Human-electric hybrid vehicle

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A human-electric hybrid vehicle is a hybrid vehicle whose drivetrain consists of a human being and an electric motor/generator (and one or more electricity-storage device(s) such as a battery(ies) or ultracapacitor(s)).

It has characteristics of a bicycle or velomobile with the addition of faster acceleration and regenerative braking, allowing a higher average velocity especially in hilly terrain.

Interior of a 1998 Twike HEHV
Interior of a 1998 Twike HEHV

Some vehicles have a clutch and three or more wheels, allowing the operator to continue pedalling and charge up the electricity-storage device during traffic stops.


[edit] Production Vehicles

A large number of two-wheeled electric bicycles exist and are treated elsewhere. The manufacturers of most tricycles and velomobiles equip their usually purely human-powered vehicles with motors on special order where legal. Some vehicles are sold exclusively as hybrids, such as the Twike.