Human Powered Velomobile Bike
Daniel Flahiff Writing for The Inhabitant has an interesting post describing the design of an Amphibious Trike invented by David Buchwaldek.
What makes the design interesting and fun is the rudder and propeller at the rear of the vehicle to propel and steer while navigating water. A trike with shell make a very light and aerodynamically efficient vehicle that takes little energy to move from point A to point B. This fun design is one step closer to a really useful commuting vehicle with different design goals.
Weather keeps many people from commuting via bicycle a large portion of the year in many climates. The shell serves dual duty keeping wind, rain, and snow at bay while reducing wind drag. What this design is missing is lightweight versions of the basic luxuries found in a modern automobile. Every item added would add weight, and thus the energy required to move the vehicle, thus any additions must have a clear purpose and make the overall design more usable.
The electric hybrid assist is brilliant, and is a must keep. That one big hill on the way to work is no longer a problem. Keeping the battery charged while pedaling makes other design choices possible. Wrapping the body in lightweight solar cells might also help. Adding a plug in to top off the battery while parked from AC is also a must.
As a commuter the first thing to delete is the rudder and propeller. In the US anyway, there are not many people that need to cross small bodies of water, and this design is too slow to cross large bodies of water. There existence is great in a fun vehicle (and personally would love to have), but simply dead weight for the majority of commuters.
Climate controls would make commuting viable many days with otherwise foul weather. I believe very small heating and cooling systems that operate off battery power should be added, with a thermostat and timer. Imagine having the vehicle plugged into your garage AC overnight, and a half hour before you leave for your daily commute the timer turns on the climate controls and warms up the cockpit for your use.
The design also needs a complements of lights. LED turn signals would help mingle among other motorized traffic. A bright flashing LED strobe mounted on the roof would make the vehicle more visible. LED headlights and tail lights would allow night operation.
We have seen many vehicles that move a person very efficiently from one place to another. The hybrid drive and weatherproof cockpit are one more step toward a truly useful mostly human powered everyday commuting vehicle in places that mass transit would not work.