Solar powered Reverse Trike

SOLAR POWERED REVERSE TRIKE
Designed and built in just 18 days at the University of Engineering and Technology Lahore in Pakistan,  7 x 3.5 x 4.5 ft (2.13 x 1.06 x 1.37 meter), 132 pound (60 kg) low-rider features a custom built, t-shaped aluminum framework at the front of the vehicle, and the back part of an old bicycle frame at the rear, joined just behind the seating area to shock absorbers. The reverse three-wheeler - with two wheels at the front and one at the rear - also has a 40 watt photovoltaic canopy above the rider that charges the onboard 12v/80Ah dry cell solar battery.

An eco-friendly vehicle that uses solar energy as its source of input. A solar panel is used to charge the battery and the battery drives the dc motor.
Its a vehicle that uses reverse trike configuration, i-e two front wheels and a single wheel on the rear side. Steering is done with the help of front wheels. It also consists of a solar panel, Battery and a dc motor.

COMPONENTS:

Chassis
Solar Panel
Motor
Battery
Steering Mechanism
Chain and sprocket mechanism
Charging circuit

CONFIGURATION:

Length: 7ft
Width: 3.5ft
Height: 4.5ft
Weight: aprox~ 60kg
Motor: 24Volts DC, 17Amp
Battery: 12Volts, 80AH
Materials: Aluminum, Steel and Cast Iron

Material Quantity Cost (Rupees)
Aluminum Sections
(2’’ x 1’’) 12ft length
2 ...................................................2500
Aluminum Plates 2 .......................500
Steering Parts (hinges) 2 ...........150
Solar Panel 1 .............................12000
DC Motor 1 .................................7500
Battery 1 .....................................8000
Tire set 3 ....................................2400
Brake set 1 ................................100
Iron Plates 7’’ x 4’’ 2 .................300
Iron Plate 3’’ x 3’’ 2 ......................150
U shaped Iron Sections 4 ..........500
Aluminum Sections for Solar Panel length 6.5ft 2 .............600
Sprockets 2 .....................500
Handle 1 ..................100
Seat 1 .......................550
Cycle Chain 1 ..........................400
Chassis Rear Section 1 .....................1000
Nuts bolts washers and miscellaneous - ............2120
Labor Cost - ....................................7300
TOTAL COST - 46670/- Rupees (APPROX ~550 USD)

 

Please vote for my Instructable (you can see the image for "VOTE NOW!" on the top left of this page)

Step 1: 3D Design of the Vehicle

First of all i made the 3D design of the vehicle in Solid Edge v20. Below are the picture of the vehicle.
This was a vital step in fabrication of the vehicle. So without considering any other thing i made the 3D Model of the Vehicle to give a proper look!....

Comments

[wasimsohail]

Nice Work farrukh, Pakistan needs Man like you. With 40 Watt Solar panel, 80Ah battery achieving 30mph and covering 70km seems awesome. Keep it up.
I want to be your fan, what's your fb ID.

[viasths]

Why don't you buy a donkey instead????

[devratana]

great job dude.......
but i want to ask some questions :-
1. It is possible to run a 24v dc motor with a 12v battery?
2. How much torque is produced by ur motor and at what rpm?
3. weight of your vehicle?

[grambo5301]

Does anybody have any ideas for the motor?

[gavindusl]

Hi. where i can find this charger controller circuit ?

[gavindusl]

Dear friend where i can locate the circuit diagram or where i can but the PCB ??

[amitgupta001]

Hi Farrukh,

1. If we want to use the same technology and use it as rickshaw / cart to carry construction material, or vegetables, or waste material, how much weight it can carry with present battery.

2. Suppose if we want to carry material of 250-300kg as solar powered rickshaw.

3. Incase during winter or rainy days, when no solar energy, can we charge the battery through electricity (as as back-up charge). Some solar water heaters come up with both option, solar charge & water can be heated through electric connection also.

Regards,
Amit

[ritik23]

ossum project..
excellent...kep it up..:)
hey can you please send me solar panel specifications
to my email [e-mail]

[ritik23]

hey can you plz tell the solar panel specs
to my email [e-mail]

[peluso]

Excellent project, very simple and relatively easy to build, I congratulate you, the world needs people like you.

[lhillyard]

Wow very impressive. i work at a machine shop and i want to build something like this. I didnt see any details on your controller though. care to enlighten me?

[farrukh khan]

thanks you so much .... well i just bought it from the local electronic store... its called "Charge Regulator or controller" also called "Cut-off circuit" well it consists of a relay and resistors and IC (dont know the specs) but its purpose is to cutt-off the supply from the Solar panel when batteries are fully charged in my case utt-off voltage was 13.9 Volts

[upevnz]

IC may be 8 PIN DIP 555 Timer IC.

[SafeArmsReview]

Very cool! Congrats! I am looking to make a trike that uses a scooter motor. Keep up the good work. Steve

[lokhande]

Very Good Farukh, i like your idea Good Luck.

[Jbeaubrun]

Why did you use a 12V battery for a 24V motor?

[akumar62]

Hi farrukh,
It was a pleasure to know about the project. Actually i was working on the same lines for some months. Now can you please tell me in detail how did you decide the pv pannel specifications n the battery. please mail the calculations to my email id
[e-mail]
Regards
Ashish

[farrukh khan]

thank you so much for the interest Ashish... but i have already provided enough information ... by which anyone can make there own vehicle like this... i can't give you more details and calculations as they are confidential...! Hope you understand.... thanks anyways

[jdsojopgjfg]

Hi farrukh,
It was a pleasure to know about the project. Actually i was working on the same lines for some months. Now can you please tell me in detail how did you decide the pv pannel specifications n the battery. please mail the calculations to my email id
[e-mail]
Regards
Pranav

[firepup104]

Hello
Great job, but how do you stop it

[j.h.patel05]

i did not found any content or discription about motor so please will you tell me its detail.

[dorybob]

Cool build and congratulations on winning the Green Challenge.

[farrukh khan]

thank you so much dorybob! I'm still surprised!

[j.h.patel05]

hi. i want to know that by once fully charged batery how much km it can run. and please tell me whole full discription of motor. motor'shp ,voltage , ampere, type of motor. and you made awesome vehicle.

[farrukh khan]

hi, thank yo so much ...
the info you need is written in Step 10.
However, it can go upto 70 km in single charge
motor is 24V DC, 17amps, makes it half HP
Cheers,
-Farrukh

[vanadium chrome]

DOES IT HAVE A SPEEDOMETER OR ELSE HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT IT TRAVELS AT A SPEED OF 30 MILES PER HOUR?

[farrukh khan]

ok firstly i would like to ask you where are you from?... secondly its 30kmph not mph.... and lastly no it does not have a speed-o-meter, yet we can measure its speed!... HOW?.... well we had motor bikes which traveled along with the vehicle .... and they had speedometer!... hope you understand the rest .... cheers

[Phoghat]

You tell him ! God, some people....

[RogerBays]

Hi. Great to see such a practical vehicle. What are all the battery and motor details?

[farrukh khan]

thank you so much!... well i have mention the details in the above steps however.. batter is 12V 80AH and the motor is 24V 17amps DC

[tsulehri]

what is the size of solar plates and how much electricity generates.

[farrukh khan]

well the size of the panel is 49" x 25" ... and by "How much" if you mean how many watts it generates then ... the panel generates ~40watt electricity

[aapurim]

. . . Performance might be improved by aerodynamic streamlining (a fairing to make the vehicle teardrop-shaped, with a frontal vent to keep the passenger cool) and by having a central pivot mounting for the solar panel, with a rod or string to adjust its tilt towards the sun whichever side it's on. 
. . . For better solar-power conversion, see developments in NanoSolar technology from CalTech University ...
http://nanopatentsandinnovations.blogspot.com/2010/02/caltech-researchers-create-highly_18.html
http://vikingmservices.blogspot.com/2009/05/nanosolars-thin-film-solar-power.html

[iffee]

well done Farrukh sahib.

1. I am interested in Solar Panel specifications and also exact source from where it can be purchased..

2. Charge controller seems from Electronik 2000 Hall Road Lahore.
What is its kit #

3. Is there any provision to get vehicle driven with pedal power in emergency?

[farrukh khan]

thankyou so much!..

1. well the panel i used was given to me by my university however it was a 48V DC 40Watt PV, Amorphous silicion panel.

2. yea its from electrinic 2000, but i dont remember its kit # but you can take from them by calling it "12V Cut-off cuicuit"

3. Not at the moment but by doing some mechanical changes it can be driven using pedals!
P.S. Cant talk in udru warna urdu main hi likhta! =D
regards
farrukh

[gmitchell6]

Dude, seriously that rocks! How much more effort to make it faster?

[farrukh khan]

thanks ... well not much... all i have to do is to use a speed controller and a Gearing mechanism (which i was gonna use but unfortunately wasn't able to do coz of short time period)

[kheath2]

SO you have a 12V battery. Assuming the battery is fully charged when you set off, how much is the range improved by adding the solar panel?

How long would the solar panel take to charge the battery fully?

[amorarun]

Nice work n you got my vote :)

[farrukh khan]

Thanks you so much =)