That "dragracer exoskeleton" is designed to slide down a racetrack in the event of a mishap involving no other vehicles...not to get slammed by a dumptruck hauling a load of sand to a landscaping job. Heck, we're talking about a vehicle that has a passenger compartment that is probably 30" wide and lower than many truck bumpers. These trikes will only be incrementally more secure than a motorcycle in a collision. If you're concerned about your safety on a bike as you mentioned earlier, please don't look to this type of vehicle as a solution.
These trikes will get decent mileage, no doubt, but I don't think it will be nearly as radical as the "doubling" you're expecting to see. In order to double the VW TDI diesels or even some of the wonderful Toyota Corolla models, we're talking nearly 100 miles per gallon of fuel. That kind of economical mileage isn't just around the corner.
~ Blue Jays ~
And how many motorcycle drivers get "slammed by a dumptruck hauling a load"---not many. The majority get the ax by separating from the bike and trying to emulate a bird.--which is exactly what a roll-cage and safety harnesses are all about preventing.
"These trikes will get decent mileage, no doubt, but I don't think it will be nearly as radical as the "doubling" you're expecting to see. In order to double the VW TDI diesels or even some of the wonderful Toyota Corolla models, we're talking nearly 100 miles per gallon of fuel. That kind of economical mileage isn't just around the corner."
Disagree. I think 100 mpg with a really aerodynamic exoskeletal safety frame and an engine fully electronically controlled is quite do-able.