The Fate of the Three-Wheeler

[paravil]

The British Daily Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/features...d-sell-us/) has today just reminded me of another failed microcar of the 1970s: the Qpod. It originally came out as a three-wheeler and was (like so many others, proclaimed as `the Future of Urban Transport!´).
 
Soon after its introduction, it was fitted with two outrigger wheels .... and then transformed into a four wheeled vehicle. It was never a market success.

[paravil]

`Is it easy for all to see why it was never a market success and failed as either a 3 or 4 wheeled vehicle?´


When the time comes, the same can be said about both the SRK and the Solo .....

Both are still playing the same old tune. Neither provide the agility, speed and ease of parking of for instance the Nissan Land Glider concept.

If there´s nothing on the market at this moment, and I´d have to choose a new mode of urban transport, the Smart really does have the edge.

(And I still haven´t yet seen an independently tested, approved market model of either the SRK or the Solo)

[DanCooper]

If I am going to put myself in a cage instead of on a motorcycle, and I want to go green, it will be a Chevy Bolt or a Nissan Leaf. The advantage of a Smart is urban parking, not an issue where I am. To me, Solo looks like a cage also, and single seat is a big disadvantage.

I think the fun factor is the only thing that gives SRK a chance in the present market. Energy is still so cheap that you won't save money by having a specialized vehicle that is more efficient, in addition to a regular car. Most people around here drive pickup trucks or SUVs because one vehicle can do everything. I have a big pickup too, which I use only to carry loads or to plow snow, and I put fuel in it about once a year. For me, fun and concern for the environment are the big motivators for wanting the SRK (which uses about half the energy as an electric Smart or Leaf or Bolt).

[SparkE]

My use of the SRK and Solo would be for urban and inter-urban use - mostly for 'tooling about town', with the possibility to jump on a highway to drive 10-50 miles. It would mostly be used to go shopping, go to the movies, visit a friend, short commute. I've been waiting for over a year for one to ship (less than a lot of people, I know) and have become somewhat jaded and pessimistic about lack of shipping product.

As it stands, now that I can buy a 3-year-old off-lease LEAF with 25K miles (or less) for around $7000, the SRK and Solo are quickly losing their appeal for me. Had either shipped 6-9 months ago, I'd have one already and be thrilled with it. They may have missed their 'golden spot'. (I say 'LEAF', but a Spark EV, or iMiev, SmartEV and other models are all available as well - there are just a lot more LEAFs around.)

[paravil]

`The alternative options you mention are cars with little to no fun factor.´

If utility is eliminated and `fun´ is the only remaining defining motivation, then the choice of vehicle would boil down to a personal sense of what one would consider to be funny.
I still need to get from A to B in a congested, urban environment; in the fastest possible time; be able to park almost anywhere , and do so in a fairly confortable, fully enclosed space. My sense of humour is therefore severly limited.

PS
As a biker, `safety´ is not my primary concern. But I do like to be in charge of any potential danger. And this is why I´d distrust a single wheel, rear drive three wheeler.

[paravil]

On the basis of the amount of activity on both the SRK and the Solo forums, I think we can safely say that interest in the only two three-wheelers that are anywhere near to being marketed is severely limited. This should serve as a warning to any future manufacturer. The time has definitely arrived for a totally new approach to the problem of developing and marketing a small, environmentally acceptable urban vehicle. Major manufacturers´ proof of concept prototypes have mainly been narrow, four-wheeled leaning vehicles. And as soon as they decide that this type of vehicle can be profitably manufactured and sold, we should be able to see whether it can be the breakthrough we have all been waiting for. Until then, there´ll have been no relevant new develoipment since the advent of the spectacularly unsuccessful Sinclair.

[DanCooper]

I am pretty worried about the activity level on this forum also. I think something like the SRK has to be sold primarily on fun, because I seem to be the only person I know who gives enough of a s*** about the environment and sustainability to make it a major deciding factor.

I really see tilting vehicles as a dead end. A lot of unnecessary complexity. Unproven handling on slick or uneven surfaces. The narrowness has no advantage in presently existing traffic or parking situations. You can already get 3 SRKs into one parking space. How often will you need to be narrower than that? I always use an entire parking space for my motorcycle, simply because there are so few other motorcycles parking in the same area. I could use triangular waste spaces, but I could get a ticket for doing so.

[SparkE]

Since this topic isn't specific to the SRK - but to many 3 wheelers - can it please be moved to the "off topic" area?

Thx.

[paravil]

OK by me!

[DiscjockeyDale]

Since this topic isn't specific to the SRK - but to many 3 wheelers - can it please be moved to the "off topic" area?

Thx.

How about moving it to "Similar Vehicles" SparkE?