With fuel costs hitting the roof and conventional sources of fuel running out, we are left with the ultimatum of choosing alternate forms of transportation that could get us where we want without necessarily demanding fuel for the process. Moreover, if you are one of those individuals who wish to give back something positive to the environment, here are some stunning examples of vehicles that demand nothing but pedal power to move. All you need is a comfy space and some serious stamina to enjoy a ride in one of these beauties.
FahrradiFarfalla FFX
What better way to show your support for the environment and still remain style conscious than driving around town in this custom made Ferrari look alike? The FahrradiFarfalla FFX gets its name from different languages, including ‘Fahrrad’ for bicycle in German, ‘i’ from the ‘Apple Society’, and ‘Farfalla’ for butterfly in Italian.
The car resembles a Ferrari 800hp V12 in its appearance (not the performance though which purely depends on how strong you are in pulling the vehicle along with your legs). Apart from the pedal work design for its motor, the Fahrradi has other interesting features like gullwing doors, LED lights and a natural ‘anti gravitational system’ that cools the cars’ interiors.
The Skycycle
How about riding your way to the top of a roller coaster on a bicycle like contraption instead of riding in those custom made cars? That’s what the Skycyle at the Washuzan Highland Theme Park situated in Okayama, Japan offers you.
The Skycycle replaces the traditional roller coaster cars with small trolley cars that move around a track situated at a height of 53 feet above the park. The cars come in pairs and have seat belts and a pink basket.And the best part of it is that you would need to pedal the car to get there. But it’s well worth the effort! The views from the top of the ride are spectacular to behold! On a clear sunny day, you can get a wonderful view of the Seto Inland Sea. Not to mention the thrilling loops and circles you need to go through when you start your downward run after reaching the top.
Couch Bike
Literally built out of a leatherette sofa (a loveseat would be a more appropriate term), the couch bike can seat two individuals and weighs around 43 kilos. Don’t let the weight of the vehicle deter you as the bike is fitted with two separate drive trains with a total of 144 gear combinations housed in each train. Couple this with a fairly desolate road and you can easily touch 44 kilometers per hour by just pedaling.
The Human Car
Another vehicle that solely relies on pedal power to get along on the roads, the Human Car was actually developed years ago, but started gaining plenty of popularity only recently. The car can seat 4 individuals at the most and uses pedals to generate kinetic energy that can push the car forward. Tests on the car have established a speed of 30 miles per hour. So hop into one of these beauties with your loved ones and pedal away to reach your destination quickly.
The Camper Van
Looking at this vehicle for the first time can make you do a double take. Looking like a cross between a car and a full sized trailer van, the Camper Van was the brainchild of Andy Saunders, a mechanic who thought about creating a mobile holiday home that can travel with you wherever you go. And he thought of cutting down the size of the trailer van from 6 feet to a size that when attached to the front portion of an old pedal car, can be pulled easily by kinetic energy alone.
Don’t let the size of the trailer fool you. For the Camper van comes with a bed, four seats, a wash basin, a cooking station (twin hobs) and an upholstered interior. You might want to grab one of these the next time you go on a road trip with just a few essentials.
