It’s a Motorcycle! It’s a Car! No, It’s the C-1!

Most drivers who wouldn’t touch a two-wheeled vehicle with a ten-foot pole (motorcycle, scooter, you name it) will tell you that they’re dangerous and uncomfortable; what’s to stop them from tipping over and it’s just cold and wet anyway and I will be in my nice warm quiet car, thank you. The proponent of said two-wheeled vehicle will then insist that their bike is super fuel efficient, accelerates (and brakes) quickly, is more maneuverable, takes up less space (yay, easy parking), and so on.

And the debate will never ever end, because both parties are entirely sure that the other person is full of, uh, hot air. One possible solution is what Lit Motors came up with – the C-1 is fully-enclosed, has two wheels, and has a controlled gyroscopic stabilizing system to keep it upright. It’s even fully electric. While the C-1 doesn’t actually exist yet, Lit Motors has an operating model of the stabilization system and a fiberglass mock-up of the vehicle. The next stop is a working prototype, which they claim will be done in a few months. They are willing and eager to share details, though.

The Company

Lit Motors is based in San Francisco and headed up by Daniel Kim, who traveled the world for a year and used the opportunity to evaluate transportation challenges and innovations all over. In an interview with Gizmag, Kim said:

“I met thousands and thousands of people, and learned how cultures function and how people get around. It was an amazing experience. That’s basically what inIformed me, for the rest of my life.”

The Specs

There are supposed to be a number of different versions of the C-1, aimed at different markets. Differences include the battery pack (8-10 kWh for developed countries and 4-6 kWh for others) and the range (somewhere between 150 and 220 miles for the bigger-batteried bike). Both models will have hub motors in the wheels and reach a top speed of 120 mph (yes, you can break all the speed limit laws).

Flywheels below the vehicle floor, as previously mentioned, will help stabilize the vehicle and generage 1300 ft/lbs of torque. Kim told Gizmag that the C-1 will not be unstable when going really fast around corners (a problem with some previous attempts at gyroscopically stabilizing bikes).

The bike will also stay connected to the internet, in order to monitor traffic, construction, and weather. I have to wonder if, like the Audi A2 concept, it will also automatically connect to social media like Facebook. I can’t see that as being a positive. Traffic updates, on the other hand, are pretty awesome.

The first run of vehicles is expected to be about $24,000 USD, and the bike is supposed to go on sale late next year if all goes according to plan. Once the vehicles are in full production, the price should drop to $16,000 USD.

You Can Order It, If You Want

While the bike, as we said, doesn’t actually exist yet, Lit Motors will take a deposit ($250, refundable, so not a bad deal) if you want one of the first ones out the door. They don’t have too many yet, but that may change.

The C-1 addresses some of the sticking points between motorcycles and cars; it’s great that it’s enclosed, and it’s great that it moves quickly and goes pretty far before it needs to be charged. It seems fairly positive by all initial accounts, but I think I’d like to (make someone else) drive it before passing final judgment.

What do you think – want one? Let us know in the comments, below.

Source: Gizmag | Image: Lit Motors.