Now Minneapolis-based inventor Rich Kronfield has created an electric-assist “Raht Racer” velomobile that he claims can travel at up to 100mph (160km/h).
“The Raht Racer is a power biking vehicle that uses state of the art pedal-electric hybrid technology to amplify pedal power, enabling the rider’s legs to propel the vehicle up to highway speeds, giving the rider the feeling of super strength,” Mr Kronfield says. “On a bicycle, your pedals are the accelerator. Same with the Raht Racer, only multiplied a hundred times.”
The Raht Racer’s pedals are connected to a unique fly-wheel generator rather than of directly driving the wheels, as in a traditional velomobile.
The pedals power a 20-kwh electric motor, which sits in the rear wheel hub.

The vehicle senses the torque being applied to the pedals, and then amplifies it so that most people can maintain a cruising speed of around 30 mph (48 km/h).
The body of the two-seater Raht Racer is made from carbon fiber and includes a roll cage, headlights, seat lights, air bags and a trunk.
During pedalling, a 2-kwh li-ion battery pack also gets charged to help extend the 570lb (259kg) velomobiles range.
Mr Kronfield has created a prototype and is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to create a commercial mode.
It is estimated that the price of the Raht Racer will start at $35,000 (217,300) if the campaign is successful.
居住在美國明尼阿波里斯市的發明家里奇·科倫菲爾德研制了電動“拉特賽車”人力躺車,聲稱其速度每小時能高達100英里(即每小時160千米)。
“拉特賽車是一種動力自行車,使用腳踏電動混合技術來增強腳踏的動力,騎行者的腿能夠驅動自行車使其達到在高速公路上行駛的速度,讓騎車人感受到超強力量,”科倫菲爾德如是說,“騎自行車時,踏板是加速器,拉特賽車也一樣,只不過拉特賽車的動力是其他自行車的百倍。”
拉特賽車的腳踏板與一個獨特的飛輪發電機連接,而不是像傳統自行車一樣直接驅動車輪。
拉特賽車的腳踏板為處于后輪轂的一個20千瓦的電動機提供動力。
這種裝置能檢測到腳踏板上的扭矩,大幅提高了它的作用,使得大多數人都能維持每小時30英里(即每小時48千米)左右的行駛速度。
兩人座的拉特賽車主體由碳素纖維制成,設有一個籠形護框、車頭燈、座位燈、氣囊和一個后備廂。
踩踏的同時還能為一個2千瓦時的鋰離子電池組充電,延長重達570磅(即259千克)的躺車在道路上行駛的時間。
科倫菲爾德已創造出了一個模型,目前正在美國Kickstarter眾籌網上開展籌款活動以便進行生產。
如果這個項目成功的話,拉特賽車的售價預計將超過3.5萬美金(約合21.73萬人民幣)一臺。