What do you get when you combine the eco-friendliness and fitness benefits of an e-bike with the stability and weather protection of a small car? Well, you get an e-quadracycle, such as the funky new Orion and Ilos from the Greek startup Gloubos.
Designed for urban commuting, the four-wheeled Orion features an open-sided composite body over a metal frame and a single bucket seat for its rider/driver. A 250-watt mid-mount motor augments the rider's pedalling power, propelling the vehicle to a top-assisted speed of 25 km/h (16 mph).
A single charge of the 20-Ah lithium-ion battery pack is claimed to provide a range of up to 50 km (31 miles), depending on the level of electric assistance selected. An optional solar panel can be installed on the roof to help boost that figure.
The Orion is equipped with suspension mountain bike forks on the front wheels to absorb bumps in the road, while hydraulic disc brakes provide stopping power to all four of the 20-inch wheels. Instead of protruding side mirrors, the Orion utilizes small external cameras linked to interior smartphone-sized screens.
Other features of the vehicle include a 5-speed automatic drivetrain, a full LED lighting system (including turn indicators), an LCD screen displaying information such as current speed and battery level, and a padded dashboard to prevent riders from hitting their shins while pedaling. The vehicle reportedly weighs 105 kg (231 lb).
While the Orion includes a small rear rack for items like groceries, the Ilos focuses more on cargo hauling. It features a 107-cm-long by 80-cm-wide (42.1 by 31.5 in) cargo bed, which can be replaced with an enclosed cargo box, capable of carrying loads weighing up to 180 kg (397 lb). The Ilos shares most specifications with the Orion but includes dual batteries, actual side-view mirrors instead of cameras, and weighs 155 kg (342 lb).
Both the Orion and the Ilos are currently available on the Gloubos website, priced at €7,799 and €11,599 (approximately US$8,360 and $12,433), respectively.
You can watch the Ilos in action in the following video:
[Gloubos Ilos e-cargo](video link)Source: Gloubos
