Batteries should be improving fast now.
The Feds threw a bunch of $ the labs on the cutting edge this week.
Basically a new firepoof battery with ceramic inside to end the exploding cell phone batteries.
Good for the cell/laptop crowd, not to helpful for the e-MB crowd just yet.
I love performance e-Bikes!
Unlike gas engines, Electrics have 100% power instantly.
This one was for a guy up north of me in the mountains and he wanted something quite he could tow a child bike trailer with so he could get his 2 kids to and from Kindergarten each day, then loose the trailer and get some fun time in ;-)
Specialized full suspension bike with a 7-speed and dual disc brakes.
52V 960W LI battery.
e-Cyclone 1600W motor and Sick Bike Parts shift kit BB parts.
Pretty much the same system on the next two, both your pedals and the electric motor power goes through the 7-speed gears to the wheel so you can change gearing on the fly, and that bike could really fly ;-}
The freewheel BB parts means no drag when you pedal with the motor off, and when just using the motor you don't have to pedal along.
And of course you can do both at same time.
Heck, I bought a Fat Tire just for something different and used the same system.
Same as the 'rocket sled' ...
They have great power, a typical stock ~25mph 66cc direct drive can't run with them, and not because of not enough power, a 66cc has more power, it's the type of power, electric motors are 0-100% power instantly, with gears you can leave the 66cc at the line, and using gears get faster than DD 66cc can go before it's even opened up to speed.
Though I believe electric motors are far superior mechanically to gas engines, the rub of course is their required fuel.
Gas is cheap, portable, and readily available.
Stored electrify isn't.
A typical 66cc with a
little 1/2 gallon teardrop tank will get you ~50mi and take 5min to refill.
A
big LI battery like my examples will only get you ~30mi and take 6+hr to refill, but man, what an awesome 30mi ride it is with electric ;-}
I think the next 'big thing' will be what it's always been, how to save and store electricity better.
