I arrived in Waidhofen around noon, finding Mr. Viebach in his workshop. He started off by telling me the story how he came to the idea of developing Pedilio. He had been working on solar-powered cars for several decades already and taken part in many race-competitions in several countries around the globe. His most recent creation, the Pedilio, is a fusion of a solar-powered car and a velomobile. (Velomobiles are recumbent bicycles enclosed for aerodynamic advantage and protection from weather and collisions.)
I had been very interested in velomobiles in my teenager years, but later found they were rather made for some bicycle fanatics who fell in love with the design or are the possible higher speed, but would be too special and too sporty to reach a broader consumer market and be a viable alternative to cars. Pedilio, on the other had, was from the very beginning designed as an every-day alternative for everyone and for all those short and mid-distance rides we are still using cars for.
The driving/riding experience of Pedilio was amazing. I had been riding several velomobiles before, but the Pedilio really stands out from them. I liked the much more stable road performance of the four wheels and the very ergonomic steering. Due to the power of the 500 W (1000 W peak) electric engine, going uphill is done with ease and going down with a big smile on your face. The Pedilio has been officially registered as a L6e 45 km/h vehicle, which, considering all the regulations Thomas Viebach had to follow, in itself is a proof of his great work. I found that 45 km/h requires a lot of additional pedalling, so most people would probably go at speeds between 30 km/h and 35 km/h.
The roof is made by a 100-W solar panel that can charge the battery and will provide 20-30 kms of additional driving on a regular day. The light weight of just 68 kg makes the car unbeatably energy efficient. With a comsumption of just 0.7 kW/h per 100 km, Pedilio is 37 times more energy efficient than a Tesla Model 3. For developing Pedilio, Thomas Viebach is a real hero of a better tomorrow.
For Pedilio’s ENGLISH website, please click here.
For Pedilio’s GERMAN website, please click here.