Clive Sinclair is at it again. The British entrepreneur famed for inventing the ZX Spectrum, is currently turning his attention to building a follow-up to the Sinclair C5 electric... er... vehicle.
The X-1 looks very much like its predecessor, which arrived on the scene to a hugely unimpressed world in January 1985. This time around, though, Uncle Clive has added some improvements, most notably a reclining nylon seat and a waterproof acrylic bubble that protects the X-1's occupant from the elements.
The X-1 is driven not by a cylindrical motor as seen in the C5, but by an MCR pancake motor which works in a similar fashion to the motors used in floppy disk drives. Power is provided by a lightweight, rechargeable 24V lithium polymer battery pack, though it's unclear what sort of speed or range this combination will provide.
All signs point to the X-1 being pretty slow and potentially quite terrifying around town. It's fairly large at 209cm by 140cm by 69cm, but the low riding position, super-skinny wheels and apparent lack of front or rear safety lights mean we'd have major reservations about getting on this thing.
No driving licence, insurance or road tax will be required to ride the X-1. Its makers also claim it can be driven by anyone in the UK aged 14 years or older both on the road and on pavements, but judging by its less-than-trendy looks, we can't imagine there'll be too many teenagers willing to hop onboard this thing in case they're spotted by their mates, who would be fully justified in pushing them into a canal.
The X-1 will go on sale from July 2011 and will cost around £595, though if you live and work in the UK, you may qualify for a price reduction of up to 50 per cent via a government-run cycle to work scheme.
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