Any Such Thing?

[AussieJester]

Every one of your 'goals' is more than achievable EXCEPT the price LoL...

Double it and you can do it eeeeeasily..i did, my trike cost a little over 800 bucks

will do 20-30 kilometers easy does 80km/hr (30-40km/hr for the longest range though) Charges from LVC (low voltage cuttoff) to full charge in a 3-4 hours
This is using the cheapest form of battery tech, with Lifepo4 setup you would triple the range and half the battery weight.

So...how much do you want the total silence, is t worth another 400 billz ...some other
bonuses over ICE (gas motor) if you use anything above 750watt motor you will have faster take off (by alot) over even a 47cc with Shift Kit, higher top speed, cheaper running costs ie cents to charge it, no two stroke oil costs, no engine maintenance, no exhaust fumes (personally i like the smell and sound but alot of electric bicyclers dont) Downside...reduced range opposed to ICE IF you dont have the $$$$ to pay for latest battery tech...Both options are great and both have their good and bad points, obviously if your only able to spend 400 bucks ICE would be the course i would take, buying a 'cheap' electric for that price wouldnt be something i would recommend TBH, you wont be getting a 'great' lecky for that price IMO, would be cheap low budget components....

On a side not regarding the two...One thing i LOVE about this site, we have both electric and ICE enthusiasts here willing to offer their opinions/help and theres no 'bashing' of either, there is alot of respect it seems for the individuals choice unlike some other sites i have had the misfortune to be involved with, BIG kudos to all for that

Best of luck with your build either way buddy

KiM

 

[mikem]

E-Trike

Hey Kim,
Thanks for the input. Unfortunately it's the extra $400 or so that would kill this deal for me. Hoping demand grows and drives the price down to my range before too long. Meanwhile I'll keep dreaming about a hybrid ICE & electric combo trike!

BTW, you built and awesome trike ... great work!

Happy riding over there......

 

[AussieJester]

. Meanwhile I'll keep dreaming about a hybrid ICE & electric combo trike!

BTW, you built and awesome trike ... great work!

Happy riding over there......

I hope the price drops myself buddy dont worry about that LoL Battery prices are ridiculous (the new tech) Same with everything though when its new its dear, look how much a CD burner was 6 or so years ago up near a thousand bucks, today you can get DVD burner with label printing for under 60 bucks...takes time unfortunately...

Nothing wrong with the other alternatives though, lil 49cc motor setup is awesome...

Cheers for the comments on my build also bud

...best of luck with the build & Happy riding to you also

KiM

 

[Member 5549]

Mikem Some of the gas engines are Pretty Quit.

Electric would be cool, but the price and limitations make them not cost effective.
When I want to ride I just grab the starter handle and pull, and I off !!!!
I would not ride if I had to wait for a Battery to charge,,,,

It's all about FREEDOM, Rideing when ever you choose.

IMO

 

[AussieJester]

I dont think there are any 'limitations' with electric if you have the $$$ with money you can have a bicycle capable of 100-200km range on a charge(no peddling)...IMO its just the 'cost effective' point you mention seanhan...Your electric bike is charged while you sleep, when you finished a ride you plug it in walk away, when you wish to ride you unplug it ride if your bike has a range of 100km lets face it, your NOT going to do many 100km back to back jrides are you? so your always going to have enough charge to take a ride 20-30km ride i think... A Range of 30-40km is enough for a bicycle for your average user IMO, after that your butt would be asleep you would be cramped up, maybe thats just me, im knackered after 10km hahaha ... Presently i admit ICE is the most cost effective way to enter into powered bicycling and every bit as fun as an electric IMO. Obviously i lean towards the leckies as its what i have chosen to build and ride, i don't want to sound like i am 'bashing' other alternatives i apologies if it comes across like that or harping about electrics, i just wish to make sure its made clear the good and bad points of BOTH alternatives so new and i guess the older members are aware

KiM

 

[Rhett]

Got to love aussiejester

Man, he sure has a unique way of looking at things but I must agree that that if your expectations exceed your abilities OR vice/ versa then perhaps electric powerd bikes is something you really need to think about. Hey, electric powered vehicles are not new. I think that Jay Leno has an electric powered car that was built over 100 years ago--Its the battery and motor technology that keeps making things interesting. Look at the Prius and Telsa cars as well as the new VOLT car from GM. Those would not even be a blip on the radar were it not for the latest battery and motor technology, those two things alone, especially the battery stuff is whats going to make things happen,, every thing else will fall in behind those two or already exists,, light weight carbon fiber frame work, Hi-teck wheels, regen cababilities, all that stuff and more is fairly well in place,, BUT--The battery technology is a big stone to turn over, but we are getting there. I think if we can solve a few of the problems with Lithium Polymer batterys that they will be a great source of power. I use Lithium poly's in my electric planes and Helicopters, 5-6 years ago I was using Nickle Metal Hydride which are heavier but safer and charge and discharge well at higher 'C' values, and years before that I was using Nickle Cad batteries which you hardly see in the RC hobby any more except in certain applications, but thats the thing, up-grades in that type of technology--take care, Rhett

 

[AussieJester]

Indeed it is all about the batteries when it comes to electrics, the rest of the technology IS there (so is the battery tech for that matter...at a HUGE price) Reminds me...Standford recently put out a press release outlining new battery technology capable of 10 times the charge of the best existing battery technology, What does this mean in 'real world terms' ...lets look at arguably the best electric car to date, the Tesla...it has a range of 250mile, with new battery tech this would blow out to 2500 mile ON A SINGLE CHARGE ....This unfortunately might not be as good as it sounds....

When it comes to electric cars i see a few MAJOR issues that will halt the advancement, the car companies themselves. With an ICE vehicle you have many many more moving parts to wear out, an electric motor has one moving part, with regen braking even the brakes on an electric vehicle could be incorporated into the motor setup doing away altogether with your standardized brakes...ie. rotors/drum setup...this doesn't leave alot for the car manufactures to sell after the initial purchase of the car to maintain it...no oild or fuel required, no new brake pads needed clutches wouldn't wear out as the electric car has no clutch :-| ... no changing of spark plugs, no servicing at all (or VERY limited and long times between) etc etc etc consider the impact his would have ...there will be no need for mechanics in the numbers we see them today, brake service centers would "disappear" after sales service centers would go out of business there simply wouldn't be the need for them in the numbers they exist today as the electric car is all but 'maintenance free' throw a set of tires on it once every year or so and charge him up and forget it....then of course there's the obvious one... OIL and the people that are employed as a result of it...The way our current infrastructure is set up and our dependence on oil it is going to be a loooong hard road ahead for the electric car IMO..So no, i don't see the technology being the main issue sadly it will be the human dependence on oil that will halt the advancement of the electric movement IMHO....I think we shall see ALOT of hybrids hit the roads in coming years, but mainstream full blown electrics i don't see making much of an impact in the near future, if they do, i think they will be "knee capped" so as their full potential can't be used which making owning an ICE car a necessity if you need to travel further distances...

Time will tell i guess, in the meantime the electric bicycle fraternity and the RC hobbyist shall benefit, the RC crowd seem to get their hands on the latest tech before anyone when it comes to electrics LoL

KiM

 

[bamabikeguy]

The problem with batteries appears to be Oil Companies....same thing GM and Standard did in the 1930's when they bought up city streetcar systems and tore out all the tracks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobasys

Cobasys LLC supplies nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries, battery control systems, and packaged solutions for automotive applications, uninterruptable power supplies, telecommunications applications, and distributed power generation.[1] It is a 50-50 joint venture between California-based Chevron Corporation and Michigan-based Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (also called ECD Ovonics, ECD, or Ovonics)[2][3] The intermediary hierarchy of ownership is that Cobasys LLC is owned by Chevron's subsidiary Chevron Technology Ventures LLC, and ECD Ovonics' subsidiary Ovonic Battery Company.

According to SEC filings, ECD Ovonics and Cobasys hold 125 US patents related to NiMH battery technology. 13 of the patents, considered particularly important, are due to expire by 2014

In March, 2007, Cobasys announced that they were exploring strategic alternatives to growth, engaging the services of financial advisors from UBS Investment Bank and Goldman, Sachs & Co.

Criticisms
Main article: Patent encumbrance of large automotive NiMH batteries

Critics claim that large-format NiMH batteries were commercially viable and ready for mass production, but Chevron and other oil-related interests suppressed the technology to forestall the introduction of plug-in hybrids.[40]

In her book, Plug-in Hybrids: The Cars that Will Recharge America, published in February 2007, Sherry Boschert argues that large-format NiMH batteries are commercially viable but that Cobasys refuses to sell or license them to small companies or individuals.Boschert concludes that "it's possible that Cobasys (Chevron) is squelching all access to large NiMH batteries through its control of patent licenses in order to remove a competitor to gasoline. Or it's possible that Cobasys simply wants the market for itself and is waiting for a major automaker to start producing plug-in hybrids or electric vehicles." [41]

In an interview with the Economist, Stan Ovshinsky subscribed to this view. "I think we at ECD we made a mistake of having a joint venture with an oil company, frankly speaking. And I think it’s not a good idea to go into business with somebody whose strategies would put you out of business, rather than building the business.

 

[AussieJester]

The problem with batteries appears to be Oil Companies....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobasys

Couldnt agree more buddy...ALOT of people will lose ALOT of money if oil became redundant in automotive transportation wouldn't they :: wink ::

KiM

 

[Rhett]

Yes your right

About the infrastructure supporting electric or fuel cell vehichles. True 'Plug in Vehicles', where you can drive to work and BACK home and just plug into an outlet is one thing and a wonderful concept but what if you want to visit the kids 500 miles away in Florida? Thats where the problems lay with current technology and the infrastructure aussie was talking about. We have (and for better or worse) become so used to the convenience of the ICE, that to replace it with something totally seperate will e a tough rad to go. Not that we are not trying, but I do not think in my life time which I hope will be another 30 years that we will dig our selves out of our dependence on oil even with the prices and scarcity of oil going up. You know what kind of ticks me off is that in Germany where my wife and I just came from for the past 6-7 years, A gallon of gas costs on average 6-7 dollars US per gallon, yet over there we used the AutoBahn every day where going over a hundred miles per hour in the right 'slow' lane is the norm, that just doesn't make sense to me. Now that we are new to Atlanta, gas is much cheaper, the speeds are much lower but I am seeing alot of new SUVs on the road, because gas has gone down and the dealers are unloading thier SUVS at low prices. That does not make much sense to me either.--Go Figure!!