Jul 16, 2008

Looking for Kandi?

Are you ready to trade your Accord or 5-Series in for a three-wheeled motorcycle to save gas money? Well, Kandi Technologies Corp., one of China’s No. 1 exporter of go-karts, certainly hopes you are. It shortly expects to begin exporting to our shores its new two-passenger, 150-cubic-centimeter-displacement, three-wheeled motorcycle, which it has named the Kandi TT. Capable of achieving speeds of up to 50 mph, Kandi Technologies says “the new TT can comfortably be driven on highways and in HOV lanes, as well as around town,” but we’re not sure how comfortable we’d be going 50 mph in the car pool lane of a freeway. Powered by gasoline, the TT achieves up to 80 miles per gallon, making it a highly affordable means of transportation for eco-conscious consumers, as well as those concerned about rising fuel costs.

The company touts both the TT’s safety and its attractiveness. Believing that many U.S. consumers consider motorcycles an unsafe mode of transportation despite their increasing popularity here, the manufacturer has addressed those concerns by equipping its new three-wheeler with what it describes as an “advanced metal frame protection around the passenger compartment that has been tested extensively in China and is designed to minimize injury and save lives in the event of an accident.” As a three-wheeler with two wheels up front and one in the rear, it offers a much more stable ride than a two-wheeled motorcycle, which typically features one wheel up front and one in the rear. With a passing resemblance to the Ford Model T, the new TT has “highly appealing sporty good looks with the top up or down,” not unlike many supermodels.