At the difficult juncture of choosing between an electric car or a bicycle, you could think of the hybrid ELF, the little one that is making a furor in the market. The ELF is a solar and pedal hybrid vehicle powered by you and the sun. In North America it is legally a bicycle, so you can ride the bicycle path without any problem, but for those of us who do not live in American territory, we should think about having our driver’s license at hand. On the other side, the good news is that the model offers an interesting variety of alternatives that fit perfectly to each user. 1) If your goal is to use this means of transport as a conventional bicycle, you can pedal to your destination while you exercise your body, 2) ELF has a 100W solar panel built into the roof, which allows the charging of its battery in a minimum of 8 hours, and 3) if the area where you live does not have the benefit of the sun every day, you can charge the battery of your ELF for 2 or 3 hours by electricity.
The body is a Safety Cell that protects in ways unavailable to conventional bicycles or motorcycles. Its chassis is specifically designed for use in a solar/hybrid configuration and its large diameter wheels soften the shock, decrease rolling resistance and create a practical driving height.
If you’re wondering about size, I say it’s up to you, you can look for a small model to travel alone or look for a larger ELF suitable for you and your children, partner or the incredible shopping bags.
From my point of view, it is an interesting initiative that can help to change our habits and helps to contribute a little more with CO2 reduction. I believe that the requirements of comfort and practicality are clearly fulfilled by ELF, but I have to admit that the price factor might still not be very convincing for some. Today the idea is to invite you to be a bit more open about what’s new in sustainable mobility and who knows, what today is a maybe might turn into a resounding yes tomorrow. Mobility alternatives are many and our environment needs a whole bunch right now.
And just to give you options here is one from Norway, the podbike, and of course one from a German tinkerer, the velomobil. The choice is yours!