Portable Drive Kit for Tricycle?

[KCvale]

I am looking for drive kit for a tricycle. My budget for the kit is $350.
I would need to be able to remove it and carry it with me while doing shopping. I live in an area that is completely flat. I weigh 165 pounds. The maximum weight of any cargo would be 40 pounds.
I would like to be able to go 15 mph. I would need a range of at least 15 miles.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks,
Joe

Well, an electric kit like this will fit your specs using a trailer...

The 'water bottle' battery has a keylock to easily remove it from it's frame mount and take it with you.
The kit is ~$350 from http://SickBikeParts.com and those battery's (and charger) are ~$350 as well.

They are not that 'friendly' to install without the right tools however, but on that 3-speed Rover a joy to ride.

If you want a trike the trick is to put the battery where it is extremely hard to get to and a keylock for power...
My trikes like this did what you want, and the battery was in a case under the basket.

And for trike builds like this, well, besides a power keylock it always has people around it, if some schmuck tried to steel it on pedal power I'd know in a hurry and he wouldn't get very far...

Just some options I have personally tried, hope it helps.

 

[Frankenstein]

Well, an electric kit like this will fit your specs using a trailer...

The 'water bottle' battery has a keylock to easily remove it from it's frame mount and take it with you.
The kit is ~$350 from http://SickBikeParts.com and those battery's (and charger) are ~$350 as well.

They are not that 'friendly' to install without the right tools however, but on that 3-speed Rover a joy to ride.

If you want a trike the trick is to put the battery where it is extremely hard to get to and a keylock for power...
My trikes like this did what you want, and the battery was in a case under the basket.

And for trike builds like this, well, besides a power keylock it always has people around it, if some schmuck tried to steel it on pedal power I'd know in a hurry and he wouldn't get very far...

Just some options I have personally tried, hope it helps.

Hey! That first one looks like a great idea for my wife, is that price for the battery and the motor and all the required components?

 

[KCvale]

Figure ~$900 including the Macargi Rover 3-speed bike.
That one above was part of a His and Hers build, this is Hers...

No room for the battery in the frame, but a rack worked just dandy and the same battery with a keylock.
You can see the keylock at the very back to remove the battery from the rack.

It's been well over a year and they are still riding ;-}

 

[Frankenstein]

Figure ~$900 including the Macargi Rover 3-speed bike.
That one above was part of a His and Hers build, this is Hers...

No room for the battery in the frame, but a rack worked just dandy and the same battery with a keylock.
You can see the keylock at the very back to remove the battery from the rack.

It's been well over a year and they are still riding ;-}

As far as reliable goes, how is the electric system? Gas motors obviously tend to throw raw power into the drivetrain, how does electric compare? Is it more like a normal person would ride it, and so, with normal maintenance procedures, one would expect less problems like chains exploding or gears being stripped off like it was going out of style.

I hate maintaining my own bike let alone 2 bikes, toss in a 23 year old truck (just recently blew a radiator hose and lost all my coolant, luckily caught the problem early and it was 50 bucks and a few hours to repair) and a 10 month old baby and the game gets old quick.

So yeah... How's it compare?

 

[KCvale]

As far as reliable goes, how is the electric system? Gas motors obviously tend to throw raw power into the drivetrain, how does electric compare?
Is it more like a normal person would ride it, and so, with normal maintenance procedures, one would expect less problems like chains exploding or gears being stripped off like it was going out of style.

Correct.
All single piston gas engines create 'pulsed' power, electrics create' uninterrupted' power, which is easier on the drive train.
Just maintain it like a normal pedal bike.

I hate maintaining my own bike let alone 2 bikes...
So yeah... How's it compare?

I'll take a powerful shifting Ebike over anything else for my needs.
Hop on, flip a switch, and I'm on my way with no effort every time.
I can park it anywhere inside or even lay it down, or flip in over.
They have their advantages over gas ;-}

 

[myway_1]

I coudd see that working but to be honest if you u-bolt the front hub motor to the frame and it is just a trip into the store for groceries and if you lock up the bike (with another u-bolt) in front of the store I think that is enough and you don't have to take in the entire wheel with you. But, if you were inclined to do that than this is the best option to do something like that. Also, did you read my post about cost. I know you had a 350 limit and with electric it is going to be substantially beyond that. it is 200 for the kit and 400-500 for the battery. a lipo battery is relatively light weight at ~10 - 15 lbs so there should be no problem carrying that in the shopping cart.

I would not be able to afford a Lipo battery. Would have to go with a SLA even if it meant less range.