Need a comfortable, convenient, and eco-conscious way to get around town? The LEF by EV Mobility provides a sleek solution to short trips that will surely crush the e-bike/car combination chimera. The Dutch three-wheeled product features a cocooned cockpit designed to comfortably accommodate one passenger. A clear canopy ensures the occupant is weather-protected while the three 10Ah lithium-iron battery capacity promises a maximum range of 60 miles (90 kilometers) per charge. The LEF can reach a top speed of 16 mph/25 km, making it the perfect personal mobility machine for urban dwellers.Easy to drive plastic pods! The LEF is an update of the Sinclair C5 concept, but looks a lot more safe and weather-tight. [LEF]The main body is made from recyclable polyethylene. Inside, the driver can keep tabs on speed, battery status, and kilometers driven via a digital display screen. There are LED lights on the front and rear, a USB port for charging smart phones, and enough storage space to fit a 50-liter bag, groceries, and other possessions. Other features include electric windshield wipers, LED turn signals, and side mirrors. The entire vehicle barely tips the scales at 198 pounds. Designer Erik Vegt was inspired to create the LEF because he wanted to provide people with a personal mobility option that used less money, energy, and resources. After three years of development, the product was approved by the RDW and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.Yes, the LEF is cool. And minimal, and un-intimidating. [LEF]“The less is more idea brought the LEF alive. Our intention was to use less energy per kilometer than a human powered bike does while providing comfort. And we succeeded. The LEF, meaning ‘courage’ or ‘guts’ in Dutch, is a low speed, high efficiency, simple product that delivers a smooth ride. We also wanted to tackle the environmental problems we face and show what else is possible,” Erik explained. Before diving into the LEF project, Erik spent 15 years designing innovative wheelchairs for the disabled. His team has been involved with greener mobility options for many years. They were also responsible for designing and building diesel motorcycles, including the Track T-800 CDI. Since diesel engines are no longer an option in the Netherlands, the switch to electric naturally happened.An appealing shape and proportions just might propel the LEF into general usage. [LEF]The beautiful thing about the LEF, besides its miniscule eco footprint, is that practically anybody can operate it. The vehicle is intuitive and easy to handle. The retractable handlebars make entering and exiting the tub a breeze while the steering wheel-mounted throttle seamlessly speeds up the machine. The LEF’s starting price is €4,380 (about $5,309) and is available in seven gorgeous colors. While no driver’s license is required (at least in the Netherlands) to operate the vehicle, drivers must be at or over the age of 16. “The LEF represents a new way of thinking. We see a bright future for this vehicle,” Erik said.A herd of LEFs in warmer times: a perfect beach transport. [LEF]The Current News keeps track of the latest developments in the two- and three-wheel EV market.
Stephanie Weaver is a Philadelphia-based freelance writer. When she’s not locked to her laptop, she can be found riding horses and motorcycles.
90 km is more like 56 miles
Thanks Dave: corrected! Does an enclosed Sinclair C5 have more of a commercial hope in 2021 than in 1983?
err…. nope !
Hmm … cool ? Maybe … except for the fact that the two wheels should be in the front for stability and safety . And then there’s that constantly recurring theme of lack of infrastructure ( thats reliable as well as available ) to support EV usage
DW once again featured a brilliant builder reconfiguring bicycles and M/C’s to EV …. and even he … as the manufacture … carped through out the interview how few working charging stations there are … in Germany ( where EV is subsidized to the hilt ) and how many times he’s gotten stranded on his personal EV M/C
So once again I scream loudly …. quit focusing on the damn product and start putting all our efforts into standardization ( of charging ) and infrastructure .
Cause without those two elements .. EV’s are designated to remain a money losing proposition well beyond our lifetimes .. regardless of how old you might be
The problem with your suggestion is…Capitalism. And a lack of vision/backbone in Capitalist countries to create infrastructure to benefit all. Public funding of highways, police, the military, education, and public health is seen as acceptable to Capitalist forces, as they have found ways to benefit from the investment of public funds in each case, although the effort is still controversial (private prisons, charter schools, outsourced military like Blackwater, toll highways, etc). So, a harmonized charging infrastructure for EVs might be on the table in Europe, but I’ve yet to hear of serious consideration of the matter even there. It’s not even spoken of in the USA.
When asked – and I’m always asked – by ebike makers ‘what will tilt the needle?’ I always reply ‘legislation’. It’s that simple. China has Millions of ebikes on its roads because they’ve outlawed small gas motors on their roads. With the ‘cold dead hands’ mentality of big truck and big bike owners in the USA, the likelihood of legislators to pass anything like such laws is zero. In California, we approved public funding for a high-speed rail line from LA to San Francisco 17 years ago, and nary an inch has been built. It took 25 years to built a replacement span for the Bay Bridge after the 1989 ‘quake. Over the same period, China poured more concrete than the USA used in all of the 20th Century. Having ridden their mag-lev high speed rail, I would say to every American and European, ‘wake up.’ Not to fake manipulating conspiracy theories, but to the reality of the world situation. We need to figure out the Future if we’re going to have one.
End of rant.
YES
The first LEF vehicle from the Netherlands has been ordered by a US customer from Rhode Island.
Today we shipped it.
Thanks Ian 😉