January 10, 1985: The C5, Clive Sinclair's battery-powered tricycle, hits the road - BT January 10, 1985: The C5, Clive Sinclair's battery-powered tricycle, hits the road The Sinclair C5 was hailed by its creator as the future of personal transport but at £399, the lightweight trike didn't have many takers. Share this Print this story The Sinclair C5, a battery-operated electric tricycle invented by computing tycoon Sir Clive Sinclair, was launched on this day in 1985. Advertised as “a new power in personal transport”, the C5 was expected to revolutionise the electric vehicle market by the man who had created the ZX Spectrum, the best-selling British computer of all time. It was driven in the sitting position, with legs outstretched, and controlled by a handlebar located between the knees. Designed for short journeys around town, its electric motor could manage a top speed of 15mph. Sinclair had envisaged the C5, which retailed at £399, as appealing to both drivers and cyclists, but it soon became apparent that its shortcomings pleased neither group.

Standing only 2ft 6ins high, the vehicles suffered from poor visibility on the road, and their 12-volt battery offered a range of just 20 miles. Drivers were also uncovered and open to the elements. It also raised a number of safety concerns: the body was lightweight and offered little protection in a crash, and drivers were not required to have a licence or even wear a helmet. The British Safety Council issued a highly critical report on the vehicle. Sinclair’s expectations were soon shown to be wildly over-optimistic. By the end of July, only 5,000 had been sold. Production was halted the following month, with most of the other 7,000 of the tricycles built remaining unsold. Did you ever own or drive a Sinclair C5? Could you see yourself using one today? Let us know in the Comments section below. The Sinclair C5 – Did you know? Sir Clive Sinclair was a well-established and highly-successful inventor and businessman, having created and sold the world’s first pocket calculator as well as the hugely successful ZX range of home computers.

He first made enquiries about the possibility of electronic personal vehicles while still at school and working in a holiday job at an electronics company. He started his first company, Sinclair Radionics, in 1961, five days before his twenty-first birthday, Sinclair launched his first kit computer, the ZX80, in February 1980, and the ZX Spectrum was introduced the following April. Sinclair was knighted in 1983, and sold the computer arm of his business to Amstrad for £5 million in 1985. Final design modifications on the C5 were carried out by 23-year-old Gus Desbarats, who had won a Sinclair-sponsored electric vehicle design competition at the Royal College of Art. One of his modifications was to add a small luggage compartment. The contract to assemble the C5 was given to the Hoover Company, who carried out manufacture at their washing machine factory in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales – leading to the spurious rumour that the vehicle was powered by a washing machine motor.

Despite safety concerns and questions over its usefulness, the C5 was actually praised for its handling and control, being called "stable, comfortable and easy to handle" and “very easy to master” in the British press. The company created by Sinclair to manufacture and sell the C5 was placed in receivership in October 1985 and liquidated the following month. Share this Sinclair C5 Electric Vehicle Inaccurate Assessment of Market Needs - (Poor Concept Realisation) Sinclair C5 Electric Vehicle - (The Right Product at the Wrong Time) Hughes Aircraft Company 'Spruce Goose' Clive Sinclair is a British inventor whose interests range over amplifiers, radios, calculators, pocket TVï¿½s and electric vehicles. His first electric vehicle was the Sinclair C5 , and is the product for which he is, somewhat unjustly, most famous. At the time, this vehicle was claimed to be ï¿½a revolution in personal transportï¿½. On January 10 1985, the Sinclair C5 made its debut in the London traffic under the critical eye of a cynical press.

It took advantage of a 1983 change to the law (designed to help disabled drivers and milk float manufacturers) and was carefully designed so that anyone over the age of 14 could drive it, without insurance, driving licence, road tax or crash helmet, and even if they had been disqualified from driving a car by the courts. It was meant to be a ubiquitous, utilitarian environmentally friendly town vehicle ï¿½ this ideal is a good one and has been emulated by other manufacturers in the intervening years, even if the engine is not always electric, e.g. the SMART car [5]. It was essentially, a 99 lbf battery operated, single seat tricycle with a 250 W motor, a white plastic body (designed by Lotus), a 1 ft3 boot, and front and rear lights. It retailed for ï¿½399 by mail order. Its dimensions were width and height 2ï¿½ 6", and length 6ï¿½ 9". Steering was via handlebars between the thighs of the driver, and the brakes were similar to bicycle brakes.

An additional ï¿½143 bought extra items (rear view mirrors etc) deemed ï¿½essentialï¿½ by most safety commentators. Sinclair had obtained an ex-De Lorean henchman to run Sinclair Vehicles and persuaded the Welsh Development Agency and Hoover to invest in producing the vehicles at a plant in Wales (based on projections of sales of 200 000 to 300 000 vehicles per annum). His past reputation as a successful entrepreneur carried all resistance before him. He spent some ï¿½3 million on a 3-month ï¿½primary contactï¿½ advertising at launch of the vehicle (some of the claims in this campaign later backfired when the Advertising Standards Authority stated that it would look into complaints regarding safety assertions). The original concept called for radical new battery technology, which was not possible at the time. Thus the concept, as realised, was changed to provide a small lightweight vehicle operating on existing lead-acid battery technology. The battery contributed 1/3 of the total weight. The maximum speed was 15 mph and it required pedal assist up steep hills and in order to get moving.

Range was about 20 miles using a ï¿½drive and coastï¿½ technique, and the battery required an 8 hour charge time. Other drawbacks of the vehicle included the low position of the drivers body (at bumper height in the event of a collision with another vehicle), poor visibility in traffic, an ineffective horn, poor lights, dazzle from vehicle headlights, a large turning circle, and problems with the gearbox moulding. An additional hazard arose from incessant breathing of exhaust fumes, which were just about at face level! Sales of the vehicle were very slow, and many countries would not licence the vehicle for use on their roads without modifications to improve safety. By about August some stores were discounting the price to ï¿½140. On 12 October 1985, Sinclair Vehicles was placed in the hands of the receiver, and entered voluntary liquidation in November. The loss to Sinclair was about ï¿½8.6 million and Hoover and the Welsh Development Agency also lost money. Causes: Incomplete development of a useful and saleable package prior to market entry. The vehicle was poorly executed, unreliable and unsafe.

Many of these problems arose from weight/power restrictions imposed by insurmountable problems with battery technology. Development was probably rushed to exploit the temporary loophole in the law regarding electric vehicles, and did not consider the consequences of future safety legislation. Design Failure: The basic failure here was incorrect assessment of the market for the type of vehicle, which did not lend itself to innovative realisation, at least when based on existing battery technology. It is worth noting that Sinclair C5 tricycles currently sell for around ï¿½900 in the UK! References: BBC NEWS | UK | Magazine | 'Move over Segway, I'm planning the C6' 'Move over Segway, I'm planning the C6' By Jonathan Duffy BBC News Online Sir Clive Sinclair, inventor of the fabled C5 electric tricycle, road tests the revolutionary Segway scooter... and announces secret plans for another pioneering new personal transporter. Watch Sir Clive road test the Segway It was rumoured to be powered by a washing machine motor, was lusted after by pre-adolescent schoolboys and risked vanishing under a heavy goods vehicle without the driver noticing.

When it was unleashed on an unsuspecting public in 1985, the Sinclair C5 was the last word in futuristic transport. Ten months, and ï¿½6m of investment, later it was consigned to the commercial scrapheap. Now its inventor, Sir Clive Sinclair, is working on a "C6" - a top-secret follow-up to the ill-fated C5, to be unveiled next year. Sir Clive broke the news of his intriguing new invention while road testing the revolutionary new Segway scooter for BBC News Online. The Segway is the brainchild of American inventor Dean Kamen and has been compared to the C5 for presenting an innovative solution to getting around congested cities. Sir Clive in 1985, on a C5 But since going on sale in March, it seems to have fared better than its groundbreaking British equivalent all those years ago. In America, the Segway is becoming the method of transportation du jour for workers who would otherwise have to walk long distances. Postmen in Florida, police officers in Boston and staff at Disney World are among those to have been issued with the upright electric scooter.

Even George Bush took a ride on one, although any White House endorsement was somewhat undermined when he was catapulted over the handlebars. Chris Grindley, chairman of Planet Moto - the company which started importing the US-made Segways into the UK in February - cautions they are easy to ride, but demand some confidence from the user. Bearing this in mind, Sir Clive fared well on his first go on the Segway, and declared himself highly impressed. In London there are lots of people milling around - a heavy vehicle like that, if you hit someone at 15mph it would knock them for six Sir Clive on the Segway "I found it very enjoyable - a nice sensation once I got over the initial nervousness. It's very manoeuvrable, no trouble there at all. After a few minutes practice you can do anything you like. "I think it's wonderfully entertaining, as a toy. That's not to be disparaging. It works very well." He stayed tight-lipped about his new project, describing it only as a "new product designed at getting people around town". It is being developed in tandem with a British-based engineering company which specialises in compact electric motors and drive systems.

But if all goes to plan for Sir Clive, the Segway will be squaring up to some British competition next year. He is convinced there is a gap in the market for his new invention, declaring the Segway unsuitable for British streets. The device weighs about 40 kilos and, unlike the C5, was designed to be used on pavements. "In London there are lots of people milling around - a heavy vehicle like that, it's a lot of weight and doing 15mph, if you hit someone it would just knock them for six. SIR CLIVE SINCLAIR Born in 1940, excelled at engineering from a young age Focused on miniaturisation, invented world's first pocket calculator in 1962 Went on to develop the digital wristwatch, pocket TV and home computers "I think it's got applications for going around factories and the like." But he was impressed with its upstanding design - the Segway uses gyroscopes to stay upright - and conceded it was less likely to scare off customers than the low-slung C5.

Driven by a combination of battery and pedal power, the C5 was declared a death trap by the Automobile Association because it was too small to be seen by lorry drivers. Although several thousand of the tricycles were sold, Sir Clive, famed in the early 1980s for his range of affordable Sinclair home computers, failed to win over a sceptical public. The plastic trike became a cult novelty toy - singer Elton John bought two to zip around his country estate. Today they trade for between ï¿½500 and ï¿½1,000 on Ebay - more than the original ï¿½399 price tag, although still a fraction of the ï¿½4,600 a Segway costs. Moving with the times: Sir Clive Sinclair rides a Segway Sir Clive was also "disappointed" the Segway did not live up to the early hype, when pundits speculated the then "mystery invention" could be a jet-pack or hover skateboard. In fact, Sinclair says he was involved in devising something similar to the Segway - using gyroscope technology - 20 years ago, with a company called Cambridge Consultants. It fell by the wayside.

So does he wish the C5 had come out looking more like the Segway? "No, no, no, I don't at all. We sold 5,000 of them." He has worked long and hard at re-inventing personal transport, launching the Zike - a mini electric bike - in the early 1990s, and the Zeta - an electric engine that fits on to an ordinary bike. Does he think the humble but enduring push bike can ever be topped? "Just wait," he cautions, "until next year." SIR CLIVE SINCLAIR AND THE SINCLAIR C5 - ELECTRIC URBAN RUNAROUND - BLUEBIRD ELECTRIC 3 LAND SPEED RECORD PROJECT HOME INDEX SOLAR CARS LEAD-WEDGE SILVER-EAGLE BATTERY-BOX BE1 LIGHTNING-ROD BE2 WHITE-LIGHTNING BUCKEYE BULLET EMOTION BLUEBIRD The Sinclair C5 was first launched in the UK on the 10th January 1985.

Created by the innovator and inventor Sir Clive Sinclair, most famous for his ZX80 and ZX81 personal computers from 1980, the C5 was a revolutionary electric vehicle weighing in at just 99lbs. The vehicle used a 33lb lead acid battery that powered a 250 watt Hoover electric motor similar to those found in washing machines. As the C5 was created to fall in line with the 1983 Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations, this ruled that the vechicle's engine could not exceed 250 watts in power. This therefore gave the C5 a top speed of 15 mph with a claimed 20 miles battery life in between charges. The vehicle also had pedals for extra assistance up hills. The Sinclair C5 Sir Clive Sinclair was a very rich, eccentric genius who amassed a fortune in the manufacture of revolutionary- indeed visionary- electronic devices and products. These include calculators, watches, meters, pocket TV's(1975), micro computers (1980), and home computers (1982- when computers were still in dedicated rooms).

Like TV and computers, the idea of producing an electric vehicle had been a constant preoccupation for him. In the '70's, ecological issues were in the forefront, and the British government passed legislation that allowed electric-assisted cycles to be used without a license, as long as they didnï¿½t exceed 15mph. Sinclair's directors were critical of spending corporate money on this type of research, so Sir Clive sold a small fraction of his company shares which netted 12 million pounds for the cause. The chassis design was by Lotus, the motor by Polymotor, and the polypropylene body the largest one-piece injection moulding ever made at the time. After negotiations for the former DeLorean plant failed, the C5 was built in a Hoover factory in Wales. The Sinclair C5 on the road The much-publicized launch was an unqualified disaster. It was held in the middle of winter and the C5's bodies skated on the snow. The press was merciless. Safety and Advertising Standards organizations got involved. Sales and production nosedived, and the company was wound up in October of the same year, with an unfazed Sir Clive out of pocket some 8.6 million pounds.

Manufacturer: Sinclair Vehicles, Camberley, Surrey, England From day one of its launch the Sinclair C5 came under continuous attack from the media who criticised it for numerous reasons and said that it should be banned. The main reasons were that due to its low stance on the road it could not be seen easily by other road users, this also opened up the debate about C5 drivers being at the same level as exhaust pipes from larger vehicles and inhaling their fumes. In addition the C5's power performance was also criticised as it was stated that often during independent test the vehicle could rarely tackle a hill climb without manual assistance peddling. It was also claimed that the vehicle only ever lasted approximately 10 miles on one battery charge and not the 20 specified by Sinclair. In some case this was reduced to 6 - 7 miles in winter as the cold would affect the battery's performance. A high visibility mask was available for the C5 as an optional extra though many claimed it should have been standard. Despite most of these claims made by the media condeming the vehicle, RoSPA stated that they liked the C5 and that it should not be banned.

As a result of these problems the Sinclair quickly gained a bad reputation and interest in sales plummeted. The vehicle had originally been planned as a mail order vehicle and was sold on the high street through Electrical retailers. Due to the lack of sales prices fell to just ï¿½199 from the previous ï¿½399 in a bid to sell surplus stock. On the 15 October 1985, Sir Clive Sinclair announced that Sinclair Vehicles had officially been placed in the hands of the receiver four days earlier and production of the C5 ceased. Later Sinclair unveiled plans that they may be modified to make a C10 ( a two seater version) and a C15 (a four seater version.). It was also rumoured during the 1990's that Sinclair was one of the People interested in the Reliant Motor Company when that went into receivership. Possibly with a plan to convert the Reliant Robin into an electric vehicle? The main C5 body was moulded in two halves - the dark grey lower body, and the white upper body. The body of the C5 was made of self-coloured lightweight polypropylene.

The vehicle was 2ft 6" wide, 2ft 6" high and 5ft 9" long. The two halves were joined using a thermo-plastic tape. This was tacked into place using a telesonic gun to the lower body. The upper body was held in position by an inflated band, and a current passed through the tape. This melted the tape, and joined the two halves together. The bodyshell components were moulded in the ICI plastic, polypropylene. The upper body assembly was the largest mass-produced injection-moulded assembly ever made. The body shells were moulded by LinPac, one of the World's largest injection moulding specialists. The Sinclair C5 frame and body Possibly Sinclair's most famous product (albeit for quite the wrong reasons), the ill-conceived C5 "electric car" proved to be the point at which Sinclair Research's wheels finally fell off. Attracting controversy and derision in equal measure, the C5 fiasco ended up having a catastrophic effect on Sinclair's finances. Losses of up to ï¿½7 million eventually forced the company to sell its computer business to Amstrad.

The C5 was promoted by Sinclair as a revolutionary advance in personal transport with the potential to replace the car. The original intention was that it would be only the first in a whole series of electric vehicles - it would have been followed the never-released C10 and C15, each successively bigger and looking more like conventional vehicles. At only ï¿½399, the C5 was a fraction of the price of a conventional car. In fact, it was not a car at all but was instead a glorified electric tricycle, powered by an electric battery with a supplementary pedal drive. It did not inspire confidence that the C5 was assembled and serviced by Hoover, better known for its washing machines, which led to unkind comparisons being made between the two product lines. THE C5 USED A WASHING MACHINE MOTOR The C5 motor is a 12v DC permanent magnet motor, rated at 250W continuous. The motor was made by Polymotor in Italy, part of the giant Philips group. While it is true that Polymotor make motors for washing machines, it is also true that they make torpedo motors! Perhaps it would have sounded better if the C5 was powered by a torpedo motor!

Being a 12v DC motor, it is far removed from the AC motor used in a washing machine anyway. Another example of "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing..." The Sinclair C5 motor The machine had several major flaws which doomed it before it had even been launched. It was capable of only 15 mph (a deliberate design decision, as electric vehicles which could travel faster than that required a licence to use). It had a very limited range which varied according to weather conditions - as little as 10km in cold weather - and its weight made it a struggle to pedal. Its cockpit was exposed to the elements (a real problem in the British climate) and the C5 itself was worryingly vulnerable in traffic. In a country with dedicated bicycle paths, such as the Netherlands, this would have been much less of a problem, but crowded British roads were a very different environment. This, probably more than anything else, sank the C5, not least because Sinclair initially did not publicly acknowledge the problem: I would not want to drive a C5 in any traffic at all. My head was on a level with the top of a juggernaut's tyres, the exhaust fumes blasted into my face.

Even with the minuscule front and rear lights on, I could not feel confident that a lorry driver so high above the ground would see me. Small wonder that one of the accessories listed in the C5 brochure is a high and bright-red reflecting mast, said by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents [RoSPA] to be a 'must'. (Daily Telegraph, 11 January 1985.) The "hi-vis mast" initially had to be purchased separately, but public pressure by the RoSPA and media eventually forced Sinclair to include it in the C5 package. By then, though, the damage had been done and even then it failed to satisfy everyone. The safety aspect so worried the authorities in the Netherlands, the most cyclist-friendly country in Europe, that the C5 was banned outright. Fewer than 17,000 C5s were sold, mostly in Britain although a few made it to continental Europe and the United States, and production was halted after only a few months. Some were reputedly bought by shipping companies to ferry deckhands around the huge foredecks of oil tankers. The Sinclair C5 overtaking!

C5s are now highly sought-after collector's items and now sell for up to ï¿½900, although ï¿½300-ï¿½400 is a more likely value. One British stuntman has even turbocharged a C5 to 70mph (!) and races it through tunnels of fire. Sir Clive Sinclair would no doubt have known what that felt like in the wake of the C5's hostile reception. for other websites on the Sinclair C5. The Site for Sinclair C5 Enthusiasts Worldwide 10th January 1985 - 10th January 2005 The Sinclair C5 was a commercial disaster. The Press hounded it as a dangerous joke. Only around 12,000 C5s were ever produced, many sold off abroad after the project folded. Most of the attention the C5 got was negative - some with good foundation, but much without. This site is dedicated to show you the positive side of the C5 - the research and development - the genuinely innovative technology - the futuristic styling - the dream of eco-friendly personal transport.

EEVblog #501 - Sinclair C5 Electric Car Teardown & Test Drive - YouTube EEVblog #501 - Sinclair C5 Electric Car Teardown & Test Drive Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Jul 30, 2013 Dave goes back to the future and takes a 1985 vintage Sinclair C5 electric "car" for a spin, one of only a handful in the country. This was Sir Clive Sinclair's vision for personal transport. Clive Sinclair - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia I am a simple man trying to live a simple life !!!!!! Clive Sinclair Full Name Clive Marles Sinclair Born 30 July 1940 (age 75) (1940-07-30) near Richmond, Surrey Education St George's College, Weybridge Spouse Angie Bowness (m.

2010), Ann Briscoe (m. 1962–1985) Children Bartholomew Sinclair, Marcus Thornton Sinclair, Crispin Sinclair, Belinda Sinclair Books Modern Transistor Circuits for Beginners Parents Thora Edith Ella Marles, George William Carter Sinclair Siblings Fiona Sinclair, Iain Sinclair Clive sinclair the pace setters Sponsored Links Sir Clive Marles Sinclair (born 30 July 1940) is an English entrepreneur and inventor, most commonly known for his work in consumer electronics in the late 1970s and early 1980s. After spending several years as assistant editor of Instrument Practice, Sinclair founded Sinclair Radionics in 1961, where he produced the first slim-line electronic pocket calculator in 1972 (the Sinclair Executive). Sinclair later moved into the production of home computers and produced the Sinclair ZX80, the UK's first mass-market home computer for less than £100, and later, with Sinclair Research, the ZX81 and ZX Spectrum; the latter is widely recognised for its importance in the early days of the British home computer industry.

Knighted in 1983, Sinclair formed Sinclair Vehicles and released the Sinclair C5, a battery electric vehicle that was a commercial failure. Since then Sinclair has concentrated on personal transport, including the A-bike, a folding bicycle for commuters that weighs 5.5 kilograms (12 lb) and folds down small enough to be carried on public transport. Sir clive sinclair on his love of watchmaking and salonqp Early life, family and education Sinclair's father and grandfather were engineers; both had been apprentices at Vickers the shipbuilders. His grandfather George Sinclair was an innovative naval architect who got the paravane, a mine sweeping device, to work. George Sinclair's son, George William "Bill" Sinclair, wanted to take religious orders or become a journalist. His father suggested he train as an engineer first; Bill became a mechanical engineer and remained in the field. At the outbreak of World War II in 1939 he was running his own machine tools business in London, and later worked for the Ministry of Supply. Sponsored Links Clive Sinclair was born to George William Sinclair and Thora Edith Ella Marles in 1940 near Richmond, then in Surrey.

He and his mother left London to stay with an aunt for safety in Devon, where they eventually travelled to Teignmouth. A telegram arrived shortly afterwards, bringing the news that their home in Richmond had been bombed. Sinclair's father found a house in Bracknell in Berkshire. His brother Iain was born in 1943 and his sister Fiona in 1947. At an early age Sinclair designed a submarine. During holidays he could pursue his ideas and teach himself what he wanted to know. Sinclair had little interest in sports and found himself out of place at school. He preferred the company of adults, which he got only from his family. Sinclair attended Boxgrove Preparatory School, excelling in mathematics. By the time he was ten, his father had financial problems. He had branched out from machine tools and planned to import miniature tractors from the U.S.; he had to give up the business. Because of his father's problems, Sinclair had to move school several times. After a time at Reading School, Sinclair took his O-levels at Highgate School in London in 1955 and A-levels in physics, pure maths, and applied maths at St.

George's College, Weybridge. During his early years, Sinclair earned money mowing lawns and washing up, and earned 6d (old pence) more than permanent staff in a cafe. Later he went for holiday jobs at electronic companies. At Solatron he inquired about the possibility of electrically propelled personal vehicles. Sinclair applied for a holiday job at Mullard and took one of his circuit designs; he was rejected for precociousness. While still at school he wrote his first article for Practical Wireless. Sinclair did not want to go to university when he left school at the age of 18 and instead he sold miniature electronic kits by mail order to the hobby market. Sinclair Radionics Sinclair's Micro Kit was formalised in an exercise book dated 19 June 1958 three weeks before his A-levels. Sinclair drew a radio circuit, Model Mark I, with a components list: cost per set 9/11 (49½p), plus coloured wire and solder, nuts and bolts, plus celluloid chassis (drilled) for nine shillings (45p).

Also in the book are advertisement rates for Radio Constructor (9d (3¾p)/word, minimum 6/- (30p)) and Practical Wireless (5/6 (27½p) per line or part line). Sinclair estimated producing 1,000 a month, placing orders with suppliers for 10,000 of each component to be delivered. Sinclair wrote a book for Bernard's Publishing, Practical transistor receivers Book 1, which appeared in January 1959. It was re-printed late that year and nine times subsequently. His practical stereo handbook was published in June 1959 and reprinted seven times over 14 years. The last book Sinclair wrote as an employee of Bernard's was Modern Transistor Circuits for Beginners, published in May 1962. At Bernard Babani he produced 13 constructors' books. In 1961 Sinclair registered Sinclair Radionics Ltd. His original choice, Sinclair Electronics, was taken; Sinclair Radio was available but did not sound right. Sinclair Radionics was formed on 25 July 1961. Sinclair made two attempts to raise startup capital to advertise his inventions and buy components.

He designed PCB kits and licensed some technology. Then he took his design for a miniature transistor pocket radio and sought a backer for its production in kit form. Eventually he found someone who agreed to buy 55% of his company for £3,000 but the deal did not go through. Sinclair, unable to find capital, joined United Trade Press (UTP) as technical editor of Instrument Practice. Sinclair appeared in the publication as an assistant editor in March 1962. Sinclair described making silicon planar transistors, their properties and applications and hoped they might be available by the end of 1962. Sinclair's obsession with miniaturisation became more obvious as his career progressed. Sinclair undertook a survey for Instrument Practice of semiconductor devices, which appeared in four sections between September 1962 and January 1963. His last appearance as assistant editor was in April 1969. Through UTP, Sinclair had access to thousands of devices from 36 manufacturers. He contacted Semiconductors Ltd (who at that time sold semiconductors made by Plessey) and ordered rejects to repair.

He produced a design for a miniature radio powered by a couple of hearing aid cells and made a deal with Semiconductors to buy its micro-alloy transistors at 6d (2½p) each in boxes of 10,000. He then carried out his own quality control tests, and marketed his renamed MAT 100 and 120 at 7s 9d (38¾p) and 101 and 121 at 8s 6d (42½p). Science of Cambridge Sinclair formed another company, initially called Ablesdeal Ltd, in 1973. This changed name several times, eventually becoming Science of Cambridge Ltd in July 1977. In June 1978 Science of Cambridge launched a microcomputer kit, the MK14, based on the National SC/MP chip. By July 1978, a personal computer project was under way. When Sinclair learned the NewBrain could not be sold at below £100 as he envisaged, he turned to a simpler computer.

In May 1979 Jim Westwood started the ZX80 project at Science of Cambridge; it was launched in February 1980 at £79.95 in kit form and £99.95 ready-built. In November, Science of Cambridge was renamed Sinclair Computers Ltd. Sinclair Research In March 1981, Sinclair Computers was renamed again as Sinclair Research Ltd and the Sinclair ZX81 was launched at £49.95 in kit form and £69.95 ready-built, by mail order. In February 1982 Timex obtained a licence to manufacture and market Sinclair's computers in the United States under the name Timex Sinclair. In April the ZX Spectrum was launched at £125 for the 16 kB RAM version and £175 for the 48 kB version. In March 1982 the company made an £8.55 million profit on turnover of £27.17 million, including £383,000 government grants for the TV80 flat-screen portable television. In 1982 Sinclair converted the Barker & Wadsworth mineral water bottling factory into the company's headquarters.

(This was sold to Cambridgeshire County Council in December 1985 owing to Sinclair's financial troubles.) The following year, he received a knighthood and formed Sinclair Vehicles Ltd. to develop electric vehicles, which resulted in the Sinclair C5 in 1985. In 1984, Sinclair launched the Sinclair QL computer, intended for professional users. Development of the ZX Spectrum continued with the enhanced ZX Spectrum 128 in 1985. In April 1986, Sinclair Research sold the Sinclair trademark and computer business to Amstrad for £5 million. Sinclair Research Ltd. was reduced to an R&D business and holding company, with shareholdings in several spin-off companies, formed to exploit technologies developed by the company. These included Anamartic Ltd. (wafer-scale integration), Shaye Communications Ltd. (CT2 mobile telephony) and Cambridge Computer Ltd. (Z88 portable computer and satellite TV receivers). By 1990, Sinclair Research consisted of Sinclair and two other employees, and its activities have since concentrated on personal transport, the Zike electric bicycle, Zeta bicycle motor and the A-bike folding bicycle.

Personal life Sinclair married Ann Briscoe in 1962 and they had three children: Belinda, Crispin and Bartholomew. The marriage was dissolved in 1985. In 2010 Sinclair married Angie Bowness. Sinclair is a poker player and appeared in the first three seasons of the Late Night Poker television series in Britain. He won the first season final of the Celebrity Poker Club spin-off. On his religious views, Sinclair called himself an atheist. Sinclair is a member of British Mensa and was Chairman for 17 years from 1980 to 1997. Sinclair was awarded an Honorary Degree (Doctor of Science) by the University of Bath in 1983. Despite his involvement in computing, Sinclair does not use the Internet, stating that he does not like to have "technical or mechanical things around me" as it distracts from the process of invention. In 2010 he stated that he does not use computers himself, using the telephone in preference to email. David Lenton | Sinclair transportation Sinclair transportation by David in Personal .

Tagged a-bike , c5 , sinclair , x-1 , zeta , zike . While never quite having the resources or dedication to experience Sir Clive Sinclair’s transport revolutions in the same wholehearted manner that I did his computer breakthroughs , I have done my best to at least experience them. The Sinclair C5 was his first and most famous vehicle. Launched by Sinclair Vehicles Ltd in the United Kingdom on 10 January 1985, it was a battery-assisted tricycle with a top speed of 15 miles per hour (the fastest allowed in the UK without a driving licence). It was widely criticised for being impractical, if not dangerous, on the UK’s roads and in the British climate (a point reinforced by the January launch). By August of the same year production had ceased, with only 17,000 sold. 1 However, back in the late 1980s I got to ride in one of them. Below is photographic evidence of my one and only Sinclair C5 excursion.

Me, driving the Sinclair C5 on some Norfolk back roads in the late 1980s The Sinclair C5, with an enhanced battery pack to help on the hills(!) of Norfolk The Sinclair C5 belonged to the mother of a friend of the family. She used it for regular trips to the local shops. I remember her telling me that she only pedalled when she thought no-one was looking. I also remember that someone had installed an extra battery for her – to give the machine a bit of extra impetus on the hill near her house. I loved every minute of my C5 drive – marshalled I’m sure by my probably very nervous parents. The C5 remained popular with a small group of fans. Events have been held all over the world – well, at least as far as the Netherlands – and some went to a lot of effort customising their vehicle. For more information, a good place to start is C5Alive.co.uk After the C5 and the collapse of his computer empire that its failure helped precipitate, Sir Clive went back to the drawing board and worked on a number of electric motor attachments for normal road bikes.

These ‘Zetas’ were followed by the ‘Zike’ in 1995, a full-sized bike with a battery stored in the frame. However, neither really caught my attention – or, it seems, that of many other people. This newspaper advertisement is from the site of someone who has refurbished a Zike ( C5Martin ). However, in 2006 Sir Clive was back with something a good deal more interesting – the A-bike. The A-bike was a folding bike, designed to be used by commuters, with an emphasis on portability and ease of use – with all of the mechanisms internal to the bike. While sales figures are a little difficult to come by, the A-bike was briefly a news sensation, although even from the outset it was clear that while the bike was indeed very good at being portable, it was not that good at being a bike. A friend of mine acquired one for review purposes, and he was kind enough to let me have a go. Me, staying on the A-bike The C5 felt safer. Still, I think I only fell off a couple of times, and he assured me that it got easier with practice.

And despite my difficulties, I did consider buying one for a while. I didn’t though. There were plans for an electric version, but I’m not sure it ever materialised. However, the latest iteration, the A-Bike City , with larger wheels and numerous other iterations to improve the ride is still available. Sir Clive moved on though, with plans for a new electric bike called the X-1 . Sinclair’s X-1, yet to be made available It was due to launch in July 2011. I’m still waiting. Notes: BBC - Future - Was the Sinclair C5 30 years too early? Battery Was the Sinclair C5 30 years too early? In 1985, British entrepreneur Sir Clive Sinclair unveiled the electrically powered pedal car the C5. It was a disastrous failure. But was it also ahead of its time? By Jack Stewart 9 December 2014 The road to the future is, apparently, always under construction. Its hard shoulder is littered with automotive relics that did not make it. Sometimes a wacky design is the cause of their downfall. Sometimes it’s the strange propulsion system.

Or sometimes, as with the Sinclair C5 , it’s an unfortunate combination of the two. The C5 electric tricycle (with pedal assist) was a single-seater vehicle unveiled with great fanfare on 10 January 1985. It was billed as the future of transport. A non-polluting machine, capable of taking a driver wherever they needed to go: the shops, to work, or to a train station. It would replace oversized, under-efficient cars. At the time of its launch, there was a great deal of hope (if not hype) around the vehicle. Take, for instance this report from BBC World Service’s Science in Action. Note the reporter, Dick Oliver’s, very British way of expressing joy. “If the advertising budget is anything to go by, we’ll be seeing quite a lot of these things around,” says Oliver. It just goes to show you that sometime success just can’t be bought.

Along with the DeLorean (which gained fame in the Back to the Future movies), Sir Clive Sinclair’s C5 not only ranks as one of the most spectacular transport failures of 1980s, but it also has the dubious distinction of being named the worst gadget of all time – ahead of Betamax videos and pizza scissors. But what strikes me is that 30 years later the drive to create more personal transport is on the rise. Witness the Lit Motors C1 I got to test drive a couple of weeks ago. The visual similarities are startling. View image of (Jason Cammisa) (Credit: Jason Cammisa) So perhaps Sinclair’s idea of personal transport was just decades before its time. And in order not to repeat the mistakes of the past, what went wrong with it, and what can we learn? Sinclair was known for being at the forefront of British innovation for many years by the time he tried his hand at vehicles. He had invented pocket radios , pocket TVs , electronic watches , and Britain’s biggest-selling home computer . Many millions of pounds worth of development went into the C5.

It had a cutting-edge injection-moulded polypropylene shell (claimed to be the largest in the world), and a chassis designed by Lotus. It had a battery that could provide an 18.7-mile (30 kilometre) range, at up to 15mph (25km/h). Steering was done with handlebars under the rider’s legs as they leaned back. All of which sounds impressive on paper, and then you see the product in action… View image of This video is no longer available The C5 had an almost instant image problem. The press and public saw the C5 less as a new mode of transport, and more as a toy – and an expensive one at that. Yours for only £399 (£1,120), and if you wanted to go uphill, you would have to pedal. But the C5 went from drawing board to prototype without any market research, according to Andrew Marks, who wrote an investigation into the vehicle’s failure for the European Journal of Marketing four years after the C5 was released. Sir Clive believed he could create a market where none had existed before, using changes in legislation that allowed electric pedal vehicles and improving battery technology.

But, as Marks argues, the C5 programme seemed to be dictated by the company’s conviction, rather than by public demand. The C5 was also immediately criticised for its safety, or lack thereof. “I don’t like the ideas of driving it in traffic, frankly,” says Oliver in the report. The driving position was extremely low, making it effectively invisible to other vehicles. It could also be operated by anyone over 14 years old in the UK, without a license or helmet. Famed racing driver Stirling Moss expressed his concerns too. “If people get into it and in any way think that they’re in a car because they’re sitting down, then they’re in trouble.” View image of (Getty Images) (Credit: Getty Images) Media reviews were also harsh about the range – the battery did not live up to expectations – and there was too much exposure to the elements . In retrospect a January launch in London may not have been the most enticing demonstration to carry out. The poor reception meant orders were minimal, and production ceased around eight months later. The Sinclair C5 did have a hi-tech “silicon chip control system” to monitor the battery charge and electric motor temperature, and to tell the driver when to add some pedal assistance.

The trouble is, that turned out to be far too often. Despite almost universal derision, the C5 still has a cult following. Parts are available on online auction sites and there are owners clubs swapping advice . A fully working C5 would set you back around £650 ($1,000) on eBay . The C5’s plastic body panels have weathered the passing of three decades much better than most steel cars. View image of (AFP/Getty Images) (Credit: AFP/Getty Images) In the decades since, battery technology has improved, as have electronic control systems for safety and stability. The appetite for alternatives to petrol-engined cars is growing, with some electric vehicles such as the Tesla Model S , and the Nissan Leaf becoming sales success stories. And cycling is also increasingly popular in cities, some of which have plans to ban cars all together . Perhaps a version of the C5, if it were to be introduced now, would also be a success. If you would like to comment on this, or anything else you have seen on Future, head over to our Facebook or Google+ page, or message us on Twitter .

Sinclair C5 inventor Sir Clive returns with new twist on battery-powered car | Daily Mail Online comments It was meant to herald the next generation of transport when it was unveiled in the 1980s - but instead became the decade's biggest laughing stock. But now in the age of the electric car and battery-powered bicycle, it seems Sir Clive Sinclair's ill-fated electric vehicles could have been years ahead of their time. Now, eager to cash in on the growing trend towards electronic travel, the famous electronics pioneer has unveiled the X-1: a 21st-century twist on his notorious C5 sit-down cycle. Ambitious: The new Sinclair X-1 is a souped-up modernised version of the original seated car This is how it works: Sir Clive Sinclair demonstrates his C5 electric vehicle. Launched in 1985, the C5 had a top speed of just 15 miles per hour Launched in 1985, the C5 had a top speed of just 15 miles per hour. It was intended to transform the way people travelled — but became the subject of ridicule and a commercial disaster, losing about £6million.

Undaunted, 69-year-old Sir Clive has now launched the X-1, similar to a battery-powered bicycle, with a battery that is used to power an electric motor when required. In the style of its predecessor, the X1 has a low seat for its user, who sits with his legs extended in front of him but partly enclosed in an egg-shaped acrylic bubble with a roll cage. But it is unclear how the vehicle, which goes on sale next summer, would be parked or stored. One leading electronics blog last night called the X1 'silly looking', describing it as 'a heavy, underpowered vehicle which will not slip through traffic or cope with potholes and other obstacles as well as a normal cycle.' The original Sinclair C5 was hailed as the future of transport.. but never took off According to Sir Clive's website, deliveries of the X1 are expected next summer. Despite the failure of the C5, Sir Clive Sinclair has enjoyed a successful career as an electronics pioneer. As well as inventing the pocket calculator and the Spectrum computer, Sir Clive was famed fro his colourful private life.

The many women in his life have included Ruth Kensit, a cousin of Patsy Kensit, and actress Sally Farmiloe, from 1980s TV drama Howards Way, who was also linked to Jeffrey Archer. But this year balding Sir Clive, a former Mensa chair with an IQ of 159, married a lap dancer and former Miss England 36 years his junior. Angie Bowness, whom he met in Stringfellows, has now become Lady Sinclair thanks to Sir Clive's life peerage.

Question: What was Clive Sinclair's personal transport vehicle called?
Answer: C5