The ZEM – Not Sure What It Is, But It’s Cool
Filed Under: green automotive technology on July 18, 2009
The Zero Emissions Machine (ZEM) is made by a Swiss company of the same name. It’s not quite a bicycle, not quite a go-cart, and not quite a car. It’s got four wheels, you pedal it to make it go, it has handlebars that are quasi-bicycle/car, and it seats two.
Whatever you want to label it, it’s frikkin awesome. I mean, look at the thing. Just look at it. How cool is that?
There is even a four-person version of the thing. It was originally designed that way, actually, with the two-seater as an afterthought. The idea was to give an easy, realistic, and sustainable way for a family to get around without a car. If I had the 4-seater, I’d convert the back seat into a dog carrier. Shove all three of them in there and go!
Better yet…maybe hitch the dogs to the front and make them do the work so I don’t have to pedal. Wait…that would point their butts in my direction. Nix that.
Anyway, the ZEM is a pretty cool machine and has another feature that you won’t find on similar multi-pedal machines made by others: pedal equalization gearing.
That’s a complicated way of saying that the pedals work independently to ad power to a central gear shaft that powers the machine forward. That way, the pace isn’t set by the slowest pedaler, but by the average of al those pedaling. Pretty cool!
The ZEM also has lighting (brakes, signals, etc.) and a luggage rack (behind/under the seats) and all four wheels are equipped with shock absorption springs. Oh, and brakes and stuff too.
These things aren’t cheap and are currently only in Europe, but I can still dream. Right?
Find out more about them at ZEM.
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