XR3 Hybrid: 125 MPG Diesel Electric Prototype
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA 
on 06.20.06
Custom vehicle designer Robert Q. Riley has dreamed up everything from bikes to kit cars to hovercraft and submarines. For his latest project, he's drawing up plans for a super-lightweight, high-performance diesel-electric hybrid. The XR3 Hybrid is a three-wheeled Personal Mobility Vehicle (PMV) that will supposedly get 125 mpg and top out at 85 mph. In a nod to Natural Capitalism's Hypercar, the clam-shell canopy will be made from carbon-fiber, and when plans are completed (the website says later this year), they'll be published so that adventurous DIYers can try it for themselves. While far from production status, Riley has enough vehicle design experience and credibility to insure we'll be watching in December. ::XR3 Hybrid via ::Jalopnik
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Well, I've built an electric VW bus and I'm now converting my Syncro Vanagon to diesel... I guess this would be my next project! Better make room in the garage.
Uuuh, yeah... better not hit anything with carbon fiber. It will fracture and slice you to pieces. Anyone who has ever broken a carbon fiber seat post or handle bars will tell how bad carbon fiber is for high stress environments unless it's reinforced with metal.
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editor note: It certainly seems possible to design around the carbon fiber flaws (just like we currently try to design around metal's downsides). f.ex., see F1 cars; You can sometimes see them hit walls at very high speed and then the pilot just limps away.
I wouldnt call 85mph 'high performance'.
Will it pass crash tests? If not it's realy just an interesting play thing.
I am going to build one this summer if they get the plans out on time I am going to try and add solar cells and more battery power
Its a motorcycle 3 wheels does not need to pass a crash test to be produced I hope they will use one of the new super clean diesel engines
If they could be mass produced I think there would be demand for them
From what I read from the site as well as observed, the undercarriage is constructed from steel and the body is made from fiberglass and filled with foam. The front portion as well as the canopy is made to be easily clipped on and off so work can be done easily and so that in the event of a crash, the front of the car can be sacrificed and then replaced.