First Look: EVO Mk 2 3-wheeler

WE FIRST featured the battery-powered 'UNO' back in mid-2009 when its creator, 19-year-old Ben Gulak, introduced the one-wheel machine at the National Motorcycle Show in Toronto.

Eighteen months on, the UNO has undergone more development and now features a three-wheel set up that transforms from a unicycle to a regular wheels in-line motorbike while on the move.

Gulak, now 21 years old, was inspired to design the orignal machine after visiting China, where he was struck by the huge number of two-stroke scooters and motorcycles polluting the atmosphere. On his return, Gulak set about designing a machine that he believed would suit commuters' needs in 20 years time.

“Because we’re such a visual society, I wanted something that was really going to stand out and show people that being green can be cool,” he told us. “When I was in China [...] one of the things that seemed to be a problem was the congestion, so I thought if we could make a really small vehicle that could weave through traffic – it had to be the same power and abilities as the larger ones – that would make a lot of sense.”

“I wanted something that you could bring indoors, and charge in your apartment. Right now with electric scooters, one of the problems is that there’s nowhere to charge them, and they get vandalized on the road.”

The UNO uses gyroscopes, much like a Segway, to maintain balance at lower speeds. Despite looking like a regular two-wheeler, the new machine uses three wheels for better balance. Once on the move, the middle wheel moves to the front, while the outer two move to the back, coming together to form an, almost, regular set-up.

Gulak is planning to produce 30 bikes within the next 8 to 12 months at a cost of around £16,500 each. The price is expected to drop significantly - to around a quarter of the original cost - once production picks up.

Via Gizmag