2-wheeled untippable EV gyrocar from SF automaker startup
When Danny Kim founded his car company in 2010, he was confident that at even 30-year-olds, he could take on the big automakers. When we interviewed him in 2011, he called San Francisco the next electric Detroit and showed us his cardboard mockup for his C-1: the two-wheeled car/motorcycle hybrid that couldn't fall over, thanks to gyroscopes.
We returned two years later (in August of 2013) just as Kim was offering a test drive - inside the Lit offices in San Francisco's SoMA district- to a potential investor. A few months later, with nearly 3/4s of their planned production run for 2014 already sold (but no road-ready prototype), the company received a patent for their gyroscopically-controlled stabilization system.
The concept of a gyrocar isn't new (the first was manufactured in 1914 for a Russian count), but Kim wants to create a "rolling iPhone" where the user experience feels like an extension of your smartphone. The final product should reach top speeds of 100 mph, with a range of 220 miles per charge. During our visit last August the prototype had just one sensor, but he expects the final gyrocar to have around 32. "It's really a robot," he explains.
Original story: faircompanies.com/videos/view/...
This feels like those futuristic vehicles we saw in sci-fi movies 10 years ago have arrived and are ready for mass production
That noise will drive you crazy!
Innovation at its finest! I hope those guys and their car go down in history. Our world needs them to.
Impressive to watch it all come together from concept to prototype.
WOW!!! I'm so excited by this possibility that I just can't stand to have to wait for it!!
been super excited to see a follow up on this . i love it when you post things .
I see this as a progression into some of the eliments of actually building a commercially affordable space crafts. Good work with the gyroscopes.
Amazing, very interesting thank you Kirsten!
I love you for this Kirsten. Lit Motors is spectacular and I needed an update.
Mr. Kim. Love the concept! You are definitely on to something. A couple questions...1) is the Gyro running at all times or does it disengaged during normal, "stable" (typical of motorcycles) operation?...2) If not, since I've not seen your vehicle corner, how does it behave? I imagine it banking only slightly or even the wrong way and is why I ask. I would like to see a video showing it's operation at normal operating speeds!...3) Since you already have a "landing gear" arranged for parking, is the gyro just an unnecessary added effort, when a bit more tech work on the landing gear (small wheels/programmed to engage when needed, etc.) could keep the vehicle from falling over at low speeds with the benefit of further simplifying the design?.... I have modified (on the cheap) an electric bike that I really enjoy using (it's on you tube). Enclosed comfort is your big sell point! I will note the Gyro has huge possibilities in winter conditions so I'm not suggesting it does not have merit, but different models for desired conditions may be of some advantage for your sales? All the Best/RoyDesignedThat,Kom
I'm hoping they could have a scissor-door or sliding-door version of this motor. In extremely vehicle-dense cities like Taipei or Hong Kong, such design should spare the driver much space when opening the door.
Why all the high-tech, when the 1967 gyro-x did the same thing with only one mechanical gyro?
Exactly xD
Government standards
The gyro-x is about twice as long and never put into production
@@jackmcslay thats because they ran out of money to fund a production model for production. And 4 were built but only 1 exist in working condition today. The other 3 were scrapped. If they had the money. We would be seeing a 2019 gyro x by now, not this thing :/
@@kkane2280 it was legal always xD. They ran out of money xD In todays goverment it would be registered as a motorcycle
I'm a fan, I can see this on the road , something different from the rest.
This looks like a cool project to get involved with!
Very impressive. We have a similar device here in Europe; we call it bicycle.
Wow. You still have gyroscopically balanced ,fully enclosed 100 miles per hour electric bicycles in Europe?
Robb's Homemade Life bicycles are gyroscopically balanced.
***** when they are MOVING.
Robb's Homemade Life Hopefully they don't keep balancing once you park. Sounds pretty practical to me.
Robb's Homemade Life well, you didn't specify that ;). I don't need a gyroscope when I'm standing still on my bicycle or motorcycle. ***** visit the Netherlands. We cycle in all weather.
The horizontal gyroscopes are really only needed when moving slowly, standing still or being pushed around by high winds. Motorcycles at speeds over approximately 15 mph are using the vertical gyroscopes, the wheels, to balance the bike already. It's the Rider that needs to not get in the way of the vertical gyroscopes keeping them upright. I dig the idea though. I'd definitely consider buying one. They look great and they're much safer than a motorcycle.
I just came here to say that? 50 years ago, we had the art to make this car beautiful. Today we can make this car work. :'(
Very Cool..... Keep us moving forward..
I love this and I can't wait until cars like this are the "norm" and we get rid of the big outdated scraps of metal we have as cars now.
It's called a bicycle.
Well i go to school in mountain bike and it have a lot of snow on the ground (close to montreal) but if i had an electric car i would use that for sure. The only counter part of electric car aat the moment is the range on a single charge but its gonna change as soon as electric car will be the norm.
i wonder, in the USA, the driver licence is the same as the motocycle licence ? here in quebec,canada the moto licence is like 3 time the price of a car driving licence and we have much more restriction with a motocycle than a car so.. the good thing about the Elio is because its a car not a motocycle.
***** yea sure, that why it will stay a prototype for a long time and someday everyone will be use to it and many cars will have come advance AI and it will be normal. but is it the same driving licence for car and moto in USA ?
No, you need a separate motorcycle license in the US, but specifics of when and how you are allowed to get your license vary from state to state.
The noise is stopping this from being huge.
This is awesome ! I would buy one.
Finally, a car made for the Forever Alone guy. :)
Forever alone and hard of hearing. Still... I love the concept.
mega17 ps. I got the joke. Mine was in reference to the gyro being so loud they could barely talk to each other.... not that you didnt hear him say prototype.
To those saying it is too expensive: They also make another one called the Kubo. It only goes 45 mph and isn't inclosed, but it is 1/4th the price of the c-1
Mis mayores deseos de éxitos, hermosa máquina!!!
I can see cities driving those, we would be so happy, what an economical way to get around. Couriers would love them.
Thanks for the better look at the LIT Motor. I think there would be a great demand for enhanced storage as cars are for moving your purchases. A roofrack would be a must. An extended version to move two kids or the weeks shopping. Or maybe a "LIT Trailer", available from all good stores/malls, to hire. Leave the trailer outside for it to be collected after informing LIT on your LIT App.
It reminds me of the defunct Carver based Persu Hybrid, except that it had 2 wheels in the rear and they had planned both hybrid and electric only models. Too bad it never made it to production.
Woah that's fantastic
Awesome! I want one!
I expect this would actually cause a lot of stability problems in areas with steep hills. Particularly if you needed to make a turn while ascending or descending one of those steep hills. Ascending or descending a steep hill, if there isn't enough tilt in the gyro a wheel could actually have reduced contact with the road, while the vertical stability is maintained. Turning while on a hill would require the gyro to tilt left or right to compensate temporarily in response to a directional change, even if it wasn't caused by steering. And of course some terrain changes orientation, or doesn't regardless of whether you turn or not... Good luck with this. I admire the complexity of the challenge.
Screws with packaging, but gyros should be on horizontal axes transverse to the vehicle length. Brennan gyro vehicles arrived at this a century earlier.
Amazing
Very cool. I'd buy one.
wonderful
This is really good video as it gives an insight into how complex the LIT vehicle really is. (BTW: All your videos that I've seen are excellent, sub from me.) I can't see the LIT motorcycle ever taking off when you can solve most of its complex problems by just adding another wheel. As I write it's three an a half years later but they still haven't started manufacturing. Compare that to the four wheel Microlino which has started production and it was only founded in 2015.
any update from this project?
Will there be a two seat model? I'm a little worried about the diameter of the landing gears. will it be able to keep the gyrocar from falling over on soft ground?
Will they make multi passenger versions, and what about safety (how will it hold up in an impact).
Hey! is this works on the principle of DTG? or any other gyroscopic technology?
Amazing! With better energy storage and eventually self-driving version it'll be a personal, low consumption, inexpensive travel pod where you can travel even long distances while sleeping or watching movies, surfing the internet or doing work over the internet. A computer programmer f.e. could start his/her workday in Seattle and end it in San Francisco.
spinnig the gyros will mean using energy even when standing still is that smart to waist engert just to keep something stable so that it looks cool?
EL Gee well that accpunt is likely dead but yes, unless you want use landing gears to stabilize while staying still instead, the flywheel also stays on when its not being powered for a substantial amount of time by virtue of being a super heavy object that spins ridiculously fast. Pretty sure it's lot faster than any spinner in combat robotics. Its not just because it looks cool either, its half the width of a normal car, meaning it can be lighter and more aerodynamic, as well as allowing twice the cars for a given roadwidth if it becomes an industy standard.
for the same size and capabilities, you might as well buy an electric bike. hell, you can even buy a standard bike, and _make_ it electric! it's the same end result!
Very very cool
What are the safety backups, like if the electricity suddenly cut/shorted out......would the gyros still be able to keep it upright?
I'm not an engineer, but it I know that a sealed gyro unit like the 2nd generation test-bed's 40lb version that spun at 12,000rpm, would have an incredible amount of momentum and a long spin-decay, so it would continue to exert a righting influence on the vehicle for a long time after the source of its power was removed. I'd be interested to know how quickly the gyro they're using now, takes to power-up.
I'll wait or the three wheel wagon version...
When the journey is at an end could the driver choose to put the energy in the fly wheel into the battery?
Yeah! Another think-outside-the-box look-what-is-possible video. So interesting!
Wow, these guys have come a LONG way! I could use a car like this for over 95% of my driving. But I wonder: How does it handle in bad weather? How safe is it in crashes? Is there a trunk to store groceries, etc.?
Could be great for delivery of fast food etc how much storage is available?
I don't get how it's possible to maintain a constant torque during time with a giroscope in which the precession movement is limited. I mean it cannot maintain a precession speed in case the torque needs to be maintained. Someone can explain it to me?
The is the Axis of the spinning wheel upright? (To self balancing the Car)
Looks cool...
Will it be insolated for silent driving? Noticed some loud noise. Will there be a 2 seater? Safety features? Air-conditioned?
like all of these things, will it not come down to how much will the running costs taking into account the retail price/ depreciation ?
Why add a third wheel you can simply use an expensive gyro and super computer that nobody will buy! BRILLIANT
So, how does this gyrocar work? When it is turned off, does the gryo keeps running or the car sits on a stand? Also, does this mean gyrocar will need and use more power to run these gyroscopes for stability on top of moving the car? Obviously, gyrocars have been around for a very long time but never really made it to the open market, even though it is neat and cool. I wonder why?
vasanthmuthu I think I saw a stand in the video
Please do an update on his electric bike when he gets it running. So far I have only seen it go straight for a few yards. I have not seen the bike make a turn.
very cool
WOW . I Need one of those :)
This is awesome. Now they need a loophole in the vehicle classification system that would allow the car alternative to get away from the steering wheel and gas pedals go to a more i phone like touch screen or smartphone type sensor that picks up on the angle its tilted at. I control unit without the hazard of the steering column in an accident. Like a wired in wii remote.also a 2 up model in the future.
i hope it has airbags all around it looks very practical and efficient
Ive seen a two seater trike that balances when moving n small legs come down when you slow down looks very similar. Although i prefer this idea i dont think its economical with the complexity of the gyros plus only having one seat and you havent figured out how the computers would control the gyros which i fear without a huge backer would take years of trial n error. But that said hats off to you for going for it and i hope im wrong!
Have thought about this for a decade or more…Segway began the concept with their scooter….am extremely surprised that the gyros where not added to motorcycles while they retained combustion engines….that would have been amazing and probably a multi-billion dollar extension…motorcycling without laying her down…as far as this concept, I hope I am wrong, however people like to travel with others, and transport stuff…the upside to this seems like the gyros which are a novelty that many single techies might be interested in because of the innovation…good luck brother
Hi Kirsten . Wonderfull this project. I'll liked because i' ve worked with fiberglass and know a few . Do you may to do all with this material. Mechanic part is the most interestng because for me it's i dont know
er not her video or project. that is why uploader did not answer you
I'm impressed. Kinda reminds me of the Renault Twizzy with weather protection. It'll be interesting to see what the real world range and driving experience is and how practical it is, I mean will you be able to carry any luggage, how noisy is it going to be, is there going to be any heating or air conditioning? Not sure how I feel about the rolling iPhone description though not being an apple fan :D
man Elon Musk missed this one.
Waiting for arrival in India 👌
Wow wow wow..... Super
How fast can the gyro be stopped in a collision?
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I would still probably have like training wheels extension like maybe a button or such
add photosensitive panels on top of it, also enable the brake recharging feature.
Photovoltaic cells would add a lot of weight, without adding much benefit. If it can get 200 miles in a charge, and if the electricity is cheaper per watt than a car-mounted solar panel, there's no point in having that on the roof. I might agree with the regenerative braking though, if the efficiency lost to the extra weight would be balanced out by the efficiency increase of recapturing the kinetic energy of the vehicle.
Please add inertia vertical lift rotor to it,rotor mass 2kg and 5000 spin/min. should giwe weight loss for about 100kg or even lift ?.
PS how is it going by the way ? any take up?
C-1 is my sight love. Sooner or later Daniel Kim self balancing bike will hit global market may next generation. Keep your
Front Susbension by ISR Brakes is very good
why landing gear instead of air suspension and lower the body to ground?
I think I would like to drive that however, how would you categorize this? Is this a car, a motorcycle, a motorized skooter, some new category? I say this mostly for the insurance companies out there that if this hits the market, will they insure it or will they just say no to it. That's the real question on my mind.
I am 57yrs old . I would love to have one of these cars! When will they be mass produced? What is the projected consumer cost? How will you advertise? I've said if I could have a covered motorcycle I would purchase one....your car is even better than that!!! Looking for these on the market.
how does it stands straight without any support?
I like it, however, the whine of the gyro if not quieted, would drive me nuts! LOL
Needs a Harley Davidson v twin engine 👏🤠 for that awesome sound
Um, I am pretty sure there are many companies that sell and use gyros and not just the international space station!
how does the balancing work?
i feel kinda stupid for asking this, but wouldnt it be easier to design a 3 wheeled motercycle type bike that had 2 wheels in the back that pivoted when the bike turned?
best invention of all the times
Perik Malik Nope. Better look at what the Japanese have come up with. Much better.
Looking forward to see the crash test!
Way cool.
Ebike for a fraction has killed this
Where are the links to the company so we can support them?
Nice
I keep seeing "This is futuristic" .."Looks like something from the future" But they're trying to base their marketing ideas and i guess a lot of the interface from what i saw in the video on the iPhone. soo that's here now, has been for a few years. that's something that a huge percentage of people know how to use. at least where there is the biggest density of people that are using gas powered cars. the idea is spot on i think. though i'm no engineer. It does really amaze me. but like someone else jsut said "we are smarter then we currently output"
Nine years ago, and still, there’s not a single one of these vehicles in production. SMFH!
I'm surprised motorcycle companies don't adopt this concept and run with it for off-road motorcycles: You could build an enclosed bike for off-road use with oversized knobby tires, full wheel drive, even amphibious and it would climb like a mountain goat!
Now that is innovation, could you add wings in the future? Just wondering.
So, how long until they make Kaneda's motorcycle?
Could make the gyro capable of charging power supply as well
Даа не плохо хотелось бы на таком покататься может в следующей жизни удастся
your comments value us
Sounds like a vintage hard drive.
Could you make an amphibious version?
When is this vehicle expected to be on the market?
It's already 2018. I hope these guys have some developments since then. Nice device and I wish them all the luck. Maybe even propose something to Elon and call it the Tesla Lit Cycle or maybe even Apple. Icycle?
nice