This Strange New French EV Is Actually An E-Bike That Can Hit 75 MPH

• A French company is working on a mashup between an electric car and an e-bike.
• The Cixi Vigoz has pedals and a steering bar, but it can also hit 75 miles per hour.
• It can go 100 miles on a full charge—but you have to pedal.

Everybody knows Aptera and its quest to make a usable solar-powered EV. The California company has been at it for two decades, but production has yet to begin, and there’s still no clear timeline for when the first customers will finally get behind the wheel.

But what if things were different? What if you could set your sights on another innovative three-wheeled electric vehicle that has been in development for 10 years without a production schedule? It also doesn’t have a steering wheel or solar panels—instead, you have to pedal to keep going.

That EV is called the Vigoz, and it’s the brainchild of French-based startup Cixi, which made a name for itself after it debuted the PERS chainless pedaling system. The development of the two-door e-bike/EV mashup began in 2015 in Paris, and it’s now in the design intent phase, with the finished product expected to resemble this latest prototype.

All jokes aside, it’s quite an interesting display of technology. It’s not a car, and it’s not a motorcycle. It has a 22-kilowatt-hour battery that powers a rear electric motor, but it will not move unless the driver pedals. Depending on the level of electric assistance, the Vigoz is expected to deliver up to 100 miles (160 kilometers) of range on a full charge, and it’s highway-compatible, with the company claiming it has a top speed of 75 miles per hour (120 kph). Charging is done through a Type 2 AC port.

It’s a two-seater, and the rear seat can also accommodate a certified child seat because it has built-in Isofix points. There’s also an open trunk at the rear that can be extended by folding down the rear body panel, in which case it becomes a single-seater.

There are two doors, so the driver and passenger can climb in on the side that’s safest, and when the door opens, the steering bar automatically drops to make it easier to get in.

The Cixi Vigoz also tilts automatically in corners. The startup claims this ensures a smooth ride and excellent handling incorners. Meanwhile, the PERS chainless pedaling system can fully control the speed of the vehicle, and it’s also used for backing up.

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Source: Cixi

Size-wise, the latest version of the Vigoz is 137.8 inches (350 cm) long, 65 inches (165 cm) tall, and 60.6 inches (154 cm) wide, so it’s not exactly small. Cixi claims the finished product will be approved for use on all public roads, including highways, and that its raised height makes it visible to drivers of larger vehicles on the road.

Three-point seatbelts are part of the standard kit, but there are no airbags and no air conditioning system. Instead, the driver gets a set of seat-mounted fans to keep cool on hot summer days. Cixi says that the seatbelts offer enough safety—the fact that there’s no steering wheel also makes it hard to integrate an airbag. Depending on the market, drivers will need either a small car license or a regular car license and a light motorcycle license.

There’s no word on when the finished product will be ready or how much it will cost. However, Cixi is sure of one thing: the Vigoz will not be sold outright. Instead, it will only be available through a—take a deep breath—subscription.