Missouri velomobile goes 50 miles for 1 cent

Today's Kansas City Star has a detailed article about St. Louis-area resident Jeff Kline's velomobile:

"Today's gas prices are creating significant interest in fuel-efficient vehicles, hybrids in particular," said Jim Kliesch, research associate for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy in Washington. . . .

While there are more than 1,000 velomobiles in Europe, there are only about 45 in the United States, said Ethan Davis, who operates a Web site called velomobiles.net. The majority are pedal-only, Davis said.

Kline said he has the only velomobile in Missouri or Kansas. He also has one of the country's two Aerorider models, a fully enclosed vehicle with turn signals, lights and other features that make it drive like a car even though it is technically a bicycle. It does not require vehicle plates or registration.

"There is definitely a uniqueness factor to it," Kline said.

Kline said he gets plenty of double takes as he clips along in regular traffic lanes during his 28-mile round-trip commute to work in suburban St. Louis. He stays on side streets with speed limits of 35 mph or less, feels safe and, he said, other drivers show him respect on the road, often giving him a wave and a smile.

"People are not sure it's a bike or a car and so they tend to treat it like a car and give you more space," Kline said.

Kline said he can operate the vehicle entirely on pedals, entirely on batteries or in combination - his usual method. His top speed has been 36 mph, and his record time for the 14-mile trip between home and work is 32 minutes.

Kline, 43, is a data analyst for Biomedical Systems, a Maryland Heights company that helps conduct clinical drug trials. Kline persuaded the company owner, a bike enthusiast, to have the company pay part of the cost of the vehicle, which has a Biomedical logo on each side.

Another employee of Biomedical Systems, Bruce Stahl, said Kline gets some kidding. "It's something to see his little three-wheeler parked between two Suburbans," he said.

But most people admire what Kline has done, Stahl said. And as gasoline prices creep ever higher, Kline looks pretty smart, said Andrew Kroehnke, another co-worker.

"More and more people are agreeing with him - he is saving money while we are spending it," Kroehnke said.

St. Louis Suburban Journals also ran an article the velomobile recently, as did Science Daily.