
Elf Electric Pedal Car: When 1 Horsepower Is Enough - ph0rque
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323368704578593651252009998.html#project%3DSLIDESHOW08%26s%3DSB10001424127887324879504578597992560021074%26articleTabs%3Darticle
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IvyMike
As a rule of thumb, if you need to move a horse-like weight at horse-like
speeds, one horsepower will do.

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tocomment
Why are most law mowers 5 hp?

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WayneDB
Probably because the horses are used for moving the blade more than the mower.

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kamakazizuru
For the price they're offering it - I feel like it might end up going down the
same road as a Segway. For 5000$ - why not buy a used car if you really cant
get around those distances on foot? I just feel like the speed vs price vs
safety vs existence of other much cheaper options - will make this thing a lot
less attractive.

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HaloZero
I guess the main benefit of a motor on a bike would be to get up hills quickly
so you don't have to pedal as much, flat pedaling would be fine.

I wonder where you would park it though? Would you need to have a parking spot
for it? That's expensive in a city like San Francisco and finding a parking
spot sucks going anywhere.

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josephlord
An expanded one of these with room for a couple of children would probably be
useful. I know one person who cycles the school run with a 5 year old in a
seat at the back of the bike and two younger children in a bike trailer.

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schmrz
The first thing that crossed my mind when I read this is that it would be a
huge and tragic disaster if that person would get hit by a car. It just
doesn't seem safe enough.

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brent_noorda
You're right. Those things are death traps, accidents just waiting to happen.
And by "those things" I mean "cars".

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radiowave
A latter day Sinclair C5.
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinclair_C5](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinclair_C5)

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trothamel
A top speed of 20 mph seems dangerously slow for public roads.

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ChuckMcM
More of an enclosed recumbent bike than it is a 'car' so you could say
"dangerously fast for a 3 wheel bike" :-) (tricycles are notoriously prone to
flipping over because of the way they convert angular momentum.)

I suspect it is a bit more fun than a golf cart though.

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jholman
My understanding is that it's single-wheel-in-front trikes that are dangerous
when cornering at speed. This vehicle has the single wheel in the back.

