Kaylad-e Could've Been the Most Eco-Friendly and Fun Trike Ever; What Happened?

I’ll admit, what you’re looking at is a bit older than what may be out on the market today; a whole eight years older. Now, I know that you folks like things hot and fresh, but frankly, this little bugger needs a bit of new-age attention. Why? Well, keep reading as appearances can be deceiving.

What you see is known as the Kaylad-e, and its creator, Dimitris Niavis, initially set out to create a vehicle that is eco-friendly, fun, safe, and ultimately stylish. I'm not so sure about the last part, though. That doesn’t mean that something like this wouldn’t have a place on the market nowadays. With how weird people’s tastes are getting, I wouldn’t be surprised to see one of these on our streets sometime after this article.

So what is it that we could have gotten, but never did? Well, like most concepts, this one is packed with some decently techy proposals, although they aren’t so futuristic, as the ideas expressed can be manufactured and applied today.

Aside from the obvious trike setup, with the two wheels on the front and one on the back giving this vehicle awesome stability, the use of a huge amount of wood is the first thing that we see. This use of wood does two things for this EV - yes, it is electric, but we’ll get to that shortly. One aspect that such a material provides is aesthetics; it just looks nice. Then again, I come from a long line of carpenters, so I like the stuff.

Secondly, wood is one of those wonder materials that regrows, making it a renewable resource. The only issue is its ability to withstand the elements. But if properly treated, it shouldn’t be a problem for a few years. However, if and when it finally starts to fall apart, don't worry, a replacement was just grown last week. Quite a few components are fabricated from wood, from the fenders to the cargo carriage and even the battery case.

Speaking of the battery, have you been able to guess where that is? If you haven’t, it’s that rhombus shaped component right at the base of the seat post. Yup, that’s the battery. However, we know nothing of how much juice it offers. So for now, it just looks cool.

The motor, on the other hand, has received some thought from the designer. It's a mid-drive unit supposed to be nominally rated at 250W of power; even a weight limit for the motor has been set at 8.6 lbs (3.9 kg). It’s also been designed with an EU speed limit, meaning no driver's license is needed.

Finally, we arrive at the suspension and steering systems. If you look closely at the front of the trike, right underneath the cargo carrier, you’ll see an intricate system of pistons, joints, and pull rods. All these components work together to give this vehicle the ability to tilt, turn, and absorb any bumps in the road. It’s so well thought out that it will keep a rider at the same level even if and when the front wheels encounter uneven terrain, at least theoretically.

My only question about this vehicle is why it never became a real toy. Maybe it’s the too small battery pack or the tiny yet capable motor. But this was then. Nowadays, our technology has advanced to a level where the Kaylad-e is possible.