Myers Motors MM 1.0 (a.k.a. the Sparrow) Due Soon
by Warren McLaren, Sydney 
on 09.22.05
OK, so maybe it looks like something out of a kids cartoon, but that’s not the only reason to put a big cheery grin on your face. The MM 1.0 could get you up to 70mph (113 kph) during it’s 20-40 mile (32-64 km) long electrically powered journey. Come 15 October 2005, the MM 1.0 (once known as the Sparrow) is due to move from prototype to fully fledged production vehicle. According to research by Myers Motors, of Ohio, 65% of all vehicle miles travelled have just one person in the vehicle and daily trips are less than 30 miles total, so they reckon the MM 1.0 will suit many urbanites. And in these days of high petroleum pump prices they might just be right, as they figure you get 60 miles for every $1 worth of electricity. Although classified as a motorbike in some US states, it has a full enclosed canopy, which protects not only the occupant from the elements, but houses the AM/FM radio & CD stereo, plus heater and defroster. We failed to locate the price anywhere on their site, but as they are handmade, in a staggering range of 13 colours, we don’t expect them to be cheap. More specs and pics to tickle your funny bone here > ::Myers Motors
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Under Values:
"Glorify God"
I do not like to see that. The money that is donated religiously could be spent on real worries.
AHHHH!!!! A new pizza joint called Galactic Pizza in Minneapolis uses a car very similar to this for their delivery cars-I LOVE to see the little thing zipping down the roads. I don't know if I'd want to take it on a highway and try passing a semi-truck, but it's great for city roads.
I've yet to try their pizza but I hope to, soon!
article about the place
http://www.citypages.com/databank/25/1233/article12318.asp
their homepage
http://www.galacticpizza.com/default.html
I agree with Michael! um, no, nevermind... BUT THE SPARROW GOING ELECTRIC!!! WOOO HOOOO!!!! FINALLY! thsiis teh same car that usedtohave a motorcycle engine in it i mean itwas always hot, but now actually able todrive electric!!!! Wooo hooo!!!!
I've always known the Sparrow as an electric vehicle. Where's info on the version with a motorcycle engine? (MM's site is all Flash so I'm not finding anything there.)
Thank you.
Corbin Motors was the original inventor and manufacturer of the Sparrow. The Sparrow was always an electric car. Here is some info http://www.sparrowelectriccars.com/. Corbin also was going to produce the Merlin - a small ICE car based on a motorcycle engine. Unfortunately, before the Merlin became available, Corbin Motors went out of business. Several hundred Sparrows were sold before this happened. (You can search online for more details for pages from specific owners of the Sparrows, as they are still on the road.) Meyers Motors bought up the remains of Corbin Motors and appears to be ready to start production again - of the Sparrow. I do not know if anything will ever happen with the Merlin.
Maybe i was thinking of the Merlin?
from HerEectricVehicle.com
The Sparrow, The Merlin Roadster and The Merlin Coupe.They were powered by either a Harley Davidson gasoline combustion engine (with a 300 to 400 mile range on a tank of gas and a projected 70 to 90 miles per gallon) or by an all electric 25HP electric motor connected to a bank of 13 batteries with a travelling range of 20 to 40 miles per charge at a top speed of 70 MPH.
I hope they fixed all the bugs:
1. easily defeated latch on the storage compartment
2. mysterious energy leaks.
3. more stuff I forgot.
One of the owners of the building I work at wanted to be a big seller of these things, needless to say it was flop at $15,000 each.
for a fraction of that money I would be more interested in a recumbent bicyle or quadracycle with a thin-film solar roof and WaveCrest's motor-in-hub wheels to assist.
For $15,000 I could easily get a four year old Jetta TDI and burn biodiesel at 50 mpg.
I remember during a trip to London beign absolutely fascinated by a BMW motorcycle with a factor enclosed cabin / cockpit / windscreen parabolic type thing...never seen another, can't reven find it on the web, but it gave every appearance of being a real Beemer product - could you guys find something on that?
You may have seen a BMW Isetta. Freinds of my parents had one when I was a child. Pretty cool. The entire front of the vehicle swings open as a door, with the steering wheel and everything.
Google "BMW Isetta" for picture of the door.
This is also a great site for info on Isetta and all 3 wheelers.
http://www.3wheelers.com/bmw.html
yeah it was a BMW \-- they even were calling it a hybrid scoooter (not to be confused with a hybrid electric-- cause it wasn't electric at all)cute canopy tho: pictures here too
As long as potholes are a fact of life on city streets, three-wheelers will never catch on. You need four wheel (to drive over) or two wheel (to drive around) three wheel? (you drive into!)
The price is up in the October Update: US$35,000. A little steep for my pocket, but it is a custom car...
What you saw was the BMW C1. Quite popular here in Europe. Link: http://www.bmwworld.com/models/concepts/c1.htm
Purchased a new Myers Motors NmG this past week. I commute 16 miles to work and find it a real neat way to travel. I plug in at work and recharge in 3 - 3 1/2 hours. I estimate $1.50 worth of electric per week to get to work. I have time of use metering at home so cost will be about $.60 per week on that end. It's a great conversation starter when I stop to shop. Roger
There are photos of the Isetta at http://www.microcar.org .
There are photos of the Sparrow and Merlin at http://www.reversetrike.com .
It would be neat to see an electric/battery version of the Merlin coupe. It is way cooler looking than the Sparrow; which looks like a ducks head. :-D It would be really neat if it used car battery size fuel cells to charge the batteries and give a boost when needed.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fuelcelvehicles is my group on the discussion on all things powered by fuel cells. It is free but approval (by me) is needed to join (just explain why you want to join).