One Company Thinks the Key to Electric Cars is Ditching Steering Wheels

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Posted by Nicole Wakelin 

                               

 

Electric cars are increasingly popular on public roads, but they have yet to find widespread acceptance. There are worries about range and they can be expensive, so Arcimoto has come up with its own solution. Ditch the steering wheel and turn those cars into a cross between a motorcycle and a golf cart.

Mark Frohnmayer has been working on his project, Arcimoto, for eight years with a focus on creating something small and cheap with a price under $12,000. His solution is a three-wheeled vehicle that looks like a golf cart, but instead of a steering wheel, has a set of handlebars like you’d find on a motorcycle.

The two-seater, three-wheeled SRK is smaller and cheaper than a car, but doesn’t require learning anything new in order for people to get behind the non-existent wheel. Some states may require a motorcycle license, but in most you’re fine with your standard driver’s license. The SRK also has a protective shell and can be fully in closed for an additional fee.

Powered by a 12-kilowatt lithium ion battery, the SRK has a 70-mile range and a top speed of 85 mph. It can do 0-60 in 7.5 seconds and its small size of only 105 inches long means you can park it in small spaces, just like a motorcycle. According to Wired, Arcimoto plans to start selling the SRK at the end of 2016 or early 2017.