Quality. Efficiency. Advanced technology. Groundbreaking design. Innovation. These words don’t just describe Prius – they define it. But the world’s first mass-market full hybrid car has a worthy adversary – and it’s not a Toyota. In fact, it’s not even a car.* It’s a bike.
As part of its Prius Projects initiative, Toyota USA set out to design and build a bicycle inspired by Prius’ core principles. This wasn’t just lip service: the bike needed to be aerodynamic, its production had to keep waste to a minimum, and it had to include the next generation of bicycle drivetrain technology. The result: the Prius X Parlee (PXP) bike.
With its lightweight monocoque carbon fibre body and MIT-tested aerodynamic brakes, the PXP definitely lives up to its automotive namesake. However, the real pièce de résistance is the gearshift, which is controlled by – wait for it – brainwaves. That’s right: a special helmet equipped with neurotransmitters allows the rider to literally think his or her way through the gears.
Intrigued? Check out this video:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWzdWMapJ-c[/youtube]
*Sorry everyone – fourth-generation Prius isn’t here just yet…
Click here to find out more about the PXP bike and other Prius Projects.
