The Turanga Velo is a fully enclosed human-electric hybrid vehicle with room for a small passenger or a week's worth of groceries. Power transmission is totally electronic as the rider pedals a generator that blends in battery power at selectable levels to provide drive to the rear wheels. A flexible solar panel embedded in the roof reduces dependency, and in some cases eliminates, plugging in while a patented passive tilt mechanism enables a four-wheeled vehicle narrow enough to fit through doorways and within bike lanes to lean into turns like a two-wheeler. Its light Aeroskin softgood shell breathes yet protects from the elements and is personalizable to suit the customer's taste.
Where did the idea for the Turanga Velo come from? Micromobility such as bikes, scooters, and other personal transportation devices are uncomfortable or unsafe to use when road conditions are slippery, the weather is cold, or there's precipitation. Those issues can be addressed with the use of a city car, but that comes at a high cost for purchase, maintenance, insurance, pollution, and parking; or the use of ride share or public transportation at significant extra cost or lack of flexibility, respectively. Neither of these solutions contribute to the health of the customer or provide a secure place for belongings.
The solution is a minimobility vehicle, one that combines the fun, economy, and flexibility of a micromobility vehicle with the weather protection, cargo space, and safety of a small city car. The Turanga Velo uses an exclusive chainless ebike drivetrain and a patented tilt mechanism that combines the leaning dynamics and fun of a two wheeler with the stability and safety of four wheels. The cargo space behind the rider is large enough for a week's worth of groceries or a small child, while the Aeroskin fabric body breathes yet also excludes rain and wind. The Velo provides is the most economical all-weather personal transportation device ever built, lowering pollution and traffic density as well as improving the health of the rider.
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About the Entrant
- Name:Suhas Malghan
- Type of entry:individual
- Profession:
- Number of times previously entering contest:1
- Software used for this entry:Solidworks
- Patent status:pending

