Just about an hour north of my home is the manufacturing plant of Rhoades Car, a company that makes four-wheel pedal-powered cars called quadracycles. (You may have seen their ads popping up from time to time here on Ecotality Life.) Company slogan: The 4-wheel bike that drives like a car.
Rhoades Car (Wikepiedia entry here) makes several models, including the one pictured here, and even has an option electric motor for power-assisted pedaling up to 18 mph.
The PD-750 is a 24 volt 750 watt Powerdrive motor assist. It’s a heavyduty (30 lbs.without batteries) system designed to give continous pedal assistance up to 18 mph. Range with locally available 35 & 75 ah batteries is up to 30 & 60 miles respectively. The PD-750 is recommended for use on all 4 seat models and on other models where loads and/or terrain is severe.
The motor comes with an onboard charger, electronic hand operated throttle, overload protection, and lockable battery box with master controls. The motor is chain driven via a freewheel to the rear axle. The motor freewheels with no added resistance when not being used.
I wouldn’t want to get out on the Interstate in a Rhoades Car, but I can certainly see them having some applications beyond being just a toy for the avid cyclist.
Still, I can’t shake the feeling that we’ve seen something like this before… like, perhaps, Henry Ford’s first car:
