While I’m waiting for my last stepper motor, I’ve been pondering my electric motorcycle build. While eyeballing batteries, I ran across a really impressive human/electric recumbent bike project. [Bob Dold] built this for his M.S.M.E. Thesis project. The frame was built from bonded aluminum. The flat parts were cut via waterjet service, and the rest were machined by the college’s machine shop. The 1000w motor (and controller) came from a Schwinn X1000 electric scooter. Looks like a four link suspension (plus steering and shock linkages). Interestingly, he’s using some USB data loggers for voltage and current(with a shunt) and combining it with GPS data to track real world performance.
9 thoughts on “Human Electric Trike Project”
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With an average range of 20 miles it dosen’t really seem worth it. I drive on an average of 30 miles to work so unless I found an outside outlet on the building I couldn’t pull it off. But on the same note I would love to build one and use it around town.
I couldn’t find out how much the trike weighs. Does anyone know? I noticed the use of aluminum, but were other weight saving methods sought or used? Great project!!!!!!!!!!
Some years (maybe 10 or so) ago I had the chance to ride a thing like this. It was made out of wheel chair parts, a gearbox from a motor cycle, truck batteries and as motor a starter from a diesel locomotive was used. It had very nice acceleration. I don’t know the range it had, but I’m sure range was not the first thing the designer had in mind.
It is lacking any details so you can build your own.
so here everyone goes.
http://www.ihpva.org/com/PracticalInnovations/
actual plans and instructions to build on (not electric, you can add that easily on your own) instead of only looking at pictures.
if a “hack” does not have detailed plans and instructions, it’s not a hack, but a simple “lookie what I did, give me some props!”.
farthead, if you want easy to follow step-by-step instructions then go to http://www.instructables.com. it doesn’t say anywhere that everything featured on hackaday has to involve instructions on how to build your own, and i’m guessing that someone with access to the design software, machine shop and mech. eng. expertise required to build one of these would probably rather take some inspiration from the design and design their own than follow a set of plans to the letter.
I love the design of this trike but it seems a little overengineered to reach mass market or amateur bike builders- apart from the thunderbolt linked above does anyone know of a simpler design that could be easily converted to electric/human power?
i think ‘
“proof of concept ” works here.
In our cite i have see something like this “car”. Boys from my garden construct car from whatever they could find. It use benzin to go.
New Motor Technology–Coreless Motor/ Ironless Motor For Trike
On a first glance, it is an interesting project. Impressive!