minimal amount of distraction; basically Google Glasses for your windshield.
Comments (21)
by Aptera
Anyone remember Aptera?
I give the Lit guys 1 year to bankruptcy.
by Paul
Yeah but let’s not forget that aptera wasn’t exactly easy on the eyes. C1 looks awesome!
by Dave Morgan
OMG, this is SO HOT.I want one ,bad!
by Kevin Haskell
There is no reason to believe this couldn’t bring a family of four, with luggage, to the countryside for a week.
by Robby Realist
From what I can see, they are in sore need of an interior designer ! futuristic outside, primative inside – won’t cut it !!!
by Cybernettr
Safer than a motorcycle? Perhaps, but not by much. Any money you save on gas would be more than made up for in insurance.
by Spikosauropod
That’s my next car.
by Adam
Looks uncanningly close to a BMW C1 200cc scooter.
by GatorALLin
just a few details from the video.
$19,000 for the first 1,000 units. Ready in 2014.
$12,000 in usa in 2018 when it scales… for higher production and $8,000 for India and China
…. At first glance seems like this should be a $6,000 toy… Like the new idea of the gyroscopes to keep it upright like a car…. but you can’t brag about how few parts this has and then price it at 19k. Love that they sneak into the electric car category as a motorcycle and skip the car safety ratings and other requirements. They need some cool factor…. stick a big fat tire on the back…..paint some flames on this white shell…. put some mad max in this concept demo. (wish the back window was clear like the top is). Wish it was a bit bigger or at least taller… I get nervous other cars don’t see you… and 0-60 in 6 sec is slow for a motorcycle. Good luck
by djk
Or just buy a motorcycle that doesn’t have car doors …and doesnt cost $35000….also a motorcycle has a better range and fuel efficiency and doesn’t doesn’t pollute via coal burning at the electric generation plant :)
by Bob Vasquez
It’s strictly for going from A to B with nothing more than a brief case or a lunch box. My “commute” (fortunately) includes golf clubs & cart, tennis racket and guitar so, I will have to stick to my mini-van.
But, I think that it’s cool; maybe my wife would like one.
by Mikey
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…..precession, people. If you think this thing is safe, just remember what catastrophic failure means. and then think about driving this thing at interstate speeds and having that type of failure happen. Goodbye driver.
by Marcos Marin
Cool.
by chuck
Awesome! Now make it OPEN SOURCE!!!!!!!! It could be the Arduino of the car world and cost about $5995. Or build your own for $3000.
by e.s. gravois
Could be useful in the right environment. But not for the claustrophobic among us or for anyone with passengers to carry. Whether it is really an economical solution for many users will depend on its actual consumer cost to buy and to own. At the present price it will be a toy for those who can afford it. For that price I would sooner buy a hybrid car.
by Glen Lincoln
I would totally dig having this to drive to work. If claustrophobic just drive with the windows down, but the thing is, with glass all around you’ll probably not feel closed in anywho.
by Gorden Russell
Well, you’ve heard of cow tipping…inner-city kids will find these C-1s and tip them over for the sheer spite of it.
by gawells
R&D
by Bill
I don’t understand what makes the little thing cost even 12,500. I’m looking at it and thinking 5 thousand maybe.
by Coolbreeze Idaho
Have you ever seen the price of a touring motorcycle? $12,000 seems like a bargain.
by tim the realist
does the stability system work on snow covered roads? how about off-road with really knobby tires?