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Electric vehicles and hybrids become more and more practical and attainable every day. As batteries and electric motor technologies improve we are sure to see more and better offerings. In true instructables fashion there are some great examples of what people are doing now right within our community. Whether you are interested in an electric motorcycle, an electric assisted bicycle or maybe a stationary bike to generate power, you'll find it here.
Check out some of these projects you can make or find inspiration for something new!
Check out some of these projects you can make or find inspiration for something new!
And can this be made so that it does weigh 200 tonnes(figuratively speaking)??
IF, this can be done, it sounds like it would be one way to spend all week riding your bike without having to plug the batteries in.....but it would have to be built by someone smarter than I.
It would be a way to charge when your out in the middle of nowhere with a dead battery though.
I never realized that solar panels were THAT inefficient.
TY for enlightening me Sir.
Hmmmm....back to the drawing board.... :)
TY for sharing. I bid you peace.
I had not thought of that.... :-)
what can I do for you?? :)
The problem is it's highly inefficient. A chain drive cycle system delivers 98% of the rider's power to the back wheels, incredibly efficient given its relative simplicity. However, overall an electric motor is typically only 80% efficient and an electric alternator 60% efficient. This gives a combined efficiency of 60% x 80% or 48%. In other words, it would be twice as hard to move an alternator/electric motor combo as it would be to move an equivalent cycle. Plus, it would be a lot heavier, which adds to the inefficiency. Higher efficiencies of the electric system could be obtained, but it's a long way to go to achieve anything rivaling a chain drive and higher efficiencies are usually a result of narrowing down the operating parameters of the motor/alternator. It wouldn't even make sense to use the dynamo to charge batteries as this would lower the efficiency even more.
Hence, the most efficient method for an electric bike is a chain drive from pedals to the wheels with additional electric drive via batteries/motor.
Anyway, as the Dark Lord, shouldn't you be riding a dragon or a ghostly wraith stallion, black preferred?
refs:
Cycle efficiency http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_performance:
Motor efficiency: http://newenergyandfuel.com/http:/newenergyandfuel/com/2009/04/06/japanese-researchers-breakthrough-96-electric-motor-efficiency/
Alternators: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternator
Yea, recharges the battery when the rider pedals.
Again, The people of France are really nice, respectful, & accomadating. it's just that they have a lousy gov't.
I think a lot of people want to get out of their gas eating cars and go to a simpler form of travel not just to save money but to get back into a closer relationship with their surroundings.
Being able to smell a whiff of sweetness when moving by a flower garden, feeling the morning sunrise or the light mist of dew in the air. Most of us get way to little "green time"now.
And way to few of us are willing to use elbow grease to build our ideas into reality, my self included. What a loss to the world and to our communities.
So forget not sweating going to work, nanny state is seeing to it.
If you want to pedal that's fine... and healthy if you can do it. However please remember that some people like to go fast... I still find it slightly ironic that nearly everyone has a 3000lb fossil fuel/dinosaur blood eating monster of a car but very few have a nice roadbike.
Lets convince people that electric and pedal power are the way of the future ;)
They can fill the role of a car, giving that extra boost when you want/need it.
Sure some folks are hardened athletes but others are middle-aged moms who want enjoy riding a bit further and haul heavy loads without hurting their knees and without relying on a friggin` car.
Too bad most ready-made electric bike are crappy. A good retrofit kit on a good bike could really turn it up to 11 though.
You make a great point.
As I'm reading the comments I'm saddened by all the self-centered unthinking and insults. There are many people who want to do what they can physically and environmentally- an electric bicycle can be very helpful to seniors, people with knee or hip problems and other physically challenged individuals. They/we can get some exercize by pedaling but switch to the motor when we tire or if the pain gets intense. Plus the added benefit of helping environmentally by using a bike to do errands instead of a car can be quite satisfying.
Plus- there are many of us who may have a physical disability or older and live on subsistence income so can't afford cars.
there is a level of pride in being able to be independent and not have to rely on someone for the smallest thing.
I recently gave up my car and came to Instructibles searching for trailer ideas- the electric option sounds great having knees that are a might creaky these days.