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Is this the transportation of tomorrow?

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ShawnLG

Tue Dec 12 2006, 11:06PM

Registered Member #286 Joined: Mon Mar 06 2006, 04:52AM
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Liam

Wed Dec 13 2006, 12:46AM

Registered Member #113 Joined: Fri Feb 10 2006, 01:40AM
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Wow - it's an electric bike!!!

Tesladownunder

Wed Dec 13 2006, 02:03PM

Registered Member #10 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 09:45AM
Location: Bunbury, Australia
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In Australia the limit is 200W for electric bikes without a license.
I would rather have a high energy flywheel system which you spin up as you go or with regenerative braking but giving you real (silent) zoom off at the lights. Don't think they make such things yet though.

Peter

ShawnLG

Wed Dec 13 2006, 03:20PM

Registered Member #286 Joined: Mon Mar 06 2006, 04:52AM
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"In Australia the limit is 200W for electric bikes without a license." That stinks. The US allows up to 750W and the maximun speed of 20mph without a license.

This guy is going 47mph and zooms pass other nonelectric bikers! I just hope that a deer would never jump out in front of him.

This would be a real solution to peak oil, but I dont think our wimpy govenment would ever push for it because it is too dangerous.

Steve Conner

Wed Dec 13 2006, 10:16PM

Registered Member #30 Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 10:52AM
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 6706

Bah, the same wimpy government that allows people to buy the 193mph Hayabusa has a problem with people strapping electric motors to their pedal bikes? It's a funny world.

I've been a keen cyclist for years, and it always seems the roads have got a lot more dangerous since I was a kid. Or maybe it was that learning to drive a car changed the way I saw roads and made me more careful on a bike. I used to have a friend who commuted by motorbike, and he always said that pedal bikes were more dangerous, because a motorbike can go faster and isn't constantly being passed. There's nothing more dumb than a cyclist who squeezes right to the front of a big queue of traffic waiting at lights on busy city streets, and then when the lights go green. all the cars have to squeeze right by him again. So maybe putting an electric motor on a bike would actually make it safer.

TDU: I wouldn't scoff at 200 watts, it's like having a second person pedalling, and could make all the difference on a long ride. I know another guy who has an electric motor on his bike, I think it's less than 200w, but he still seems to love it. I think he commutes about 20 miles a day, I only do about 7

PS: With your knowledge of electronics you should easily be able to make a motor for your bike with a 4 quadrant drive that allows regenerative braking. That's equivalent to your flywheel thing. Regen is easy with permanent magnet DC motors.

AndrewM

Thu Dec 14 2006, 04:59AM

Registered Member #49 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:05AM
Location: Bigass Pile of Penguins
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Dear A.P.P.L.E.,

Subject: Recipe for a Movie That People Might Actually Watch

1) Say what you need to in 5 minutes or less.
2) Fire Janet Reno as your spokewoman... think... Carmen Electra.

That is all.

Steve Conner

Thu Dec 14 2006, 11:20AM

Registered Member #30 Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 10:52AM
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 6706

Why not just

3) Replace the wussy electric bike with a Harley

and be done with it then

Seriously, I believe the problem is that there's a lot more to transportation than just getting from A to B. People choose their transport based on a bunch of psychological stuff, the classic example being that a lot of guys like to drive fast (or at least fast-looking) cars and motorbikes because it makes them feel more manly, or something. The odds of someone like that driving an electric scooter are about the same as Sir Lancelot riding into battle on a donkey, and for very broadly the same psychological reasons.

Probably the greatest leap forward on this front was when people started building electric cars for performance. We now have cool stuff like the T-Zero and the Tesla Roadster. But I don't know if they will ever sound or smell good enough for real petrolheads who just have to donut their way to the office in a Dodge Viper every day. Maybe alternative fuels like biodiesel, bioethanol or hydrogen (in those metal hydride fuel bed thingies) will keep them happy though.

P.S. I canned that video after about 2 minutes and went to watch another one of some guys racing electric scooters round a BMX track.

ShawnLG

Thu Dec 14 2006, 05:25PM

Registered Member #286 Joined: Mon Mar 06 2006, 04:52AM
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I see your point Steve. Most people would not buy a small low power vehical when there is a higher performance is available. A lot of people like to drive SUVs in the US to satisfy their safty and ego, but that changed when the gas price was topping over $3.00. Hibrids and other sub compact cars were in high demand during that time. Its really the consumer who drives the transportation industry, thanks Steve.

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