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30 Iconic Velomobile Designs From The

Past 85 Years

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Icebike.org is a labor of love. A love of bikes

and all kinds of cycling.
About Icebike.org

A velomobile, for those who dont know, is a human powered vehicle. Also known as a bicycle car,
these things are based off of the recumbent bikes and tricycles, and have a full, aerodynamic
outer shell that protects them from weather and crashes.

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Most of these devices are three or four wheeled, though two wheeled versions exist. Bicycle car
really is the most accurate name for these things, since they are pedalled and steered like a
bicycle.

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There are multiple kinds; hybrids that have both pedals and a motor, streamliners made for
racing, models both with the head of the rider exposed and with the head covered.

30 iconic velomobile designs

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In the past 85 years, weve seen velomobiles pop up time and time again. So to celebrate the many
different models, we have a big graphic with 30 of the most iconic velomobile designs since the
1930s.

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A closer look at the different designs

Aerorider SPORT

Built by one of the worlds very few corporate entities to

produce velomobiles, Aerorider SPORT is the luxury version of
their flagship product, the Aerorider. Its the classy 3-wheeled

convertible of the velomobile world.

Designed by Kjelt Wijma and Bart de Wert, the Aerorider
SPORT was released in 2000, and there are dealerships for it in
the Netherlands, USA and Germany. It comes equipped with
lights and storage compartments for luggage, and is known for
its low center of gravity and comfortable seating.

Alleweder

If youre starting to see a trend here, thats because the

Netherlands is one of the biggest centers for human-powered
vehicles (HPVs) and clean transportation methods in the world.
And that includes the Alleweder KV4, a well-respected member
of the velomobile family.
The KV4 is known for its durability; its hard aluminium frame
and full suspension make it pretty resilient to just about
anything the world throws at it. The KV4 is manufactured by
Alligt, which produces all sorts of velomobile models and parts.

Trisled Aquila

This velomobile looks like something youd see flying around in

space. The sleek design is known for its style and fully enclosed
interior. The Aquila was made for racing; its aerodynamically
superior to many other velomobiles and in the hands of a good
rider it can easily win. However, owners can mod the Aquila
with mirrors and lights to make it more appropriate for casual
use.
The Aquila was designed and built by Trisled, an Australian
HPV production company, and sells for $8500 Australian
dollars.

Arion 1

Known as the worlds fastest bicycle, its equally well known for
its rather amusing shape. The mature and cultured fans of the
Arion have noted that the velomobile kind of looks like a giant
dildo (Literally the first headline when you google Arion 1
reads the worlds fastest bike looks like a 90-MPH Space
Dildo).
Its hilarious design aside, the Arion 1 is very aerodynamic (stop
laughing), and potentially fast enough to exceed the current
world speed record of 83.13 MPH.
The Arion 1 was built by the University of Liverpool Velocipede
Team (ULV Team), which is made up of 16 students. Along with
the ULV Team, there are three professionals who have been
riding the Arion 1 (Ok guys, its not funny anymore) to attempt
to beat the world record.

DuoQuest

Not all velomobiles look like a dick joke waiting to happen. In

fact, some of them look cool. Really cool. At first glance, the
DuoQuest looks like a high end sports car. Its got a classy,
smooth design to it. The DuoQuest was made for style and for
cruising, theres no doubt about that.

This two-seater is the perfect couples bike. Its like a tandem

bike thats comfortable. The downside is that the company
behind DuoQuest, Velomobiel, has only built one, and has no
current intentions of making more. For now, owning your own
DuoQuest is just a dream.

ELF 1.5/2FR

The ELF 1.5 is the two-seater velomobile from US company

Organic Transport. ELF is a cute little three-wheeled
velomobile that looks sort of like a SMART car, with the
passenger seat behind the rider. It also comes with a storage
area for your cargo, as well as lights and even turn signals.
This velomobile is produced in a multitude of colours, and they
also have a tactical model available for police departments to
purchase. They arent cheap though; they cost between $5500
US Dollars and $6500 USD.

Fantom

The Fantom was designed in Sweden by Kjall Andersson, but

not produced. The 1940s velomobile was sold in the form of
drawings, which were intended to be used as a guide to help
people build their own versions of the Fantom. The four
wheeled velomobile definitely has the feel of a 1940s car to it.
Over the years, many hobbyists have built their own Fantoms,
so they crop up from time to time.

FAW+

This velomobile has a toy rocketship kind of style to it. Its a

cool, interesting design with two front wheels and one rear.
FAW stands for Flevo Alleweder. The FAW+ is an improvement
on the original FAW from the 1990s, designed to be safer,
faster and stronger.
Aside from being very handy for casual use, the FAW+ is also
lightweight and is often used for racing. The FAW+ can be
found for sale in the USA and Europe.

Flevobike Orca

Another of the Netherlands many innovations in the velomobile

community, the Flevobike Orca, released in 2011, has been
well-received by velomobile enthusiasts.
The Orca is known for having better handling and safety and
being more comfortable than its predecessor. It comes in a
range of different colours, and is praised for being low
maintenance. If youre living outside of Europe and you want
one though, youre out of luck. Currently, the Orca is only sold
in the European Union.

Go-One Evo-R-

This futuristic space-pod looking velomobile hails from

Germany. It is the race-ready modified version of the high-

speed Go-One Evolution. The Evo-R- has two versions. The

Top version is the more expensive model, with a stiff chassis
and a slightly lighter weight.
Its made with top quality interior parts, with comfort in mind.
The Carbon version is made with carbon fiber and weighs
about one kilogram more. Richard Dahne won the 2014 HPV
World Championships in an Evo-R-.

HEPAV

Im sure your bicycle is pretty alright. Its fast, it gets you places.
But can it be used as a boat? No? Well the HEPAV velomobile
can. The amphibious velocar comes from the mind of inventor
David Buckwaldek. Its a tricycle with an electric motor and a
water-proof shell.
While on land, it functions like most other velomobiles, but it
can seamlessly travel in water. While in water it moves similarly
to a kayak. The creator envisions it as the perfect companion to
people who frequently travel between islands. A video of the
HEPAV entering water can be found here.

Hornet

The hornet is one of Canadas very own velomobiles, created by

velomobile manufacturer BlueVelo. This one has a rectangular
shape with rounded edges (the yellow one kind of looks like a
banana, if that helps you visualize it) and three wheels.
The Hornet comes with an electric engine as well to combine
the power of electricity and pedaling, and is known for its
comfort, handling and its ability to tackle hills. This velocar
comes with full suspension, and can be upgraded to have lights,
turn signals and even a horn.

Leiba Classic

If you choose a Leiba classic, youre choosing to have options.

This German velomobile comes with all kinds of optional
features, like having an electric motor assist for example. The
Leiba is designed to handle any conditions you put it through; it
has slits in the canopy to prevent the windows from fogging and
its got a sturdy frame.
The Leiba Classic is comfortable, stylish and practical. The Leiba
Classic is also on the cheaper end of the velomobile price range,
starting at 5000.

Leitra

Carl Georg Rasmussen made one of the first modern

velomobiles in 1980. It has a low centre of gravity and
combined with the positioning of the front wheels, the Leitra is
safe and has a very low risk of tipping or turning over.
Its made to practically cover long distances without problems.
The frame is built strong and resilient to abrasion; the Leitra
was built for use anywhere by anyone.

LeMans

The LeMans is a velomobile made for racing. Its design has

excellent aerodynamics, and its got a large capacity for speed.
The low ground clearance isnt suited for harder conditions you
might find in casual use, but theres no reason why you couldnt
use the LeMans around the city.
Like most velomobiles, the LeMans is a tricycle. The design
came from Joel Vincent, from France, and the first completed
model was released in 2012.

Liberty SUV

When you hear the words Liberty SUV, what do you picture? A
big 7 seater dodge? Whatever image popped in your head, I can
guarantee it was wrong. The Liberty SUV is a velomobile that is
built to look like a tiny SUV car.
See, SUV in the velomobile world doesnt stand for Sports
Utility Vehicle. It stands for Sustainable Utility Velomobile. This
velocar is the flagship product from the US company Liberty
Velomobiles. The Liberty SUV comes with many of the comforts
of a car; lots of storage, stability, lights and turn signals.

Lightning F-40

The lightning F-40 is one of the fastest produced bicycles in the

world, setting a record for clearing a 4800 kilometre journey in
just over 5 days. The US-made bike is an excellent choice for
racing; it stands up against many custom one of a kind
velomobiles, and has great versatility. It has also been noted for
being a great choice for casual riders.
This bikes body fairing is mostly spandex, however, so while it is
extremely lightweight, its also lacking in some of the safety
features standard in other velomobiles.

Mango Sport

From the Netherlands Sinner Bikes comes the Mango Sport, a

classy hot-rod looking recumbent velomobile with 3 wheels. Its
design is reminiscent of sports cars.
However, this velomobile doesnt just look good, its also a fast
one, capable of holding its own in a race setting. It has a wide
wheel base and low centre of gravity, making it hard to tip over,
and its known for having excellent handling. Riders have the
option of fitting it with an electric assist.

Marvelo SKR

Canadas Marvelo SKR is a relatively new addition to the world

of velomobiles, having just been released in 2013, but its
definitely a good one. The idea behind the SKR was to make a
fast but comfortable addition to the velomobile world.
The SKR is built with a large cockpit for riders of all shapes and
sizes. The design team, headed by Jon Reinsch, took inspiration
from the German and Dutch velomobiles, and it shows in the
design and shape.

Milan MK2

The Milan MK2 and its brother, the MK1, are speed demons.

Their aerodynamic shell and electric assist allows them to get

up to speeds reaching 60 km/h. The MK2 is a little larger than
the MK1, and uses a little more energy. Its made for a wider
variety of riders.

Mulsanne

The Mulsanne is CyclesJV-Feniouxs second velomobile to hit

the market. The Mulsanne was designed to be used in every
kind of setting; it works well for casual and urban use, however
it also has incredible speed and aerodynamic superiority over
many other velomobiles. It can tackle hills without too much
trouble and is incredibly comfortable, but its also made to leave
other velomobiles in its dust on tracks.

Quest

The Quest, a product of Velomobiel (who have a previous spot

on our list) is the fast, casual-use velomobile for all types of
riders. The Quest is popular because of its versatility; while its
no boat-bike, it can handle hills, it can handle the elements, and
it can handle itself.
The steering and controls on the Quest are loved and wellreceived. Like other casual velomobiles, the Quest is designed
to limit the possibility of tipping over and reduce the damage
sustained in accidents.

Radius TT

With its unique back end, the Radius TT, especially in hot-rod
red, looks like a mini rocket ship. Only instead of navigating the
vastness of space, youll be cruising around the city or the track
with this thing.
Built in the USA by self-proclaimed tinker Dave Langkamp, the
Radius TT was made to help Dave get around town. This show
stopper, as he put it, was Daves personal project that got a lot
of attention from the velomobile community for the excellent
craftsmanship and design.

Rotovelo

The Rotovelo comes to us from Trisled, who proudly proclaim

that it is the strongest velomobile on the market. The fairing is
made to be extremely durable and resistance, and it has to be
since that is one of the Rotovelos main selling features.
Designed by Ben Goodall, the Rotovelo is a good companion for
casual riders, with good amounts of luggage space and
lights/mirrors on it. You can get versions with a top and without.

Strada

The Strada, which hails from the Netherlands, has a similar look
to the Rotovelo, as well as its fellow Dutch velomobiles. This

one also comes from Velomobiel, and is built with a small

turning radius and excellent handling and maneuverability.
Do not expect a bumpy ride when you get in a Strada. This
velomobile was made for comfort. It also has a good resistance
to the weather and elements, and is a safe ride.

Sunrider II

Sunrider II is the baby of Sunrider Cycles. Their first Sunrider

was a huge success, so the designers were shooting for the
stars with this follow-up. Designed to have a sports-car vibe to
it, the Sunrider II is the definition of classy cycling.
Its got style, its comfortable, its speed is impressive and it can
handle whatever you plan to do with it. Fans of the original
Sunrider can be nothing but thrilled to see this incredible
successor.

Velocar Type H

The Type H is a French velomobile from the 30s, which now sits
in the Microcar Museum in Madison, Georgia. The velomobile
itself was recovered after World War 2, but the original
designer was Charles Mochet.
The Type H was highly sought after especially during Nazi
occupation, as fuel was a scarce commodity and riding a Type H
was free (getting one, on the other hand, cost a pretty penny).

Velocity Velo Basic

The three-wheeled Velocity Velo Basic comes from the USA

company Velocity Velos. This velomobile has a strong, sturdy
fiberglass body, and is lauded for its safe design and stability.
The Basic comes as a part of Velocity Velos new initiative to
make velomobiles more affordable, and thus expand the market
for them. While most Velomobiles cost from $5000 USD to
$10,000 and beyond, the Basic has a relatively small price tag:
$3399.00 USD.

Velotilt

Ive said it before about other velomobiles on this list, but

seriously, the Velotilt looks like a space ship! But even when its
cruising Earth-side, its a really cool futuristic looking machine.
You see, its called the Velotilt because the wheels actually tilt
while turning. Designed for maximized maneuverability at high
speeds, the Velotilt is an attempt at revolutionizing
velomobiles. Velotilt comes from the mind of Will Schermer and
the blood sweat and tears of his team.

WAW

The WAW velomobile caught all kinds of attention when it was

first designed, for being among the lightest velomobiles in the
world. Its total weight is only 27 kilograms, and combined with
its aerodynamic fairing this velomobile is one of the fastest out

there. In the velomobile community, theres a lot of

appreciation and demand for the WAW.
It is now produced by the Czech Republic company Katanga,
but it was originally made by Belgiums own Frederik Van De
Walle. Its specs are some of the best on the market.

Why choose a velomobile

There are three good reasons for choosing a velomobile instead of a normal bike:
First of all, velomobiles are more comfortable than normal bikes. No matter how far you go,
you cant get uncomfortable since your weight is carried by a long seat instead of a small saddle.
You also dont experience any pressure on your wrists and arms, which means that there is less
change of stress related injuries.
Most velomobilists also think its very nice that the outer shell protects them from rain and bad
wheather (I definitely thought so when I tried a Leitra while it was raining a lot. It was very
enjoyable to sit protected from the rain and the feeling didnt decrease when I looked out and
saw all the normal cyclists get more and more wet).
Velomobiles are also safer than normal bikes. In a velomobile, you sit protected by the shell
and the frame of the bike, which means that they will get hit before you if a car clown drives into
you.
Finally, velomobiles are faster than normal bikes. Almost all the fastest bike records are set
using velomobiles.
If you thread with a 100 watt, you will go around 13 mph (21 km/h) on a normal bike. Are you
threading the same 100 watt in a velomobile, you will go around 21 mph (34 km/h).

Why there arent more velomobiles

Considering the advantages, it might seem strange that there arent more velomobiles. In most
places they are a very rare sight.
The reasons velomobiles are so rare are:
Velomobiles are rather big and take up a lot of space on the bike lanes. They are therefore
rather unpractical in the cities and best used if you are going long distances outside cities with
lots of traffic and narrow bike lanes.
Velomobiles are heavier than other bikes, so they can be difficult to get started when the light
turns green. They can also be difficult to bike uphill. These difficulties are the main reason that
some velomobiles are equipped with an engine.
Another problem is the price. Velomobiles are rare and there arent any companies that
mass-produce lots of these bikes. Even the cheapest models cost around $5,000 USD or
around 6 times as much as a nice normal bike.

Velomobiles vs. electric bikes

As much as I like velomobiles, I dont think they will ever become mainstream. Instead, I think we
will see more and more electric bikes since they offer some of the same advantages:
First of all, electric bikes also allows you to go faster than on a normal bike. And because you
use less energy, you can also go longer distances on an electric bike than on a normal bike (just
like you can in a velomobile).
Electric bikes arent as heavy as most velomobiles and they always have an engine, so they
are easier to get started when the light turns green and they are also easier to bike uphill with
(actually it is easier to do both things on an electric bike than on a normal bike).
Most electric bikes are also cheaper than the average velomobile. Because there are several
companies mass-producing electric bikes, you can find several good models for around $2,000
USD.
For most people it makes more sense to invest in an electric bike than a velomobile, but that
doesnt mean I dont like velomobiles. I really do like them a lot and if we didnt live in the middle
of Copenhagen, I would definitely consider buying one.

Related

Top 5 Recumbent Bike Benefits

(And How To Choose The Best
Recumbent Bike)
In "Recumbents"

10 Reasons Why You Should Buy

A Folding Recumbent Bike Or
Trike
In "Recumbents"

10 Reasons A Recumbent Road

Bike is the Best Choice
In "Recumbents"

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62 Comments
Carl Georg Rasmussen

October 22, 2014 at 6:58 pm

Impressive graphic !
The first book about velomobiles (1982) also had nice graphics.
It was published in Russian and German and the author was the lithuanian professor Vytas
Dovydenas. He also introduced the term Velomobile.
http://www.icebike.org continues the tradition in an exemplary way.
Reply

Flemming Mller

October 24, 2014 at 3:09 pm

Nice overview.
We must hope that someone starts a serial production of some of the models, it doesnt make
sense that they cost more than a small car without taxes.
Reply

Mads Phikamphon

October 24, 2014 at 3:49 pm

Agree. It doesnt feel right that they are so expensive while being so much better for
the environment, our health, etc. than more and more cars.
Reply

Eric N. Winn

October 24, 2014 at 5:10 pm

You should talk to Frans van der Merwe about his Pterovelo and include it in your graphic.
See:
http://pterovelo.com/
http://pterovelo.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pterov%C3%A9lo/175166235876194
Reply
Mads Phikamphon

June 30, 2015 at 8:50 pm

Nice bike. I have never seen it before. Thanks for the tip.
Reply

Jimm Pratt

October 24, 2014 at 5:48 pm

On the contrary, it makes very reasonable sense that these velomobiles are so expensive right now.
They are predominantly built by hand in shops where there are a handful of skilled employees at
best, or in the case of C.G. Rasmussen of Leitra just himself. So the time and effort to produce these
vehicles is translated into a higher cost-per-build. It would be nice if we could mass-produce them,
but the market is still relatively new (anywhere from 2-40 years old, depending on which
velomobile you cite), and investors are too much into the quick return so are rarely going to jump
on this market anytime soon until a major manufacturer like Toyota or BMW gets involved. Plus,
the world in general does not have the cycling-infrastructure nor the political will to provide it
to have the roads filled with velomobiles. Its still a highly car-centric world, and for those places
like Copenhagen who have better cycling infrastructure than 95% of the world, current cycling
roads/lanes are *still* not optimum for a velomobile either too narrow, poor surface, or too filled
with regular cyclists. I know this personally because I live in Copenhagen, and have been
commuting by velomobile for about 6 years here (currently with a Leitra Wildcat new design
actually).
I think the biggest problem is getting people to understand that yes, the velomobile is expensive,
*but* compared to a motor vehicle that would travel the same comparable route for commuting (56 km city driving average, for example) or the school-run with the kids, or shopping at the nearby
mall, a velomobile is cheaper to run and maintain yet provides the same benefits (and a few
advantages).
Its easier and cheaper to repair its basically a bicycle at its heart. The velomobile pays for itself
within the first year of use if not earlier. A motor vehicle depreciates in value the moment it
leaves the salesman lot. A velomobile tends to hold onto much of its value, and often outlives its
owners (The Leitra is a case in point- over the last 14 years Ive seen about 6-7 velomobiles out-live
their owners, return to the Leitra shop in Denmark, and after a little tune up are often resold for
2/3 of its original price in a condition that is aside from some cosmetic blemishes nearly brand
new). It typically provides more room for carrying things, better weather protection, and better
safety than a bicycle. These things well offset its initial high cost.
When local Danish people cry to me but that velomobile costs 40,000 DKK, compared to my used
Toyota Corolla that I only paid 20,000 DKK for!, I reply with but you forget that you will pay
another 3000-4000 kroner in gas per year, 4000-5000 kroner in insurance per year (average),
change your oil every 5000-8000 km at 300-500 DKK per change if you pay a shop to do it, new
tires every 50,000-100,000 km, cost of car repair or brake replacement/repair, etc. etc. etc. so now
your 20,000 kroner car costs at least 8,000-10,000 kroner per year to use. Where-as my running
costs are less than a 1000 kroner per year *for the same usage*: commuting 12 km roundtrip to
work, plus shopping distance. Oh and I dont have to pay for a health club Im staying healthy by

cycling everywhere so my medical expenses are lower, Im fitter, and I am just as fast usually
faster crossing through the city than a car or public transport.
People dont realize that a velomobile is an investment that will *save* them more money in the
long run. They might have to adjust their lifestyle a little bit (perhaps shop a little more often to
offset the smaller cargo capacity compared to a Toyota Corolla for example), but that benefits
them more.
Reply
Mads Phikamphon
Good thinking. I agree that most people forget how much

October 24, 2014 at 8:51 pm

it cost to keep a car running and that its almost free to keep a bike or velomobile
running (+ all the health benefits, environment benefits, etc.)
Where and how far do you commute in Copenhagen? (you might also want to check
out our graphic about Copenhagen, http://www.cykelvalg.dk/bike-city-copenhagen/)
Reply
Jimm Pratt

November 22, 2014 at 11:59 am

I live in Islands Brygge, just past Langebr. My commute takes me across

the city to Nrrebro, about 5 to 6 km one way depending on the route I
take, or easily 15-20 km if I am not in a hurry and take a more scenic route
home. C.G. wants me to remind people that there is a Leitra with BIONX
motor available for rent at the Bicycle Innovation Labs Bicycle Library in
Amager, where people can also rent all sorts of strange bikes, from
recumbents, to cargo bikes, to tall bikes, to social bikes to folding bikes, to
e-bikes. Its a great way to test out the Leitra before investing in one.
http://www.bicycleinnovationlab.dk/cykelbiblioteket
Reply

Jimm Pratt

October 24, 2014 at 5:59 pm

kabinecykler er nogle store sataner, der fylder godt op p cykelstien Hahaha! For me it is the
other way around. Im constantly ringing my cycle bell to get cyclists to move out of my way they
take up too much space because they often ride 2-3 side-by-side on the cycle roads, preventing me
from going at a higher average speed during the morning commute especially over bridges like
Langebr.
Reply
Mads Phikamphon

October 24, 2014 at 8:51 pm

And I take a up a lot of space in our Christiania bike

Reply

John (Joern)

October 25, 2014 at 9:32 pm

I am in Winnipeg, Canada. Born on Bornholm, but raised in Canada. I ride a Rans long wheelbase
recumbent her. We have I person on a Quest Velomobile. Yes, it takes up a lot of space on bike lanes
(which we have few of). But sure is nice to see. I have often considered buying 1, but cost is a factor
with our long winters. A velomobile would lengthen the riding season, but our snowfalls will greatly
impact riding!! Thanks for the blog info. Hilsen fra Winnipg!
Reply

Simon

October 31, 2014 at 2:52 pm

Hi Mad, thanks for this very nice overview.

I have a few comments though: I guess you calculated the achieved speeds and power with
Kreuzotter? The results for the strong head wind do not seem logical to me: why is a racing bicycle

faster than a standard velomobile in such conditions? According to Kreuzotter, even a triathlon
bicycle is almost 3 km/h slower than an Alleweder velomobile!
Also, it looks like a strong headwind means for you a wind speed of 70 km/h. These are not very
common riding conditions!
By the way, the Velocar was originating from France and not from Germany
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velocar)!
Reply
Mads Phikamphon

November 1, 2014 at 12:02 am

Thanks. Speed and power we found here:

http://users.telenet.be/fietser/fotos/VM4SD-FVDWsm.pdf
I have noted that the country is wrong for the Velocar Type H. It will be fixed in the
next version of the graphic.
Reply

Cazalis

October 31, 2014 at 9:14 pm

Hi, I am surprised to see that the Vlolcar Type H designed by Mochet in 1930 is seen as a German
design on your website. It was designed and built in Puteaux, 5 km west of Paris as this website
stats: http://www.svvs.org/Mochet-Velocar.shtml
Best regards
Reply
Mads Phikamphon

November 1, 2014 at 12:05 am

Thanks a lot for the great link, never seen that page before. The Velocar Type H
country will be fixed in the next version of the graphic.
Reply

Robert

November 1, 2014 at 8:38 am

Very nice Overview!

The missing Designer of the Leiba is Vasili Gess.
http://www.leiba.de
Reply
Mads Phikamphon

November 1, 2014 at 11:37 pm

Thanks a lot for that info.

Reply

Horace

January 4, 2015 at 1:14 pm

How is the turning circle measured? Outer diameter of the turn?

Reply
Mads Phikamphon

January 4, 2015 at 8:03 pm

Good question. I emailed a lot of people/companies to get the information, but I never
thought about asking exactly how the turning circles were measured. Guess I just
thought they were all using the outer diameter of the turn (i.e. how much space would
be required to turn).
Reply

Marc

February 11, 2015 at 9:14 pm

The Milan velomobile was designed by Jens Bckebusch and Eggert Blk. http://www.milan-

velomobil.de/index_en.htm
The DF and DF XL, designed by Daniel Fenn are missing: https://www.intercitybike.nl/en
The Leiba Classic is made by http://www.leiba.de
Like the Leiba X-Stream and the new Leiba Record
Reply

PatsyGarett

March 6, 2015 at 8:22 am

Nice collection work ! Bravo

One detail : the Velocar Type H (Charles Mochet) is a french design and build. Not german
Reply
Mads Phikamphon

June 30, 2015 at 8:53 pm

Agree. It has been fixed.

Reply

Morten

April 11, 2015 at 3:19 pm

Very nice work! The lightning f40 is not a Velomobile. It is a two wheel recumbent bicycle
Reply
Mads Phikamphon

June 30, 2015 at 8:55 pm

Cant a velomobile have two wheels?

Reply
Jimm Pratt

August 14, 2015 at 9:19 pm

I would say yes to that, Mads. A velomobile is basically classed as a

recumbent with a body that provides aerodynamic improvements and
weather protection. The F40 should fit in that category nicely. The
defining caveat might be whether or not it is something that could be
used on a daily basis, or only for racing.
Reply
Mads Phikamphon

August 14, 2015 at 11:13 pm

Thanks. Guess categorizing velomobiles in exact categories is

impossible, just like its impossible to do so for normal bikes
(when is a a road bike instead a cyclocross bike etc.)
Reply

jens

June 29, 2015 at 1:18 pm

Turning Circle.
How to to measure. Is it the wheels circle or the bodywork requirements of space between 2 walls?
Reply
Mads Phikamphon

June 30, 2015 at 8:56 pm

Good question. I emailed a lot of people/companies to get the information, but I never
thought about asking exactly how the turning circles were measured. Guess I just
thought they were all using the outer diameter of the turn (i.e. how much space would
be required to turn).
Reply

Carl Georg Rasmussen

July 1, 2015 at 7:45 pm

Blue Velos Hornet is a modified version of the German Cab Bike. The bike itself is a Cab Bike. Its
only the top that is special since Blue Velo have removed the original canopy and made it into a
cabrio version.
Reply

Gionata Scrofani

July 3, 2015 at 3:50 pm

Hi SIe,
I would love to require the insert of Zephyrus Velomobiles among the enlisted products. If you
need further information regarding the vehicle, you can contact me at my e-mail address.
Thank you very much.
Best regards.
Reply
Mads Phikamphon

July 3, 2015 at 7:40 pm

Your velomobile looks very nice, but for now the infographic is done (i.e. I cannot offer
to edit it and add new velomobiles to it).
Reply

William White

July 4, 2015 at 2:17 am

I dont know why you included the ELF as it is considered in many US states a moped/motorcycle.
You should of included the TWIKE as it too is a human/electric hybrid.
Reply
Mads Phikamphon

July 4, 2015 at 2:40 am

The TWIKE is very nice too, although it doesnt have a tactical model
Reply

Arto Joutsimki

July 6, 2015 at 11:05 am

My Arcus from Finland is also on the market. Velmobiles sold this year to USA, Germany and
Austria.
A different design, more info at the website.
Reply
Mads Phikamphon

July 6, 2015 at 11:07 am

Looks nice and very comfortable.

Reply

lighans

July 6, 2015 at 11:39 am

As mentioned on Twitter there is one which is missing and was part of a very important moment in
history of velomobiles where bike like flevo alleweder are born. It was called M5 Kalisvaart. M5
was the producer and Alexander Kalisvaart the designer of the hood. Bram Moens designed the
internal frame.
more information: https://questeen.wordpress.com/ligfiets/de-oude-doos/kali/kali-leven/
or for some pictures:
https://questeen.wordpress.com/ligfiets/de-oude-doos/kali/kali-foto-album-2/
And yes. I consider this one as iconic. First because it was fast and won a lot of races. Second
because the designer Moens was riding it (and hated it). Third because although Bram Moens
refuses to make any velomobiles or trikes in the future, he made a fantastic bike with great
aerodynamics.

And I know, because I owned one.

Reply
Mads Phikamphon

July 6, 2015 at 11:52 am

Thanks a lot for the tip. Must confess that I have never seen the M5 before.
Reply

David M. Eggleston

July 10, 2015 at 7:16 pm

Congratulations on your infographic. The graphics are very good, and you have tried to give
positive comments even when you have hardly any information.
Your work is appreciated. To be current, you should include the DF velomobile by intercity bike.
since it has been in production for a year or more. Soon you should add the QuattroVelo of
velomobiel.nl.
It is a lot of work to maintain such an infographic, and many, such as Mary Arneson, have tried and
given up. It became a lifes work! I hope you can maintain your project for a long time, as that would
be a considerable benefit to the velomobile promotion cause. Perhaps you could recruit volunteers.
As to the FAW+, it is a considerable update to the FAW, which was a particular design adopted by
Flevobike. I am not sure how much of the design was done by Bart Verhees and how much by Johan
Vrielink and his employees.
The FAW is an aluminum velo with a monocoque body similar to the fuselage of a small airplane.
The FAW+ is lighter, stronger, and much easier to build than the original FAW.
Its other advantages are that it is more easily maintained, and quickly, easily, and inexpensively
repaired after a fender bender. Repairs to a velo made of composite materials can take a long time,
cost over $1000, and are similar to those done by an auto body shop.
Reply
Mads Phikamphon

July 10, 2015 at 7:17 pm

Thanks a lot for your comment, lots of good points here.

Reply

Rob Cotter

July 15, 2015 at 1:59 pm

Love the info graphic and the wide range of vehicles in one place.
Its clear that velomobiles, like boats, planes and cars, come in a variety of shapes and sizes to serve
different purposes. As time goes on there is a continual evolution taking place as new materials,
building techniques, price points and environmental concerns are addressed.
After decades of building recumbents, small boats, aircraft, motorcycles and velomobiles weve
introduced the ELF as another step in that evolution. A velomobile specifically for speeds under 30
mph, comfortable in traffic, easy ingress and egress and significant cargo carrying capability.
A few of the ELFs innovations include:
* Standard brushless motor, Li-ion battery and built in solar panel
* Full lighting including brake lights and turn signals
* Two passenger
* 26 wheels for lower rolling resistance, easy replacement and increased ride height
* 550 lb payload
* Height of 5 stands out in traffic
* No paint on frame & body, all stainless steel hardware
Thanks again for including Organic Transits ELF in the collection and well have more purpose built
vehicles coming out filling the space between a bicycle and a car.
*
Reply

Marc

July 15, 2015 at 11:19 pm

Rob,
the ELF is somewhere between a cycle and a car, but actually NOT a velomobile.
Reply
William White

July 16, 2015 at 4:58 am

Agreed, especially since in those US states that consider the ELF a

moped/motorcycle (weight issue) you cant legally use the bike lanes like
velomobiles as per this article.
Reply
Mads Phikamphon

July 16, 2015 at 6:57 am

True, it is quite heavy compared with most velomobiles.

Reply
Jimm Pratt

July 16, 2015 at 7:35 am

and none of those things listed above are innovations

cycles of all sorts have been doing all of that for *years*.
Reply
Jimm Pratt

July 17, 2015 at 7:39 am

agreed. it is more in line with a pedal-assisted electric vehicle, than a

electric-assisted cycle.
Reply

Klaus-Michael Bull

August 11, 2015 at 7:39 pm

Thanks for the impressive graphic!

Ive found one little mistake, I think. CyclesJV-Fenioux writes on their homepage about the
velomobile Mulsanne: rayon de braquage 4m. That means in my opinion that the turning circle is
about 8m, because rayon de braquage means turning radius.
Reply
Mads Phikamphon

August 12, 2015 at 1:05 am

It could be a mistake. When we made the graphic, I emailed a lot of people/companies

to get the information, but I never thought about asking exactly how the turning
circles were measured.
Reply

Rob Cotter

August 12, 2015 at 2:51 am

Currently there is no other velomobile or bicycle offering this combination of innovations.

Although it may be heavier than other units, add the motor, solar panel, wiring harness, 100 mile
battery pack and cargo carrying capacity and their weight will also increase. But the real fact is in
two years of production there are over 1 million ELFs miles on the road. That is the real difference.
BTW: there are only 3 states in the US that define the ELF as a moped but that is true for many
conventional electric bikes.
Reply
Mads Phikamphon
How many ELFs have been produced so far?
Reply

August 12, 2015 at 7:47 pm

Jimm Pratt

August 14, 2015 at 8:46 am

Actually, Rob, there are quite a few velomobiles on the market in Europe that offer
many, if not all, of those innovationsalthough as I mentioned before, these are not
innovations cycles of all kinds have been using the various features in various
combinations for years. The Leitra has better cargo space, possibly even the Quest is
better. Without a solar panel many models of e-motors get the rider well over 100
miles on a tank full because the modern velomobile is generally so efficient and
aerodynamic you only need the motor on extreme hills.
The Quest/Mango/Strada velomobiles from Velomobiel.nl and Sinner Bikes currently
lead the world in production of velomobiles *and* in distance travelled for *over* ten
years- For the Quest/Strada family there are currently 1261 registered riders and
over 1200 velos from Velomobiel.nl on the road with more than 25 customers waiting
on back orders, putting your 1 million ELF miles in stark perspective since it is such a
young company. Quest #97 has over 250,000 km *on its own* since it first rolled out
onto the roads in 2004, and the first Quest over 150,000 km since it was made in
2000. Many Quests built in the last year are already over 10,000 km on the road
because the riders use them in every day commuting as well as long touring.
Many of the riders set up their velos just as well, if not better, than the full-specd ELF.
An ELF in its current best form will *never* beat a Carbon Quest for weight, speed,
distance covered with e-assist (when needed), cargo capacity and weather protection.
About the only place where it might excel is in being able to carry a second passenger.
But with the Dutch Quattrovelo coming out this year, I suspect a passenger extension
is around the corner.
While I applaud the effort of the ELF team to produce a velomobile for its local market
(USA), it unfortunately still represents a step backward in many areas. So touting it as
there is no other velomobileoffering this combination of innovations and lauding
its meager start of a million miles on the road is rather premature and basically
inaccurate. Lets talk again when it is still in mass production in ten years. Hopefully it
will still be around.
Reply
Jimm Pratt

August 14, 2015 at 8:50 am

oh nearly forgot.. supporting evidence for my above rant:

http://en.velomobiel.nl/rijderslijst/ (riders list)
http://en.velomobiel.nl/orderboek/index.php (orders waiting to be filled)
And currently there are over 12 million miles done on just this company
alone.
Reply
Marc

August 14, 2015 at 10:34 am

Thanks for putting things into perspective, Jimm.

@Rob from Organic Transit:
While I applaud your team to bring the ELF on the street and wish you all
the best, I unfortunately find only sparse information about the technical
details of the ELF scattered around your website. Lots and lots of
marketing speak, though.
Looks like you use a common, relativly cheap, heavy and low efficient
(best case about 82%) direct drive hub motor (9Continent?) and a equally
efficiency restricted Nuvinci i360 hub (tested at 80-86%). There are way
more efficient electric motors available (92-95%) as well as more efficient
IGH (the Rohloff Speedhub was tested at 92-97%).
A range of 15+ (20?) miles at 20mph on the flat, with a 48V/11Ah battery
is pretty pedestrian and not particularly efficient (eg. something every

recumbent trike with a similar setup will archive). I couldnt find a 100
mile battery pack on your site.
The most efficiant vehicle on the planet is a gross overstatement. A real
velomobile with a similar setup would have easily twice the range (ev.
twice as efficient) at that speed, even without pedalling.
My comments come not totally out of the blue, though. I ride my
electrified ICE Sprint recumbent trike every day. I use a similar low
efficient hub motor, a 72V/22Ah battery, got about 120+ miles range at
20mph (65+ miles range at 30mph) on the flat without pedalling.
I commute every day about 20 miles to work (20,000+ miles in 4 years)
and when putting the weather in Northern Germany into account, I
actually fall sqarely into your potential customer range.
Reply

William White

August 14, 2015 at 4:23 pm

Marc & Jim

Thanks for putting the ELF in its proper perspective and correcting Robs jingoistic like defense
of this creation. I bought one under false pretenses perpetrated by virtually everyone in the
company as well in the numerous uncritical articles written about he ELF. I was told repeatedly that
it was a bicycle, only to be issued a warning by an LEO for riding the behmouth in a bike lane. It
was then that I did my homework and found out the applicable classification for it in our state.
To Robs credit the new web page, while not spelling it out specifically, warns the potential
consumer of the ELFs legality in certain jurisdictions. The marketing/legal strategy to shift the
question onto the consumer. Buyer beware.
But my criticism of the ELF doesnt stop there. After one year of ownership, I sold it after realizing
the early adoptees were basically going to be left high and dry after functioning as the companies
R&D for a product that wasnt ready for the prime time. Retrofitting it to function as a safe and
reliable moped would have cost me perhaps as much as buying it in the first place, foremost of
which was strengthening the shell to take the road beating it receives, since their is no real
suspension system. Besides an interior roll cage, if I was to compete with traffic on the road, I was
going to need a new motor (DaVinci suggested a twin motor drive drawing 28,000 peak amps and
2000 amps at cruising speed) and a stronger more efficient hub. Since the Nuvinci can only handle
about 200 watts it would have to go too; Rohloff-another $1500. Finally reverse engineering a
useful suspension system was virtually impossible.
And then the kicker: On the Facebook ELF user group, Rob unfairly and falsely maligned the
TWIKE, citing an article that was close to 20 years old in describing an old battery technology they
used before the LIPO switch. To me that sounded like desperation-why- theyve only sold slightly
more than 500 units.
I loved (and still do) love the ELF concept-too bad their product dont hold up. Oh and the million
mile BS Rob spouts..
Reply
Jimm Pratt

August 14, 2015 at 5:32 pm

To be fair, Marc, 1 million miles is not that hard to achieve across 20-35 built vehicles
thats only about 25,000-40,000 miles per ELF less if theyve sold more than that. Of
course we dont know how many R&D miles that includes, nor over how long a period
of time to get to that number of miles.
As with the Segway, the ELF is a product looking for a customer, not a product that
customers are looking for. It is, at its core, about 10 years behind European
velomobiles in terms of development and innovation. Even the Danish Leitra, still
mostly hand-built after 30 years, is more practical for day-to-day use when set-up with
e-motor.
Now then, while we are critical of the ELF, you could say we do it out of love for the

class of vehicle the production velomobile which is the focus of Mads infographic.
Personally, I dont think it fits on the graphic, but this is Mads graphic, not mine, and
what is there is a useful and varied representation of the velomobile market and
history as it stands. The market has matured over 30+ years into a series of models
and manufacturers that achieve a certain level of usefulness or utility as a HumanPowered-Vehicle. The ELF will need to make some serious adjustments to not only
appeal to the up-coming velomobile user, but to survive as a business too, and
maintain its place in the history books of velomobiles.
I wish the ELF team luck in their efforts and hope they learn from existing experience
and history, and do not repeat the mistakes of those before them from the last 75
years of velomobile history.
Two points that need seriously need fixing: full suspension, and full weather
protection to appeal to more users.
Reply
Marc

August 14, 2015 at 11:05 pm

I said nothing about the 1mio miles

Jimm, since you mention the Leitra again:
Carl Georg Rasmussen, the inventor of the Leitra, posted here in this very
thread and was totally ignored by Mads. Thats quite a shame.
Reply
Jimm Pratt

August 15, 2015 at 7:18 am

Whoops I meant William!

Reply
Marc

August 14, 2015 at 11:19 pm

William, I think you got some of your numbers a bit wrong.

Matt Shumakers twin motor DaVinci drive setup has something like 28 kW peak
power and you need about 2 kW continious power at (a pretty high!) cruising speed.
That drive system would definately create a ELF from Hell!
I might be wrong (thanks the rather slim technical infos of the ELF again), but by the
image it looks like the electric motor doesnt drive the Nuvinci 360.
Reply

William White

August 14, 2015 at 11:35 pm

Yes you are more than correct, my bad and thanks for the correction (Id change it if I could but it
doesnt seem to allow that.) Mind you it was going to get tricked out with a internal aluminum
frame and a better windshield, so the vehicle weight alone would be around 200 lbs, plus 220
pounds of me-Matt suggested those motors for keeping up with traffic, not screaming by them.
The new ELFs have the DaVinci in a different configuration. Mine was in the rear hub with both the
motor and chain capable of driving it-redundacy. Theyve modified it and nothing for the consumer,
who was assured up-dates would be readily available, a service manual produced, instructional
videos and bicycle mechanics just dying to work on it. Never materialized for me and I had to start
wrenching, welding and pop riveting it back together myself. The front and rear panels are plastic
for crying out loud. With vibration they brake-3 months for me. I replaced them with diamond
decking. OT offers carbon fiber at 5 hundred a pop. It cost me $25 and maybe 3 hours and some
rivets and SS nuts and bolts.
Reply
Mads Phikamphon

August 14, 2015 at 11:43 pm

You are right, its not possible to edit old comments.

Reply
Marc

August 14, 2015 at 11:56 pm

William,
Well, that doesnt sound anywhere near the usual customer service in the recumbent
world. For instance, I had some frame and rack failures with my ICE trike and every
time it just cost me taking a picture and sending an email to get relacements ASAP by
FedEx. The German Importer offers equally great service.
Guess the brand of my second trike
Reply

Carlos Dewerchin

October 7, 2015 at 1:24 pm

Its a nice job you have done Mads ! However the mix is going from the very basic equipped and
finished velomobiles to the top state of the art of the European velomobile production.
The spoiled customer is looking after a velomobile finished like a high class glider or high tuned
sportscar. Others are more looking for a rock bottomed priced one, equipped with the bare
necessities just enough to name it a velomobile.
Perhaps a more refined classification is more than a welcomed reference.
100% Weatherprotection and e-assistance with a good looking and well finished fairing remains a
must.
scorpion
Reply
Mads Phikamphon

October 7, 2015 at 3:03 pm

Thanks. Good point that people are looking for different things, so a more refined
classification would definitely be a good reference to have.
Reply

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