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Ohmigod - the nadir of British industry (or was that the Sinclair QL). I used occasionally see one of these scuttling around the North Circular in London UK, an

Ohmigod - the nadir of British industry (or was that the Sinclair QL). I used occasionally see one of these scuttling around the North Circular in London UK, and I guess I admired the owner for his suicidal bravery, given that the NC is one of London's busiest roads. Basically, a plastic shell around a washing-machine motor and under-watted battery - you could also pedal it yourself, except you really couldn't. And don't forget the flagstaff so HGV drivers have a chance of seeing you.

LeoPanthera 2y ago
It is amazing, and depressing, how the urban legends surrounding the C5 persist, despite the truth being only a quick internet search away. The electric motor was custom designed for the C5 by Polymotor. The chassis was engineered by Lotus, and while the shell is indeed injection-moulded polypropylene, this at the time innovative method was both strong and light. The pedals provided assistance on inclines, and were not designed as the primary form of propulsion. For their intended function, they worked well. (See also the German designed “twike”.) I think it’s sad that we enjoy denigrating commercial failures. Clive was simply ahead of his time. Electric vehicles and alternative personal transportation is a big industry now - the technology to realize his vision simply didn’t exist in 1985.
- crashtestdev 1y ago
  Absolutely this; I'd go out on a limb here and say the C5 was a technological masterpiece of the time, the range and speed is equal to modern mid-range e-scooters that use far more powerful lithium batteries and far more efficient motors and control electronics, technologically it was fully there. What wasn't there was the market, it was really the only well known vehicle of it's class, so without anything else for people to compare it to, they compared it to cars and motorbikes which of course it pales against. As for the "you can't really peddle it", I have no idea where that came from, I've so far only used it with peddles and it was absolutely fine, not great, not terrible either, just a heavyish fixed gear bike.

LeoPanthera 2y ago

It is amazing, and depressing, how the urban legends surrounding the C5 persist, despite the truth being only a quick internet search away. The electric motor was custom designed for the C5 by Polymotor. The chassis was engineered by Lotus, and while the shell is indeed injection-moulded polypropylene, this at the time innovative method was both strong and light. The pedals provided assistance on inclines, and were not designed as the primary form of propulsion. For their intended function, they worked well. (See also the German designed “twike”.) I think it’s sad that we enjoy denigrating commercial failures. Clive was simply ahead of his time. Electric vehicles and alternative personal transportation is a big industry now - the technology to realize his vision simply didn’t exist in 1985.

crashtestdev 1y ago
Absolutely this; I'd go out on a limb here and say the C5 was a technological masterpiece of the time, the range and speed is equal to modern mid-range e-scooters that use far more powerful lithium batteries and far more efficient motors and control electronics, technologically it was fully there. What wasn't there was the market, it was really the only well known vehicle of it's class, so without anything else for people to compare it to, they compared it to cars and motorbikes which of course it pales against. As for the "you can't really peddle it", I have no idea where that came from, I've so far only used it with peddles and it was absolutely fine, not great, not terrible either, just a heavyish fixed gear bike.