Swedish Engineer Transforms Bike Into Car Called PodRide

Credit: JMK-Innovation
Credit: JMK-Innovation

Swedish engineer, Mikael Kjellman, filled the gap between bicycles and cars by designing an environmentally-friendly set of wheels that’s  bicycle-based but could endure Sweden’s harsh winter weather.

The “hybrid” is called PodRide and it only weighs 154 pounds and fits on traditional bike paths. The vehicle has four wheels, looking more like a car than a bike for added stability.

It also has

“a small and short-turning radius to work well on bikeways.”

Credit: JMK-Innovation
Credit: JMK-Innovation

Its body is composed of a fabric, waterproof material which is mounted on an aluminum frame; the waterproof material can withstand the snow and rain, while the aluminum frame keeps the body light.

The seat is mounted so that the rider has the same visibility as they would in other small cars.

Kjellman has been using a prototype for the last year in order to test it out in all four seasons and determined that the car is

“a very practical and comfortable little vehicle.”

To support the rider’s pedaling, a 250-watt crankshaft-mounted motor works inside the vehicle to help the vehicle move at a top speed of 15.5 mph. The onboard battery pack can power the PodRide for 37 miles, which would make it the perfect vehicle for those with a shorter commute for work and for errand runs.

Credit: JMK-Innovation
Credit: JMK-Innovation

Other additional features include a 14-speed hub transmission, a full LED lighting system that powers the inside and the headlights/taillights, rear cargo compartment, air-sprung suspension, interior defogging fan, and a manually-operated windshield wiper.

The bike-car is classified as an e-bike, meaning no license or insurance is required to operate it. This alternative is great for both the environment and for personal health because of the exercise and the severely reduced carbon emissions.

Kjellman started an Indiegogo account to fund the production of kits to sell to interested buyers. Since the project has been funded 155%, it’s possible that kits could be made and sold soon if you’d like to purchase one!

Watch the video below to see the PodRide in action.


This article (Swedish Engineer Transforms Bike Into Car Called PodRide) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author and TrueActivist.com

Popular on True Activist