Golden Valley Man Invents 90 mph Electric Tricycle

Move over mopeds. Stay out of the way scooters. A Golden Valley man has come up with a human-powered electric tricycle that could travel as fast as 80 or 90 miles per hour.

Rich Kronfeld has dubbed the trike the “Raht Racer”—the first part of the name an abbreviation for “recumbent automotive human transport,” according to a Star Tribune article.

Unlike most bikes, where the pedals turns the wheels, Kronfeld decided to build a bike where the pedals turn a generator. That generator then recharges the battery, which is mainly recharged by plugging it in.

According to the Raht Racer’s website:

"Ride in comfort to the office each the morning, get in your workout while trapped in evening gridlock, and pocket the time and fees spent on that gym membership. The experience of bike commuting, previously reserved for the most dedicated sub-culture of cyclist is now opened up to the rest of us who have a hard time riding in the rain, cold, dark, and snow."

Kronfeld— a writer, actor and producer with no experience in the automotive industry—enlisted the help of others to make his dream a reality. He’s since driven the vehicle as fast as 45 mph, although he said it should be able to go 80 to 90 mph.