With the average number of passengers per vehicle only being 1.5, it’s abundantly clear that the vast majority of commuters don’t need to be traveling in full-size cars. And while motorcycles offer a more economical and environmentally-friendly option to their four-wheeled counterparts, they lack the protection of a roll-cage, airbags, and a cabin to shield its passenger(s) from the elements. A new electric trike design out of Lithuania aims to solve this issue by delivering a highly-efficient commuter vehicle that boasts the protective elements of automobiles.
Dubbed the “AKO,” the fully-electric reverse trike design is the result of half-a-decade of research and development. The company’s already completed two functional proof of concept prototypes, as well as a host of renderings of the electric two-passenger vehicle in its fully-finished production form. With a tilting front-end arrangement — a la Yamaha’s Niken — the AKO offers 30-degrees of lean angle in either direction, allowing it to dip through corners like a single-track vehicle. The AKO is powered by a 200kW (268hp) motor paired with a 26kWh battery that affords a 186-mile range. Weighing just over 990lbs, the AKO is remarkably safe despite its size, with front and side airbags, a full roll-cage, and four-point harnesses.
