Peter Kutz is a product design student at the Weissensee School of Art in Berlin. For his thesis project, he designed a hybrid electric tricycle called “eins.plus” (one.plus). Similar to the Mando Footloose hybrid electric, Kutz’s concept features a pedal driven generator that powers dual motors located at the rear wheel hubs. Because the design does not have a traditional mechanical transmission, the rear cargo platform is positioned low to the ground for easier loading and unloading. Kutz also envisions that the lower platform can be used by standing passengers for short trips.  He points out that different modules could be added to the rear platform, such as a passenger seat or a pet carrier, to suit the trike for different purposes.

The eins.plus e-trike was designed to be part of a sharing system, and Kutz envisions solar charging stations with induction plates in the ground to recharge the batteries wirelessly.  His station design fits in the dimensions of a standard car parking space, and can accommodate up to eleven tricycles.

The trike’s on board computer  can sync with a user’s smart phone. With an app, the user could unlock the tricycle, plan a route, and lock the motor for security when they arrive at their location.

For more about the design and additional renderings, see the eins.plus project webpage. Kurtz also has put together a video that does a great job of documenting his design process.