Campagna T-Rex turns into 'E-Rex'
One of the world's sexiest trike designs has been given an electric powertrain in an attempt to win a $10m prize
Is it a car or a bike? Well, technically it's neither, it's a trike; the Campagna T-Rex to be precise. What you see here is the T-Rex, an expensive trike powered by a 200hp (147kW) Kawasaki ZX-14 four-cylinder engine.
The wild design features two front wheels and one rear wheel is technically categorised a motorcycle. Its two occupants sit side-by-side, it has a steering wheel and will scorch from zero to 100km/h in 3.6 seconds and has a V-max of 253km/h. Not slow that.
The Campagna T-Rex is arguably one of the trickest-looking trikes to ever hit the road. It has an exotic style that blurs the line between trike and car, and is built by Canadian company Campagna Corporation. It's been in production since the mid '90s, and has used progressively more powerful engines through the intervening years.
Originally the T-Rex was powered by a Suzuki GSX-R1100 engine, then the Quebec-based company settled on Kawasaki engines though the noughties (ZX-12 and now ZX-14), but a new company has decided to jump on the electric band wagon, creating a zero emission version of the T-Rex.
Another Canadian company, OptaMotive, is working hand-in-hand with Campagna to create an environmentally friendly version of the T-Rex, which will be entered into the Progressive Automotive X-Prize, a competition whose mission is to "inspire a new generation of viable, safe, affordable and super fuel efficient vehicles that people want to buy."
Would Joe-public buy an electric version of the T-Rex? If the price was right, perhaps he would. The petrol powered versions fetch about $US55,000 ($A61,000) so an electric version would probably command a premium on top of that.
OptaMotive reckons its "E-Rex" (fourth and fifth images) will hit 96km/h from standstill in under 10 seconds via its 100hp (73kW) electric motor, and will provide a cruising range of around 160km on a single charge of its battery pack.
If OptaMotive wins the X-Prize, it'll be in the running for $10m worth of prizes, which will be handed out in September. Win or lose, it's a neat looking piece of kit.
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