Electric Motorcycle Refuses to Tip Over

Ever heard of the Ford Gyron?

Ford Motor Company’s Gyron concept car.

Unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show in 1961, this concept car was stabilized using gyroscopes. Unfortunately, it was never put into production.

However, an electric enclosed motorcycle from Lit Motors aims to revive this concept and put it into practical use. Meet the C-1.

(Image courtesy of Lit Motors.)

The founder of the design, Danny Kim, developed this two-person vehicle to provide a level of safety lacking in ordinary motorcycles.

A Motorcycle that Never Falls Down

The C-1 is so small; how could it possibly provide the safety against collisions with large trucks? Designers do not disappoint in this area since the vehicle includes seat belts, multiple airbags and a steel-reinforced framework to provide the safety normally found in four-wheeled cars.

The technology preventing the vehicle from tipping is the gyroscopic stability system: two large gyros on the bottom spin in opposite directions to keep the vehicle upright. They’re so powerful, the C-1 can withstand a sideways impact from an SUV and not tip over.

This video demonstrates the smart design of the vehicle, which remains upright when force is applied:

A gyroscope is a spinning wheel and maintains its spin axis direction independent of the outer frame orientation. If rotated or tilted, the spin axis position is maintained since the gyroscope design applies the conservation of angular momentum.

Key Features of the C-1

According to the vehicle’s designer, the C-1 is 100 percent electric, reaches speeds beyond 100 miles per hour and has a range of up to 200 miles before needing to recharge. High-torque, in-hub motors allow the vehicle to accelerate from zero to 60 in six seconds.

The Gyroscopes inside the C-1. (Image courtesy of Lit Motors.)

Charge times depend on the voltage; it can take six hours (110/120 volts) or less than a half hour (400/500 volts). There is room for either two passengers or one passenger with room for daily needs.

The official delivery start date has not been announced, but preorders estimate a price of $24,000.

Oftentimes, drivers go to work in their large SUVs that can seat four to six people; hopefully, the C-1 will soon be available, and if purchased, the pollution from vehicles will be a problem of the past.

For a very different take on the future of urban transportation, check out this article about a personal home aircraft.