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How the Raht Racer Velomobile Was Supposed to Let Riders Pedal “As Fast as a Car”

The Raht Racer’s “as fast as a car” pitch relied on electric motor and battery power, with pedaling used as input—not human power alone. Its reported speeds and prices were historical claims, not verified production specifications.
Entry757 Date Time3 min MechanicCarCody Team
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The Raht Racer’s car-like speed claim was about electric propulsion, not a rider powering the wheels by pedal strength alone. In the proposed enclosed three-wheeler, pedaling turned a generator; electronics used that input to control a motor, while a battery supplied most of the vehicle’s power. The widely reported 100-mph figure was a historical claim, not a verified top speed for a production vehicle.

How could pedaling make the Raht Racer go so fast?

The historical concept paired pedals and a generator with an electric motor and battery. Pedaling generated electrical input, which the control system sensed and used to regulate motor propulsion. Some descriptions also said the pedal-generated electricity could replenish the battery, which could itself be charged from a wall outlet.

That is different from a conventional bicycle or velomobile, where the rider’s legs mechanically turn the wheels. It is also not a claim that human power alone could propel the Raht Racer at highway speed: Fast Company reported that most of the power came from the motor and battery, with the rider continuing to pedal during the ride. The company’s CEO, Rich Kronfeld, described the intended control feel to Fast Company in 2015: “Like on a bike, your pedals are your accelerator. You pedal and you go faster. Except the computer is sensing and multiplying the torque, much like a guitar amplifier might do for a guitar.” That is a founder’s explanation of the experience, not an independent test result.

What speed and price did reports give?

All published figures below are historical claims or targets reported during development, not current specifications or prices. The differences reflect different stages and sources; they should not be averaged or treated as a settled production spec.

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Report Speed figure Price figure
Star Tribune, 2013 80–90 mph promised; the inventor said he had driven the early prototype to 45 mph $12,500 hoped-for selling price
Fast Company, 2015 Up to 100 mph proposed top speed $35,000–$40,000 proposed first-model price
New Atlas, 2015 100 mph reported as a claim $35,000–$45,000 estimated price

The 2013 figures were reported by the Star Tribune; the later figures appeared in Fast Company and New Atlas. The reviewed coverage does not provide an independently verified top-speed test or establish that any of these prices became a retail offer.

Was it a bicycle, a car, or a motorcycle?

Reports described the Raht Racer as an enclosed, three-wheeled electric vehicle—a velomobile concept rather than an ordinary bicycle. In Fast Company’s 2015 account, Kronfeld characterized it as a motorcycle-class vehicle. That is a reported founder characterization, not confirmation of how an authority would classify it in every jurisdiction.

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The same report described a body, roll cage, seatbelts, and an airbag. Those features do not establish crash-test performance or make the vehicle equivalent to a car in safety. Kronfeld’s own comparison, quoted in the article, was that it was “not a sedan” but “much safer than a motorcycle”; this remains his assessment, not a published crash-test finding.

Can you buy a Raht Racer now?

Current retail availability is not established by the available sources. The early coverage described prototype development and commercialization challenges, and Fast Company reported fundraising for a next-generation prototype in 2015. The current Kronfeld Motors Hypercycle page says that project is in an alpha phase and retains Raht Racer references, but it does not establish that a production Raht Racer is being sold or delivered.

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The same page lists Hypercycle project claims including a programmable pedal-regeneration system, a nominal 20-kW motor, 45-kW peak power, and a 95-mph top speed. Those are claims for the Hypercycle project as presented on the company page; they should not be transferred to a Raht Racer production model or used to validate the older Raht Racer speed claims.

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What should a prospective rider verify?

Because the concept’s reported vehicle class and safety features do not settle its legal status or real-world safety, anyone considering a similar vehicle should get answers for the exact model and location before riding or paying a deposit.

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  • Availability: Ask whether a specific production model exists, whether deliveries are taking place, and what warranty and repair support are provided.
  • Performance evidence: Request documented, independently verified speed and range figures for the exact model, rather than relying on concept-era targets.
  • Safety evidence: Ask for crash-test results and the conditions under which they were obtained; a list of safety equipment is not a test result.
  • Road-use rules: Confirm registration, licensing, insurance, and where the vehicle may be used with the relevant local authority. The cited historical reporting does not establish current rules for a particular jurisdiction.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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