Skip to main content

Pedal to the metal

An Austrian artist named Hannes Langeder has designed and built a pedal-powered supercar, which he calls the Fahrradi Farfalla FX. The man previously built what he described as the world’s slowest Porsche, another pedal-powered creation. Designed to be pedalled by two, his new vehicle’s styling has been influenced by various Ferrari models and features gull wing type doors. A connection from the rear axle can make the doors flap while the vehicle is in motion, which helps cool the interior. The artist claim
June 26, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
An Austrian artist named Hannes Langeder has designed and built a pedal-powered supercar, which he calls the Fahrradi Farfalla FX. The man previously built what he described as the world’s slowest Porsche, another pedal-powered creation. Designed to be pedalled by two, his new vehicle’s styling has been influenced by various Ferrari models and features gull wing type doors. A connection from the rear axle can make the doors flap while the vehicle is in motion, which helps cool the interior. The artist claims that this also adds a levitational effect, although the laws of motion and aerodynamics suggest otherwise. Performance is limited by the capabilities of the users but speeding fines seem unlikely as it is even slower than the earlier Porsche-inspired design due to the use of lower gear ratios. This new vehicle is road legal in Europe but does not require a licence to drive. It does come at a price and is said to cost in the region of €1.5 million, which in all likelihood makes it the world’s most expensive tandem.

Related Content

  • India’s road to safety
    September 5, 2012
    India's growth rate is the envy of the world, and its infrastructure is rapidly improving, but its road safety record is the world's worst. Patrick Smith reports on a conference aimed at finding answers to the problems Ambling through the gardens and marble magnificence that is the Taj Mahal or gazing down on the city of Jaipur from the hilltop Jaigarh Fort is far removed from the world outside.
  • Solar roads such as Colas’s Wattway could be the right way
    May 10, 2016
    Peter Harrop, chairman of independent research and consultancy IDTechEx, considers arguments in favour of solar roads. Nowadays a major trend is the move to off-grid clean energy created by “energy harvesting” to produce electricity where it is needed. This is more controllable and increasingly at lower cost than grid power or diesel gensets, cleaner and often less subject to interruption. It is taking new forms as revealed in the IDTechEx Research report, “High Power Energy Harvesting 2016-2026”.
  • Advanced asphalt compaction machine deliver quality surfaces
    May 21, 2014
    Manufacturers are introducing new compaction machines to meet the latest market requirements - Mike Woof writes
  • Wheeled loaders tackle costs, reduce emissions
    February 7, 2012
    Volvo CE says that lowering fuel consumption will tackle fleet costs and deliver environmental benefits for its customers, Mike Woof reports. Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) is targeting fuel economy and performance with its latest generation of machines. The new L180F and L220F wheeled loader models are being fitted with the sophisticated OptiShift package, which will boost operation and driveline efficiencies and cut fuel consumption by 15%, and more in some instances.