By: Dustin Wheelen
Electrification is the undoubted new frontier for motorcycles and scooters. While the technology has a long road ahead, features like one-speed transmissions could help more people hop on bikes. Another way to convert motorists from four wheels to two is finding a middle ground, and Lithuanian startup AKO is hoping to bridge the gap with an electric covered trike. After five years of development, the Vilnius-based company is opening reservations for its future leaning three-wheeler.
While accepting pre-orders is a big step for any product, the electric scooter doesn’t seem like it’s made considerable strides since we last checked in on AKO. The prospective spec sheet still includes a 186-mile range thanks to the 24 kWh battery and the electric motor retains its 200-kW peak power rating. Maximum lean angle is unchanged at 30 degrees and DC fast charging is still in the mix. To the outside eye, AKO only clad the protype’s roll cage in Cybertruck-like panels and updated model renderings.
Aside from a new headlight design, it’s unclear what improvements have been made and which changes still lie ahead. However, it does seem like the team is putting a lot of thought into user experience and ride quality.
“The whole concept for this trike was to make the riding experience as natural as possible, while at the same time extraordinary,” stated AKO Founder and CTO Arturas Mikalauskas. “That is, to make it feel like maneuvering a small airplane.”
For now, AKO is using two prototypes to further develop the platform, even testing passenger accommodations. The project has a ways to go but the company’s goal is still clear.
“Besides the exceptional design and high-end technical solutions, we’re introducing a vehicle that fills the gap between cars and motorcycles perfectly,” noted AKO Cofounder and CEO Jurgis Lecas. “For some it will be a great car alternative; for others it will be something exclusive, something outstanding.”
Lecas is right. With a €24,000 ($29,157 USD) price tag, the AKO trike will certainly be exclusive, and for that much mula, it had better be pretty outstanding. The €100 ($121 USD) pre-order deposit would go directly to the MSRP and is fully refundable. Hopefully, more details like charge times will become available soon, as the added stability of three-wheels and protection from the elements should help convert “cagers”.
Source: rideapart.com
