Cars of Futures Past - Peraves EcoMobile / MonoTracer

A Peraves EcoMobile at a track day in Europe. Photos courtesy Peraves AG.

Those with a background riding motorcycles understand one simple truth: Compared to cars, motorcycles simply deliver more entertainment value. They generally accelerate more quickly than automobiles, stop in shorter distances, involve the rider in the environment instead of isolating him from it and even deliver better fuel economy. In inclement weather, however, the enjoyment of riding a motorcycle is offset by the inconvenience of perpetually impaired vision, potentially frozen extremities, and the misery of wet clothing, even under the best of rain gear. The ideal commuter vehicle, then, would be one that exhibited the positive aspects of a motorcycle, while negating its drawbacks. By that definition, the forward-thinking Peraves EcoMobile and its modern equivalent, the Peraves MonoTracer, may qualify as the optimal daily driver.

The brainchild of Swiss airline pilot Arnold Wagner, the EcoMobile, designed in 1974, is best described as an enclosed-cabin motorcycle that comes as close as possible to recreating the experience of flying at ground level. Like its open-air, two-wheeled counterpart, the EcoMobile relies on two wheels instead of four, except at low speeds when operator-deployed outriggers give the EcoMobile stability when slowed or parked. Like a motorcycle, the EcoMobile is steered with handlebars instead of a steering wheel and is capable of impressive lean angles (again, like a sporting motorcycle) in corners. Thanks to low coefficient of drag, the vehicle delivers bike-like fuel economy of 50 MPG highway, yet can reach a sports car-like top speed in excess of 150 MPH. It even relies on a motorcycle engine for propulsion, specifically the "laydown" water-cooled four-cylinder borrowed from BMW's K series. Even in 100 horsepower form, it is strong enough to produce a 0-60 MPH time below six seconds.

An EcoMobile with its outriggers deployed.

Like an automobile, however, the EcoMobile features upright seating with back support and a headrest, utilizes three-point seatbelts, keeps rider and (in-line) passenger out of the elements and even boasts such available amenities as an audio system and air conditioning. Its design incorporates a long wheelbase and a low center of gravity for improved stability and handling, and the EcoMobile's Kevlar monocoque construction ensures the vehicle's safety. Wagner calls the EcoMobile the "safest two-wheeler ever built" and speaks of an (undeniably lucky) owner who crashed his EcoMobile at a speed of 250 KPH (155 MPH) and lived to tell the tale.

To be clear, the EcoMobile was not the first enclosed motorcycle, and the idea behind such a vehicle dates back nearly 100 years. The French-built Monotrace (which translates to "Single Track") was popular in the 1920s, and it's heritage traces back to the original German manufacturer, Einspur Auto (with "einspur" again translating to "single track"). The original Monotrace may have had a cabin and upright seating, but it used a retractable canvas roof, which proved suboptimal for both weather protection and high-speed operation. As affordable transportation, however, it offered those who couldn't afford four wheels a motorized alternative to the bicycle, while delivering (a bit) more practicality than the motorcycle.

A pair of EcoMobiles on tour.

The next logical evolution of the idea came in the 1930s, with an enclosed motorcycle called the Dalnik, built in Czechoslovakia. Featuring improved aerodynamics and side-by-side seating, Dalniks were constructed into the 1960s and came in a dizzying array of models, including open-air and fully enclosed variants. Some offered outriggers for stability, while others used floor hatches that allowed the operator to get his feet down at a stop. Given their diminutive size, Dalniks were both fuel-efficient and space-efficient, taking up far less garage or storage shed space than a conventional automobile. They were less expensive, too, adding to their popularity in both prewar and postwar Europe.

Of all the EcoMobile's strengths, however, a low selling price is not one of them. Essentially hand built in low volumes with premium components, manufacturer Peraves lacks the buying power associated with larger economies of scale, and the complex construction of the vehicle's Kevlar monocoque requires many hours of skilled labor. Even in the EcoMobile's early days, pricing was in the neighborhood of 88,000 Swiss francs, roughly the equivalent of $60,000. Despite this obstacle, Peraves constructed nearly 100 EcoMobiles between 1984 and 2005, before switching to the latest version, the Peraves MonoTracer, in 2007.

The electric-powered MonoTracer MTE-150.

The MonoTracer boasts the same advantages as the EcoMobile, but uses an updated Kevlar monocoque and features improved aerodynamics. The gasoline-powered MonoTracer MTI 1200 gets a 1.2-liter BMW four-cylinder engine, derived from BMW's K-LT series of luxury touring motorcycles, and can be ordered with such options as climate control, premium audio and electronic stability control. A 200hp electric-powered version is now available as well, offering up a combination of higher performance and lower environmental impact, albeit at a higher price tag. With a claimed range of 250 kilometers (155 miles) between charges, Peraves claims the MonoTracer MTE-150 delivers sufficient range to be practical for the vast majority of commuters.

Could electric or gasoline-powered enclosed cabin motorcycles be the wave of the future? History says no, but Peraves believes otherwise, seeing enclosed cabin electric motorcycles as the high-demand vehicle of the future. It's probably worth pointing out that skeptics once thought the world was flat, and that the horseless carriage would never gain wide acceptance among the general public; if Peraves (or another manufacturer) can produce an economically viable cabin motorcycle, this vehicle from the past may well represent the future of solo commuting.

UPDATE (23.March 2016): Peraves has a new website. Find out more about the company's current product line at Peravescz.com.