Eco-mover - A project from students from the Technical University of Delft

Here is another initiative that may pave the way for more electric scooters on the streets. Arjanna van der Plas sent me a link of a project she is doing together with others students from the Technical University of Delft in Holland. She explains:

A team of six TU Delft students including me is currently developing an electric moped for Eco-movement. We do because we strongly believe that we need to get people out of their cars into a sustainable, noiseless, traffic jam, less way of transportation. The electric scooters that are currently on the market lack quality: they break down often and their batteries fail, making them unreliable. They basically look like conventional scooters, but their performance is way worse. That is why we develop a new high quality, high performance electric vehicle, that does look like a conventional scooter that much, but rather is a new archetype to set a new standard for electric transportation. Furthermore, we are developing a vehicle that is cradle to cradle, which means we pay attention to its sustainability during the whole lifecycle, from supply and production to after use. We do not want to just make it sustainable, but rather make it eco-effective: make it add something to nature. For example, the tires could clean up the streets or the vehicles could be used to gain scientific data while they are driving around. On our website, that I will update very soon, is more information.

Their project website has a growing amount of information about their ideas an is defenetely worth taking a close look at.

Elmoto - A concept electric motorcycle from Germany

Flicker user Triplebull posted his test drive on this new electric bike during this year’s Eurobike. The Elmoto is suppoused to reach 45 km/h and to have an autonomy of 70 km.

Elmoto’s website

Via: Extraenergy.org (by the way, great ressource! - addded to link section)

“The future of the electric car”

Why aren’t we seeing more electric cars out there? despite the many answers for this question, the problem relies mainly on 2 facts: The low range of batteries compared to gas and the lack of a network of charging stations to backup a revolution in the transportation means of our planet. One company is set to change the game and provide a system that can make electric cars (and mopeds =)) as popular as mobile phones. This is what last month’s Wired Magazine and the story written by Daniel Roth tells us.

The Story is about the plans of Shai Agassi, former Head of Product at SAP, now founder of Better Place, and his plans to set up network of charging stations to power the future of human transportation.

Better Place’s strategy is a “mashup of the automotive and mobile phone industries”. Their plan is to provide the batteries to all electric cars, along with a network of smart charge posts. Drivers would be able to plugin anywhere, anytime, and to subscribe to different plans: unlimited miles, a specific maximum of miles each month or “pay on the go”. Just like the phone industry, costumers would be able to by the car from the operator and maybe even get the car for free, “the profit would be made by selling electricity-The minutes.”

Shai Agassi an his team have come up with an operating system, that recognizes the user as he comes to a charging station, buys electricity from the local electricity grid and that when the user has no time charge up his battery, he can swap for a new battery, without extra cost-The operator would own the battery.

Now, let’s hope that Agassi’s plan come to really as it moves forward. He has already got Israel and Denmark to test his vision on the near future.

We wish all the success to Better Place and hope to be part of this revolution. Our e.mopeds are not ready but are most definetly looking forward for this.

His challenge is now,

Zero Electric Motorcycle

Featuring an end speed of almost 100 km/h, the Zero electric motorcycle looks like a fun machine for the mountains. Weighting 63 Kg and with 23 hourse power, the Zero hast enought torque to go up steep hills and hit some jumps on the MX track. Price tag: 7,450 USD

At the companie’s website you can check some nice videos of it in action.

Wired News

7 Best Electric Scooters according to Threehugger

Hey People, some nice information from our mates at threehugger: Check it out

Do you know some more?

E-Solex from France

E-solex is a french electric bike I came across the internet, all tough I am not a fan of its design aesthetic, I do think it has some clever solutions like the removable battery and its cover…The concept of taking the battery with you to charge it at home or at the office is in my opinion a MUST HAVE.What do you think?

There is a great story about e-solex at Autoblog Green

Link to video 01

Link to a nice video of it in DailyMotion

Link to Esolex website

Yamaha superbike converted to electric

Meet the Lightning Lithium, an electric superbike converted from a 1999 Yamaha R1 Superbike. Built by Richard Hatfield, a motorcycle enthusiast and solar panel importer based in Burlingame, and Todd Kollin, from Electric Motorsport.

They used 28 LiFePO4 batteries which weight 6.6 pounds each. The conversion cost 15,000 dollars and can be seen in detail in this video.

Some tech specs to boost our knowledge are:

Lightning Motors’ 1999 Yamaha R1 electric conversion

Price: $15,000
Powertrain: AC regenerative motor powered by lithium iron phosphate batteries, 550-amp system, one speed
Battery Spec: 28 Batteries of 90 amp-hours at 3.2 volts and 6.6 pounds each.
Maximum torque: 80 pound-feet
Maximum rpm: 8,000
Potential horsepower: 70
Estimated range: 80 miles at 65 mph
Dry weight: About 400 pounds
Charge time: Seven hours with on-board charger that plugs into a standard outlet

Sources: Threehugger and LA Times online

Two electric bikes that need some design flare

I just found two interesting projects of modifications on bikes to go electric. Although rough models, there is nothing a good design around it won’t do. Check their websites to know more about them.

The first one is the Ebike project from Jim Rudholm and George Horiuchi

And the second one is the electric bike from Eric Peltzer

electro scoot

http://www.electroscoot.com/scoot.html

Electroscoot which looks like jumped out of an comic book.

Designed by Gro Design.

If we like to design a emoped we have to think

about where the energy comes from.

maybe solarfoils are a possibility. (laminated in the frame?)

http://auto.pege.org/2005-solarexpo/flexible-photovoltaik.htm

http://www.metro-mam.de/servlet/PB/show/1028810/PR_Photovoltaik2.jpg

Quantya electric motorcycle - Sweet

This is the electric bike from Quantya, a swiss company that started building electric motorcycles two years ago.

This picture of Rito (Salomon Snowboards) shot at the ISPO Munich fair earlier this year. I also got to ride and I have to say, it’s Awesome! It accelerates like a rocket. The bike won the ISPO Brand New Award, which is given to company startups in the field of sports.

A video from myself riding the bike is still by Christian’s (we Did it) camera.

Max Speed: 40 mph Battery life: 2 hours Recharge time: 2hours Weight: Aprox. 80kilos Price Tag: 8500 Euros.