Charleston residents may soon have another option for downtown transportation at their fingertips - and it runs on three wheels.
A Pittsburgh-based startup called Autopods is creating a whole new meaning to the word "pedicab," traditionally seen as a human-powered cart that transports riders through pedaling.
Justin Gaull, vice president of economic development for Charleston Area Alliance, said the group has been in talks with Autopods' founders to bring them to Charleston.
The brainchild of Carnegie Mellon graduates Tanuj Apte and Deepak Vidhani, both of Dubai, Autopods have a few key differences to set the service apart from conventional pedicabs.
The three-wheeled "micro-taxi" is battery-assisted, giving drivers an extra boost as they pedal through urban areas. The charged battery runs up to 80 miles and, per federal regulations, the vehicle's top speed is 20 mph, Apte said.
The pods are designed for short rides of two miles or less; a bright green fiberglass shell covers passengers and the driver from the elements.
"No one is using unique-looking vehicles to attract attention like us," Apte said.
But it's the startup's business model that really sets it apart from other pedicabs. Its main revenue driver isn't the fares, but the advertising. Apte said there's a "huge potential for hyper-local advertising in current transportation systems."
For roughly $4,000 a month, a city's Chamber of Commerce or another like-minded group can lease a single cab, then sell the advertising space on its exterior and on an iPad that faces backseat passengers to the myriad businesses it works to promote.
In Pittsburgh, local business organizations that leased Autopods netted around $1,200 in revenue per month, Apte said.
In fact, the cost of fare is almost negligible. The startup's contract sets a flat rate for all rides under two miles, charging $5 a ride on weekdays and free rides on weekends.
Autopods' drivers, who are trained by its employees, lease the cabs for $25 a day, keeping fares and tips. On weekends, the company pays drivers $10 per hour to compensate for the free fare.
"If we make these rides super cheap and even free, we're giving people a real incentive to check out alternative transportation," Apte said.
In a city of Pittsburgh's size, the founders divided its neighborhoods into segments, a method that's proven successful. But now, Apte said, they want to see how Autopods manage in a city considerably smaller than Pittsburgh, both in terms of population and area.
"We're still in the phase of figuring out what kind of city and population is best for the company," Apte said. "The goal is to get some experience managing the satellite city from Pittsburgh."
While Charleston Area Alliance has been in talks with the company, it won't necessarily handle the work of leasing out the Autopods.
"We'll do whatever we can to help facilitate connections for them and help them find some marketing partners," Gaull said.
The alliance learned about Autopods through a grant program with the Benedum Foundation, Gaull said, which helps it find new companies and technologies to bring to Charleston.
Because they're classified as electric bicycles and not motor vehicles, Autopods drivers aren't required to have a driver's license to operate.
In West Virginia, there are no laws on the books that specify electric bicycles, Apte said, so it defaults to federal standards, which "we completely comply with."
West Virginia state code defines a motor vehicle as "every vehicle which is self-propelled and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires, but not operated upon rails, except motorized wheelchairs."
While it costs about $3,500 to ship one assembled cab to the U.S. From Guangdong, China, Autopods' team must still make modifications to perfect the cabs under federal regulations once the cabs arrive in Pittsburgh.
Through the power of advertising dollars, Apte said it takes less than two months for a cab to pay for itself.
"Our main goal is to connect businesses to people who live right around here, which forms their native customer base," Apte said.
Gaull said Tuesday that members from the Area Alliance will visit Pittsburgh this month to learn more about Autopods and their potential in Charleston. Apte said he hopes to bring Autocabs to Charleston by the end of March.
Reach Elaina Sauber at elaina.sauber@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-3051 or follow @ElainaSauber on Twitter.