If you need a compact ride with a bit of utility for various light tasks a side-by-side is perfect. There are plenty of UTVs that can handle rugged recreation during the weekend and haul heavy stuff over short distances when you’re on the clock. In a totally unexpected move, two companies took cycling elements and incorporated them into a concept machine called the Le Buddy.
Of course, this is not an actual commercial product but the idea of design director Alexandre Pain. The groups in question are KILOW — a French startup and CIXI — a French manufacturer of cranksets for e-bikes. If for some reason both enter into a partnership, something like the Le Buddy is what they would come up with.
He presents the concept as a “low-carbon rural mobility” study and we feel it has potential. Should an investor decide to fund its transition from digital renders to a fully functional EV, it will likely disrupt the sustainable motoring scene. Apart from its all-electric drive system, the green credentials do not end there.
Pain did not specify the details in his original post, Nevertheless, we can safely assume that recycled and natural materials are essential here. The chassis could be aluminum with a cockpit molded from bio-based sources. Elsewhere, the fabrics could be both plastics or plant fibers. Vegan leather is also possible.
The four-wheeler also shows a wooden rear cargo area. Furthermore, two joysticks akin to some recumbent bikes replace the standard steering wheel or handlebar. A look inside reveals a central module with a display, a cup holder, and pedals. Finally, the Le Buddy sits on four wire rims shod in knobby tires with disc brakes.
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Images courtesy of Alexandre Pain/Behance
