新奇：时速160公里的自行车

Now Minneapolis-based inventor Rich Kronfield has created an electric-assist 'Raht Racer' velomobile that he claims can travel at up to 100mph (160km/h).
现在美国明尼阿波利斯的发明家里奇•科伦菲尔德研制了电动“拉特赛车”（Raht Racer）人力躺车，声称其速度每小时能高达100英里（即每小时160公里）。

'The Raht Racer is a power biking vehicle that uses state of the art pedal-electric hybrid technology to amplify pedal power, enabling the rider's legs to propel the vehicle up to highway speeds, giving the rider the feeling of super strength,' Mr Kronfield says.
“拉特赛车是一种动力自行车，使用脚踏电动混合技术来增强脚踏的动力，使得骑行者的腿能够推动自行车达到高速公路的速度，让骑车人感受到超强力量，”科伦菲尔德如是说道。

'On a bicycle, your pedals are the accelerator. Same with the Raht Racer, only multiplied a hundred times.'
“在自行车上，踏板是加速器，拉特赛车也一样，只不过拉特赛车的速度是它的百倍。”

The Raht Racer's pedals are connected to a unique flywheel generator rather than of directly driving the wheels, as in a traditional velomobile.
拉特赛车的脚踏板与独一无二的飞轮发电机连接，而不是像传统的自行车一样直接与车轮连接。

The pedals power a 20-kWh electric motor, which sits in the rear wheel hub.
拉特赛车的脚踏板为处于后轮毂的20千瓦时的电动机提供动力。

The vehicle senses the torque being applied to the pedals, and then amplifies it so that most people can maintain a cruising speed of around 30 mph (48 km/h).
这种装置能检测到脚踏板上的扭矩，大幅提高了它的作用，所以大多数人能维持在每小时30英里（即每小时48公里）左右的行驶速度。

The body of the two-seater Raht Racer is made from carbon fiber and includes a roll cage, headlights, seat lights, air bags and a trunk.
两人座的拉特赛车主体由碳素纤维制成，包括一个防滚架，车头灯、座位灯、气囊和一个后备箱。

During pedalling, a 2-kWh li-ion battery pack also gets charged to help extend the 570lb (259kg) velomobiles range.
踩踏过程还能为一个2千瓦时的锂离子电池组充电，延长总重量570磅（即259公斤）的躺车在道路上行驶的时间。

When activated in throttle mode, using just battery power, it has a range of approximately 50 miles (80 km) and a top speed of 100 mph (160 km/h).
启动发动机油门控制模式时，也就是完全使用电池电源动力时，拉特赛车能跑50英里（即80公里），速度最高可达每小时100英里（即160公里）。

Mr Kronfield has created a prototype and is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to create a commercial mode.
科伦菲尔德创造出了一个模型，目前正在美国Kickstarter众筹网上开展筹款活动来创造一个商业模式。

According to the Kickstarter campaign: 'The system provides variable resistance, based on programmable or pre-set workout profiles, and GPS terrain-sensing virtual hills, all with torque amplified pedalling'.
据众筹网上的信息显示：该系统提供可变电阻，以可编程的或预设的训练资料和GPS地形遥感虚拟山为基础，这些都与扭矩增强踏板的功能有关。

It is estimated the price of the Raht Racer will start at $35,000 (£22,800) if the campaign is successful.
如果这个项目成功的话，拉特赛车的价格预计约为3.5万美金（约合2.28万英镑）。

Vocabulary

velomobile：三轮躺车
quirky：古怪的，离奇的
amplify：放大
torque：扭矩
throttle mode：发动机油门控制模式