Design Needed: These Mad-Max-esque Solar-Powered Bikes and Trikes

Chinese mobility company YongLe Risheng makes these unlikely-looking solar- and wind-powered vehicles: The two-wheeler CG model is roofed with 250W solar panels and a wind turbine to generate juice. They supposedly provide up to 50km (31 miles) of range, and the bike tops out at 59 km/h (37 mph).For those who need to haul cargo, they also make this Fengchi 160, which doubles the amount of turbines for good measure. I'd like to see up-close shots of the connection points for the roof frame; unsurprisingly, the company doesn't provide any.China reportedly produces, in-house, some 300,000 design graduates each year from their design schools, of which there are over 1,200. They don't break out the figures for how many of those grads are industrial designers, but the number is surely in the tens of thousands. Until they start doing a better job connecting industries with industrial designers, we can expect to see more Mad-Max-esque creations like these being slapped together.

Apr 7, 2025 - 16:23

Design Needed: These Mad-Max-esque Solar-Powered Bikes and Trikes

Chinese mobility company YongLe Risheng makes these unlikely-looking solar- and wind-powered vehicles:

The two-wheeler CG model is roofed with 250W solar panels and a wind turbine to generate juice. They supposedly provide up to 50km (31 miles) of range, and the bike tops out at 59 km/h (37 mph).

For those who need to haul cargo, they also make this Fengchi 160, which doubles the amount of turbines for good measure.

I'd like to see up-close shots of the connection points for the roof frame; unsurprisingly, the company doesn't provide any.

China reportedly produces, in-house, some 300,000 design graduates each year from their design schools, of which there are over 1,200. They don't break out the figures for how many of those grads are industrial designers, but the number is surely in the tens of thousands. Until they start doing a better job connecting industries with industrial designers, we can expect to see more Mad-Max-esque creations like these being slapped together.