Oregon is home to a number of small green vehicle manufacturers, some of which, like Arcimoto, are more well known to those who follow the space. Others, like Green Lite Motors, are looking to break into that better known club with their own fresh takes on what the green car of tomorrow might look like.

Green Lite Motors, led by president and CEO Tim Miller, is building a hybrid vehicle that is technically classified as a motorcycle and has a self described cruising range of over 250 miles. It is said as well to get 100 miles per gallon and seat two people. To learn more about the company and the vehicle it is developing, we recently interviewed Miller.

image via Green Lite Motors

EarthTechling (ET): Tell us a little about Green Lite Motors. Exactly what type of green vehicle are you trying to develop?

Tim Miller: Green Lite Motors is developing a breakthrough vehicle for folks who live in big metropolitan areas. Of course customers will get the safety and comfort they expect in a car. But they’ll also get 100 mile per gallon efficiency, the ability to cruise past slow traffic using the express lane (because the vehicle is technically classified as a motorcycle), and super easy parking – even in motorcycle spots.

ET: How does Green Lite Motors see if self doing well in a very competitive green car market?

Miller: There are certainly a number of new green vehicles coming out – but most of them are from the major manufacturers and built in a typical ‘car’ format. This gives the typical plug-in hybrid moderate efficiency of 50-60 mpg, and means the all-electrics have limited range of 100 miles or so before needing to plug in and re-charge. Beyond the modest efficiency and limited range, these vehicles don’t have the express lane access and easy parking that the Green Lite Motors vehicle offers.

Comparing ours to other new vehicle start-ups, we’ve chosen a specific segment of the market that, again, needs long range and high speed for their daily freeway commuting. This is very different from most of the other new concepts that are designed for shorter range and lower speed – primarily for in-town driving.

image via Green Lite Motors

Safety systems in our vehicles will include a full steel safety-cell, 4-point harnesses, and air bags. Our vehicle can cruise at 85 miles per hour, has 250 miles of range, and can also go in electric-only mode. This combination of benefits – essential requirements for metropolitan drives – is unmatched by competitors.

ET: What is particularly unique of your offering?

Miller: One of the unique things about our vehicle – and it’s really what enables our small footprint and aerodynamic efficiency – is our patent-pending front end design and technology. This allows our three-wheeled vehicle to lean smoothly into turns just like a motorcycle, but then automatically stands the vehicle upright at stops and low speeds.

ET: What is the current status of your vehicle in terms of development?

Miller: We’ve completed our third generation prototype which provides a proof of concept for the key ideas behind our vehicle.

ET: When do you anticipate a vehicle will be available to the public? Any ideas on cost?

Miller: We’re currently talking with investors to help bring our vehicle to market. Pricing will start at $19,500.