No Need to Fill Up This Hi-Tech Pedal Car

Neville Whitlock’s silver bullet velomobile turns heads almost as fast as he can turn the pedals.

Soaring petrol prices do not apply to Mr Whitlock as he zips through rush-hour traffic in Wellington in his kitset vehicle.

He spent $5500 importing the three- wheeler from Holland and then 70 hours assembling it. Top speed is nearly 50km/h, and there’s room to stow the groceries in the boot.

“The velomobile is wonderful – everything I had hoped for.”

Mr Whitlock emailed the supplier, Dutch Speed Bikes, boasting that he had so far clocked himself doing 40km/h.

He rides to work most days, often covering the 13km “faster than a car during the peak hour”.

A velomobile is a three-wheel human- powered vehicle which takes elements from reclining-seat bicycles, tricycles, and always has either a full or partial canopy for streamlining and protection from the elements.

Meanwhile, diesel prices have topped previous record levels with BP leading the market 4c a litre ahead of competitors. Petrol prices remained unchanged today, although crude oil prices hit $US105.41 per barrel yesterday, well above the $US100 price barrier broken early in January.

Yesterday afternoon Shell and Caltex raised their pump price for diesel to $1.30 per litre while BP moved up 4c to $1.34.

——————–

(c) 2008 Waikato Times. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.