XR3 Hybrid: Hitting the Road in May?

We first came across custom vehicle designer Robert Q. Riley's work last year, when his XR3 three-wheeled diesel/electric hybrid was still in the planning stages and we weren't sure if they'd ever get off the drawing board. According to Riley's site, the vehicle is indeed transitioning from theoretical design to real world vehicle, scheduled for release in May of this year. Like other similar three-wheelers, the vehicle will be classified as a motorcycle for things like crash-test regulations in the US, and the plans will be available for sale for enterprising DIYers who know a thing or two about fiber reinforced plastic. Current specs for the vehicle include a 40-mile range on electric power only, and between 125 (diesel engine only) and 225 (combined diesel/electric) miles per gallon. The green gearheads at AutoblogGreen plan to visit his shop soon and report on what they find; we hope they find out more about where this one falls on the pipe dream-viable alternative transportation option spectrum. Stay tuned for more and check out Riley's site for more. ::XR3 Hybrid via ::AutoblogGreen