Home computing pioneer Sir Clive Sinclair is revisiting the scene of one of his inventing crimes with the relaunch of his infamous C5 electric car.

The British entrepreneur - who inspired a generation of computer enthusiasts with his ZX80, ZX81 and ZX Spectrum machines - failed to repeat his computing success with the ill-fated C5.

Low speeds and a questionable posture saw only 12,000 units sold worldwide, but that hasn't stopped Sinclair trying again – this time announcing the upcoming availability of the Sinclair X-1.

The £595 mini milk-float looks similar to its predecessor, although an acrylic roof and roll bar might address some of the safety and wet weather concerns of the C5.

Technical details of the machine – scheduled to be launched next July – remain vague, but the perambulation power comes from a combination of pedal pushing and an electric motor.

Sinclair says that with a passenger assisting the 190W MCR pancake motor, the vehicle should cover 10 miles for 10p in electricity from the 24-volt Lithium Polymer pack.

According to the brochure “front and rear disc brakes provide 100% stopping power,” (which is, erm, reassuring), and the X-1 can be driven by anyone over the age of 14, without a driving licence.

£100 reserves one of the first models off the production line.

Read more: Sinclair's back on track with the C5 reloaded | News | PC Pro http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/362581/sinc ... z14cq3z600

Oh dear...

Sort of looks like Jonathan Ive designed a mobility scooter on a very off day.

The sad thing is, I'm sure there's a huge world market for something almost but not exactly quite unlike that.

I'd love an electric scooter that did about 50mph, kept the rain off and had somewhere to stash a weekend's worth of beer and pizza. I'd use it for the 5 mile journey to my local supermarket, and maybe the 10 mile commute to work.

If it can't go that fast, then it needs to qualify for use in cycle lanes. I imagine that restricts the speed to annoyingly slow.

Over 10x cooler: http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/zero-s.php

Unfortunately, it's also over 10x the cost...

looks like one of those things that are in hair salons with wheels, anyone know the name?

You kinda reminded me of this, only ever saw one over here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_C1

They're having another go with scooters too:

http://motoring.asiaone.com/Motoring/Ne ... 45739.html

hair dryers?

not sure, its them weird things that hair salons have and ur head goes in them like an astronaut helmet kinda thing

Yep, them's hair driers for scary old women with big curlers. They always freak me out a bit!

Sooo... it's a weird recumbent bike, with an expensive fairing and a tiny electric motor, next to no storage space and still won't keep you dry when it's properly raining, with wheels that are too small to give you any sort of speed (although I bet the initial acceleration is a laugh. To the first 2 mph).

Genius Clive. Well done.
At least with a regular bike, I can see where I'm going, and wear a back pack to carry stuff, or buy panniers. I'll be quicker too. And I bet I can park it more easily.

JUST MAKE A CAR, EVERYONE TELLS SINCLAIR

SIR Clive Sinclair has been told to stop this nonsense and just make a little car.


'They all said I was mad'

Across Britain eager consumers were given a first glimpse of Sir Clive's new city vehicle, the X1, and immediately agreed that he had somehow - somehow - come up with something that is even worse than the C5.

Tom Logan, from Finsbury Park, said: "For the last 25 years this man has been told consistently that the C5 was the worst invention of all time. And so he says '[LIFTED] the lot of you' and comes back with something that is basically a bicycle with a deckchair and a hat."

He added: "Clive - Four wheels. Put some doors on it. Maybe a CD player. You're making this much harder than it needs to be.

"It can even be electric. That's not weird any more. Some people even think it's quite good. Why not try designing an 'electric car'? [LIFTED]."

Jane Thompson, from Hatfield, said: "Clive, seriously, you've got to pack it in with the plasticene tricycles. It's just not happening for you.

"Even the name... the 'X1'? Have you been having those Space 1999 marathons again? Oh Clive...

"Computers, that's your thing isn't it? Have you though about doing something with computers?"

And Julian Cook, from Peterborough, added: "By the way, can I just ask - where the [LIFTED] is all his money coming from?

"I think there was maybe one guy at my school who had a Sinclair ZX Spectrum and I'm pretty sure his dad didn't pay twenty five million quid for it."

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/busi ... 011053227/

You've just reminded me of how much I loved the BBC film Micro Men, if you haven't seen it yet, all self respecting geeks need to watch it.

This was off to the side with the original link:

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/features/358735/ ... -micro-men

Oh, Lordy. How could he get it even more wrong?

I actually liked the C5. I am not sure if I would have wanted to do the one way system in Watford in one, but the idea was kind of right - using Hoover service networks for the upkeep and parts was a great idea, but the world was just not ready for a recumbent electric trike at the time.

These days, Though, it's such a legendary joke that I doubt his new device would be taken up by many. Personally, if I were to be getting an electric short journey vehicle, I'd be after an A2B bike.

Hard to believe he could come up with something that manages to make the C5 look like a pretty sharp piece of design. Wonder how you're supposed to stop it falling over when you come to a halt - there doesn't seem to be space for you to be able to unfold your legs and just put them on the ground?? Still, at least it's cheaper than a Segway...

It looks like there is a hole in the floor for that. I think the handlebars are far too high up.

Actually here are some pictures of it in action.

http://www.gizmag.com/sinclair-x1-pedal ... re/123971/