France’s Daring Vigoz: The Three-Wheeled “Bicycle” That Hits 120 km/h
In the mountains of Haute-Savoie, a French startup has unveiled a machine that stretches the very definition of a bicycle. Called the Vigoz, it is a fully enclosed, three-wheeled electric vehicle with space for two, a chainless drive system, and a top speed of 120 km/h—hardly the stuff of pedal-powered commuting.
The Vigoz is the brainchild of Cixi, a company that has been refining the concept for years and has finally brought a prototype into the public eye. The rider sits in a semi-reclined position with a passenger seat tucked behind, both occupants belted in for safety. A lightweight body shell shields them from wind and rain, blurring the line between bike and microcar.
Its most radical feature is the drivetrain. Instead of transferring pedal power mechanically, Vigoz employs what Cixi calls the PERS system—Pedaling Energy Recovery System. Every turn of the pedals sends electronic impulses to the motor, effectively allowing pedaling to both propel the vehicle and recharge its battery.
Backed by a 22 kWh pack mounted under the floor, the Vigoz claims a range of up to 160 kilometers per charge. Steering is handled via twin side-mounted control levers, while the trike actively leans into corners for stability at speed. Add in three-point seatbelts, a sealed cabin, and even air conditioning, and the vehicle offers amenities that no traditional bicycle could dream of.
For now, the Vigoz remains a prototype awaiting certification, but its creators insist it represents more than a design exercise. They see it as a genuine attempt to carve out a new vehicle category—one that is neither strictly bicycle nor automobile, but something in between. If they’re right, the future of urban and near-urban mobility may come with pedals, seatbelts, and climate control.
