ebike

Ebike: First 125 Miles

ebike

This is an update to my initial posting last July. It didn’t take long to figure out the lead batteries were not going to cut it for the sort of high performance bike I had in mind. So shortly after I moved I replaced them with a LiFePO4 pack from Yesa. I got this straight from the manufacturer in China at a considerable savings over other similar quality packs from retailers here. I can only speak for my experience.. but the guys at Yesa were top notch to deal with and after more than 6 months putting their batteries to work I’ve had no problems. The Li pack is lighter and I relocated it for better balance on the bike. With a fresh charge on level ground it can sustain 40… but 35 is a normal top speed once you get past the first few miles.If I had it to do over.. I might go with a 72v setup and a motor with more windings. That would allow for lower power draw but still ample speed when you need it. Continue Reading for more technical details..

My first hybrid: an Electric Utility Bike

I’ve always been interested in alternative/distributed energy systems and that includes things related to transportation.  So over the last few months I looked into the current state of things to find out if there is a viable electric vehicle that could be had today.  While there are some very interesting things out there.. nothing is available in NC today or in the near future that is what I’d call reasonable. Some of the more interesting ones are the Vectrix and the Venture One.  The Vectrix is a large electric scooter that has reasonable performance but what I’d call an unreasonable price of about 10k. The Venture One looks like a really fun tandem two seater that will be avliable in all electric or a nice hybrid drive system.  No firm pricing or availiablity on that one yet though.  Many of these new vehicles are being developed in CA and will only be for sale there for a while.. since no dealership or support system is yet in place for them.