We understand that sometimes it takes a radical re-think to shake up the established order, to realize that tried and true ways of doing things are in fact just old and tired. And we know true change requires being free to dream up unconventional ideas. It's a road, one trod by the likes of Newton and da Vinci, that leads to true innovation and a better, brighter future.
On the other hand, sometimes it leads to something like the XR3 Motors Plug-In Hybrid. For the love of Buddha, why do people keep making things like this?
The XR3 is the work of Robert Riley, whose DIY plans include the one-man Aquasub and the Try-Flyer hovercraft. He created his first do-it-yourself plans for Popular Mechanics more than 40 years ago, and Wired wrote a blurb about him in 2000. Now he's back with, well, we'll let him explain it.
"In June, 2008, Robert Q. Riley introduced the 125-mpg XR3 plug-in hybrid, a stylish three-wheeled 'personal transit vehicle' (PTV) that home craftsmen could build from plans. Now the design is headed for production, which was the goal Riley had in mind all along. If he’s successful, it could establish an entirely new category of vehicles and change the landscape of personal mobility."
So says XR3 Motors in a press release that landed in our email, and who are we to argue? OK, here's what we can argue about:
First off, let's not mention the word "style." Now, there's nothing inherently wrong with a three-wheel planform, which is used by the likes of Aptera Motors to maximize efficiency and range. But what the hell is that thing on the nose? It looks like a blower from a top fuel dragster, but we're pretty sure it's not. A single lift door/windshield/roof? That's a Kelmark GT-level design mistake? And then there's the Honeycomb grillwork on the tail. It's never a good idea to crib design cues from a '78 Trans Am.
And what the hell is a “personal transit vehicle”? Can't you just call it a car? Why is it that every garage tinkerer in the known universe has to come up with what they feel is a snazzy new name for what they're doing rather than simply stating, "It's a car."? Calling it something new doesn't mean it's something new, it only means you're wasting time on BS names rather than more important things, like, say, design. Yeah, we know. It's only got three wheels, so it ain't a car. That's beside the point, now isn't it?
Then there's the idea of a car "home craftsmen could build from plans." What could possibly go wrong? Sure, it worked for Colin Chapman and his immortal Lotus Seven, but Chapman revolutionized Formula 1 with the monocoque chassis. We'll wager none of the people on the XR3 team approach that level of engineering or design know-how.
And how about this: The drivetrain consists of 23hp diesel engine, and Li-Ion battery pack powering electric motors, but both systems are working at, we think, opposite ends of the car. XR3 calls it a "ground-connected parallel hybrid," which means there’s no mechanical transmission between the two power systems, which means we're baffled as to why they'd admit something like this: "We needed a simple way to integrate two very different power systems, and I wanted to avoid computer controls and costly transmissions that are common to today’s hybrids. So I designed a $10 throttle integrator mechanism. But I spent several sleepless nights pondering whether it was too simple to actually work. Amazingly, it works better than my wildest dreams!” according to Riley.
Of course, we could be wrong. Lord knows we often are. The mechanicals could be there. The engineering could be workable for the home builder. And the XR3 people could wake up in the middle of the night with a Pininfarina-level design inspiration that turns this into the road-going version of Gina Lollobrigida. But we doubt it.
The only landscape that the XR3 is going to change is the landscape of our retinas, and we worry that it might be permanent.
Photos: XR3.
