Remember that old tricycle you used to ride around the yard when you were a kid? Well, this is the grown-up version and it is part of a global trend called trike drifting, which originated in New Zealand in 2009 and has since spread throughout the world. Called Verrado, this electric powered drift trike is made by Arizona-based Local Motors and intends to bring this form of recreation to as many people as possible.
These unique vehicles work best where there are steep hills available, where you can just turn sideways and use gravity in order to drift. Verrado, on the other hand, incorporates a MagicPie 3-hub brushless motor and a lithium cobalt manganese battery to power its 20-inch front wheel, making it viable even on flat terrain. The battery can be charged in about three hours and provide enough power for 45 minutes of 12 miles of riding.
Local Motors is trying to raise funds through Kickstarter in order to refine the brake caliper mounting system, complete the battery mounting and actually release Verrado on the market. It takes a $1,560 pledge to get your name on the waiting list for one of these electric trikes, which the company hopes to start shipping in June.
[Gizmag]
