New electronic vehicle rolls in Creswell
How does nearly 40 miles of travel for 40 cents of electricity sound? Notice we didn't say "miles per gallon."
That's from a three wheeled, fiberglass contraption that a Creswell product designer thinks will fill a growing transportation need.
It's not a bicycle.
You might call it a cousin to a motorcycle, but you won't confuse it with a Harley.
It's a new personal electronic vehicle called the Bug-E, the brainchild of Mark Murphy.
He says the Bug-E is perfect for running errands, and is inexpensive to drive.
"And kind of fits in between a bicycle and a Buick," according to Murphy.
It has a semi-enclosed, fiberglass body, riding on a frame of three wheels, plus an aero-dynamic front fairing. Four 12 volt batteries supply the power.
From the driver's seat, Murphy tells KVAL, "It's simply a thumb throttle and 2 hand brakes and handlebars, just like a bike or a motorcycle, so there's not much to learn."
Murphy continues, "Then the handlebar control has a horn {beep} and lights and turn signals, just like a motorcycle."
Creswell resident Ed Gunderson is so sold on the concept that he's bought his own kit to build a Bug-E, but his vehicle is going to look a little bit different.
Crews Tuesday unloaded the parts for Gunderson's new rig.
He tells KVAL, "I ordered a body part without the rear fairing and canopy because I ride a bicycle most of the time."
With only 75 parts to put together, Gunderson says the project should be a breeze. He calls the internal combustion engine, immoral.
"I hope to see more vehicles like this and see people get out of their wasteful big vehicles," explains the Bug-E customer.
Interest is already high from people looking to buy the basic kits,
with at least 90 serious inquiries so far.
The basic kit for a Bug-E costs about $3,200.
To find out more about its specifications, log onto one of our local websites and click on news links.
That's from a three wheeled, fiberglass contraption that a Creswell product designer thinks will fill a growing transportation need.
It's not a bicycle.
You might call it a cousin to a motorcycle, but you won't confuse it with a Harley.
It's a new personal electronic vehicle called the Bug-E, the brainchild of Mark Murphy.
He says the Bug-E is perfect for running errands, and is inexpensive to drive.
"And kind of fits in between a bicycle and a Buick," according to Murphy.
It has a semi-enclosed, fiberglass body, riding on a frame of three wheels, plus an aero-dynamic front fairing. Four 12 volt batteries supply the power.
From the driver's seat, Murphy tells KVAL, "It's simply a thumb throttle and 2 hand brakes and handlebars, just like a bike or a motorcycle, so there's not much to learn."
Murphy continues, "Then the handlebar control has a horn {beep} and lights and turn signals, just like a motorcycle."
Creswell resident Ed Gunderson is so sold on the concept that he's bought his own kit to build a Bug-E, but his vehicle is going to look a little bit different.
Crews Tuesday unloaded the parts for Gunderson's new rig.
He tells KVAL, "I ordered a body part without the rear fairing and canopy because I ride a bicycle most of the time."
With only 75 parts to put together, Gunderson says the project should be a breeze. He calls the internal combustion engine, immoral.
"I hope to see more vehicles like this and see people get out of their wasteful big vehicles," explains the Bug-E customer.
Interest is already high from people looking to buy the basic kits,
with at least 90 serious inquiries so far.
The basic kit for a Bug-E costs about $3,200.
To find out more about its specifications, log onto one of our local websites and click on news links.
