Urban Transport

Tilting electric 4-wheeler zips through traffic like a motorcycle

Tilting electric 4-wheeler zips through traffic like a motorcycle
The AEMotion tilting electric vehicle navigating the streets of Paris, France, recently
The AEMotion tilting electric vehicle navigating the streets of Paris, France, recently
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The AEMotion tilting electric vehicle navigating the streets of Paris, France, recently
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The AEMotion tilting electric vehicle navigating the streets of Paris, France, recently
The AEMotion tilting electric vehicle has a top speed of 115 km/h
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The AEMotion tilting electric vehicle has a top speed of 115 km/h
The AEMotion tilting electric vehicle measures 2.3 x 0.79 x 1.71 meters, and weighs in at 230 kg (including batteries)
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The AEMotion tilting electric vehicle measures 2.3 x 0.79 x 1.71 meters, and weighs in at 230 kg (including batteries)
The specs mention 70-km swappable batteries
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The specs mention 70-km swappable batteries
The AEMotion tilting electric vehicle is controlled using a moto-like handlebar
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The AEMotion tilting electric vehicle is controlled using a moto-like handlebar
The AEMotion tilting electric vehicle's maximum tilt angle is 35 degrees
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The AEMotion tilting electric vehicle's maximum tilt angle is 35 degrees
View gallery - 6 images

Back in 2014, French e-mobility company AEMotion set out to "combine the agility of a motorcycle with the safety profile of a four-wheeled vehicle." After much prototyping, its two-person tilting creation is up for pre-order ahead of production next year.

The "microcar" doesn't yet have a dedicated name, but will roll on four wheels sporting tilting technology that allows the vehicle to lean into corners like a motorcycle.

We've seen plenty of examples of this sort of thing over the years – on three-wheelers and four, with weather protection for riders and without, and with motor only and pedal action. This latest creation adopts a motor-only approach for a top speed of 115 km/h (71.5 mph), has a maximum lean angle of 35 degrees and is steered using a handlebar rather than a wheel.

ÆMOTION

The specs reveal a fixed battery that's reckoned good for up to 200 km (124 miles) per charge, plus swappable battery units that come in at 70 km (43.5 miles) each. The driver sits in front of the passenger – motorcycle style – and will need a Permis B car license in France to get on the road. A few hours training may also be required.

Both seats feature four-point safety belts, and prototypes have been developed using "automotive-grade crash test simulations." The vehicle benefits from EPP bumpers as well as structural elements known as crash boxes, while the EPP interior also "allows lightness and energy absorption, comparable to a passive airbag system, ready to cushion the impact in the event of a collision." Effective stopping power is provided by hydraulic disc brakes.

With a width of just 79 cm (31 in), the vehicle should be able to zip through congested city streets with relative ease, and should also be a fairly easy park – standing upright without a kickstand. Both occupants are shielded from inclement weather by the outer shell and doors with windows – though the lower halves of the doors do leave the driver's legs exposed for some reason. The small storage area in back can be expanded by pushing the passenger seat forward.

The AEMotion tilting electric vehicle measures 2.3 x 0.79 x 1.71 meters, and weighs in at 230 kg (including batteries)
The AEMotion tilting electric vehicle measures 2.3 x 0.79 x 1.71 meters, and weighs in at 230 kg (including batteries)

Following its global debut late last year, AEMotion has been showing off its vehicle on the trade show circuit – most recently at the Viva Technology expo in Paris last week. Folks interested in learning more can contact the company via its pre-order/registrations page, though the company is initially targeting long-tern leasers at around the €200 per month mark rather than outright buyers. We've no word on whether it will be available outside of France. A pre-series "pioneer" batch should be ready later this year, followed by regular deliveries penciled in for late 2026, early 2027. Larger-scale production is due to begin after 2028.

Product page: AEMotion

View gallery - 6 images
14 comments
14 comments
Username
Why would the leave the legs exposed? Why of course would lead to a whole lot of inside spray when riding in the rain.
Global
Lower legs going to get wet, next to no clearance on those fenders, will pack with slush ,ice and I doubt this will be a multi seasonal transport mode anyway. Wind gusts could blow it over, too narrow a footprint.
paul314
This thing seems terrifying, especially if people buy/ride it with the intention of making an extra lane for themselves in slow traffic. And although it may only be 31 inches wide when vertical, the tilting feature means it needs another couple feet of clearance when turning. Good luck.
fen
The legs are probably exposed so you can walk it back and forth, meaning it probably has no reverse gear, and you can walk it through tight gaps.
Spud Murphy
How many of these "revolutionary" vehicles are we going to see suck up a heap of funding from ignorant investors, then go down the toilet like so many previously, before people realise that such designs, while interesting in theory, do not translate well into reality?
Steve Pretty
Also check out the Carver Electric vehicle. That is a three wheel tilter that has been on tbe market for several years now.
emho
We've already seen so many projects that could not bring anyting to the showrrooms...good luck. Four heels or thre wheels, handlebar or steering wheel...Remenber Nimbus???? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNMMlPWbf7A
YourAmazonOrder
Let's see that thing do its tilting turn with a 350-pound (158 kg, 25 stone) rider in it - and he/she gets frightened and decides to hit the brakes. How, precisely, will the rider get out of it? With a motorcycle, the rider has more freedom of motion to get out from under the bike. The enclosure, presumably for safety and comfort, seems to do the opposite in the aftermath of a minor accident.
Bob Stuart
How is the tilting controlled? Can it hit a slippery spot in a turn and not crash? Can it lock upright to park on a side slope? What does it do in a stiff, gusty side wind?
Aermaco
Lots a negatives noted above, but they are not very deep. It is simply motorcycle and bicycle steering physics. You turn the bars left to make a right turn. Yep, I got that question wrong in my motorcycle exam 50 years ago!. We all, since childhood, turn left for a right turn subconsciously to dump our CG into the direction we want and then instantly recover by turning into the fall over direction,,, The only problem I see is aesthetics that could have made the appearance not so top-heavy looking. They should have followed the road rocket bike styling but with light weight looking rain cover. I would prefer this side protection vs all open when dumping it anywhere on 2, 3 or 4 wheels .
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