http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1030338647
here's a link to an electric scooter on E-bay....
I don't buy the hype-- it sounds too good to be true---
I keep my moped (when I have one) in a cellar that has a ramp--- If this bike were all that it promises, I'd have a 50 mph scooter that would never need fuel.
Cmon, pull my other leg.
I'm at home now, so here's a photo of it. Like I said, I doubt it'd do 50.
Well I know they have some electric sportscars that can do a fair turn of speed - main problem with electricity as the motive power isn't power, it tends to me either endurance or refueling (since it takes a while to charge, and you can't exactly swap out batteries on the go)
Wayne,
It is probably true. Up to 50 mile range most likely means, level ground, low speed, no wind etc.
Before you consider fuel to be free, calculate the electricity to charge it, and the replacement cost of the batteries after the max number of charge cycles. Divide that by miles ridden then compare to a ped.
Try a search for Mo-Rad on the web.
Ron
There are a few electric scooters and if you look at alternative fuel web sights much, you can see afew conversions of mopeds and a lot of parts from the defunct Electric Warrior. The problems with electric scooters and such can also be the effect of cold on the batteries. They will not hold as much of a charge in the cold. Depending on the efficiency of the charging system, you might be able to save a lot on fuel until you have to replace the batteries (as previousely noted).
The bennifit is not so much in fuel efficiency but in the eco, save the earth type of stuff. The idea is that there is no emisions from electric power. Electric motors also have a greater efficiency curve as compaired to gasoline motors. The motor will be a little lighter but the batteries will certainly make up for the differance. With an electric motor, you also have a slightly differant rating for power. People try to create a hp rating for electric motors but it really doesn't work quite the same. A 2hp rated electric motor may be able to put out as much as 3hp for a while. This can potentially cause excess heat in the controller but most controllers are used in such away that they are everated for the power that will go through them. ie 120 amp controller when an 80amp is the rate needed. The technology for the controllers are also the driving force in the advancement of electric motors for propultion. Instead of using a rheostat, they generally use a type of mosfit controller that gives varying pulses of electricity to the motor. Before the motor completes the cycle of the rotation, the controller has pulsed the power a certain number of times. (Its a little more complicated than that actually but no real need to go into the controller technology). Instead of having a throttle, you have a potentiometer (like the volume control on a radio).
Anyway, the batteries have and will be for a while the downfall of electric scooters and automobiles until the batteries get even better and cheaper or until fuel cell technology gets better. You can actually use the hydrogen in a fuel cell to create electricity to drive an electric motor. With this type of conversion, the only emission is water!!
If you consider buying the scooter, take care of the batteries and keep up with the number of charges used for fuel efficiency. I am sure that you will find that the old internal combustion engine is still the way to save on money. One day though, we will be talking about electrical parts and not carbs and exhausts and stuff.
Jamie
Jamie,
In terms of pollution, keep in mind that you could be transfering the polution from burning gasoline locally, to the polution from a coal burning power plant someplace else.
Ron
Or even a Nuke-u-lar plant--- I was told that every Nuke plant needs a supporting coal fired plant to provide the power to start up and to purify, mine and refine the uranium...
By the time you dig up the uranium, enrich it, and convert into usable fuel, you've consumed a disproportionate amount of power....
Kind of like sawing off your own leg in order to have something to cook for dinner.
I know, I think that a bigger problem might be the disposal or recycling of the batteries. They are hell on the environment.
The whole thing about the power and coal is true to some extent. The differance is in the efficiency of the producing source (excluding nuclear, thats a whole can of worms in itself BTW, I live about 20 miles from one that is over 30 years old. Built in the 70's. It is still running most of the time even though they are not supposed to be used more than 20 or 25 years max)
When you produce energy, at least in theory, the production is at optimum efficiency so that the cost for production is at the peak per kilowatt hr.
I would be more inclined to go with something like an electric scooter if I had an air 403 (personal windmill) or about 10 solar panels. Then you could really say you were helping the environment. The truth is that conservation is a better source than solar right now.
Jamie
Someone mentioned Fuel Cells--- That's some hot technology... I still don't quite get how they work, and I like that kind of stuff.
revolutions in fuel cell technology are going to change a lot. Someone posted about a sweet new hydrogen powered mountain bike awhile ago.
When you talk about nuclear power and other sources, you have to wonder why there isn't as much emphysis on solar and more importantly wind power. With the advent of hydrogen powered electricity, you can effectively store hydrogen by running a hydrogen powered generator backwards (extremely windy days) and make electricity on others (not so windy days) There is more potential power from the wind than any other source be it nuclear or coal and its free (Basically geothermal power from the changes on the earth)
Less than 10% of our power is green power. We are to some extent helping our country and future generations by not consuming as much fuel (MOPEDS) 100mpg, less natural resources to produce and unless really tampered with, not too bad on emissions. Think about how much extra gas would be around if only 10% of the transpertation was on a moped or something like it.
for just 100,000 cars getting 25mpg at a distance of 1000 miles
equals 4,000,000 gallons of gas, now figure that at 100mpg
equals 1,000,000
a differance of 3,000,000 gallons
now, think about if that was a national example. Thats a lot of gas
Those Saudi's would be a screaming!!!
Jamie
it has a air box and kick starter
Say what?
No,Wayne,the only thing a Nu-cle-ar power plant needs to start up is enriched uranium fuel rods or pellets and a reliable source of back-up power from ANOTHER nuclear power plant.When they start up a coal or oil powered generating plant they need the same thing.You people on this forum in Michigan might be SURPRISED how much power your state reaps from Nuclear plants.I'm pretty sure it's above 50% of your supply.I don't know about Maine,Wayne.Hey,that rhymes!
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