Heavy Duty Electric Unicycle Maker Takes On Segway

formaggio writes "Designer Chris Hoffmann developed the Ryno, a heavy duty electric unicycle with a top speed of 25 mph, a range of up to 30 miles and an impressive 25-inch thick tire. The cost for a pre-production Ryno is a whopping $25,000, and Hoffmann already has five orders, but he expects the market model to cost about $3,500."

BC Comic

[jellomizer]

When looking at the pictures does anyone get the feeling of the BC Comic?

Pretty Cool, Probably Won't Change Things Much

[rolfwind]

At a market price at $3,500, it will take on Segway nicely. Still, the vast majority of people can get a bike for ~$100 and achieve similiar speeds. Even if they were to step up, it would be likely to some electric bike rather than one of these.

If I really was hot for personal transport of this sort, a Sym Symba (quality Honda Cub knockoff) can at least achieve $50 and isn't much bigger, plus a $1k less. Gas powered though.

When I was 16, I was thinking there has a market for an ultra small car, 1 passenger, if they can get it here for less than $5k or so. Just a town roundabout. Something that could achieve highway speeds but not much higher, like say 90mph, and any trunk space is minimal. When I see high school parking lots throughout the country with these big (sometimes initially expensive) clunkers.

What could possibly go wrong?

[cvtan]

Can't stop fast and can't accelerate quickly. That's why motorcycles have at least two wheels, not because people weren't clever enough to make a powered unicycle before this.

Gimmick

[140Mandak262Jamuna]

Other than the gimmick of being a unicycle, I don't see any advantage of this over a regular motor-bicycle. Big thick tires and a handle bar and lights.

If instead of having a solid circular wheel, if the wheel had some variable geometry, (like the spokes were really linkages that could shrink or expand, if the spokes could be configured to create a notch some six inches deep) that be used to climb stairs, and once you reach the next level, the wheel becomes circular again, and you could roll along, then you are talking about something.

Re:Pretty Cool, Probably Won't Change Things Much

[AndyMoney]

There are diminishing returns for cars as they shrink past the size of about a Toyota Corolla. The extra weight needed to meet federal crash standards (USA) on tiny cars wipes out their potential efficiency advantages. Just look at the Smart car as an example. The Honda fit has twice the room and still gets better mileage. The only real benefit of 1 person car would be its ability to squeeze into small spots.

Re:BC Comic

[xerxesVII]

Not enough ham-fisted christian proselytizing.