Times they are a changin

electric bike = Yawn

650ed wrote:

sparkn wrote:
"It is much cheaper and lower on the carbon footprint to get the energy from a wall socket than a fuel tank."

Nothing could be further from the truth. You need to do some research instead of simply parroting politically correct propaganda. I hate to burst you bubble, but the energy does not come from "a wall socket." Think big picture; think of what it takes to get the power to the battery and what on the other side of that receptacle – no dear, contrary to what you’ve been told, it’s not magic. Consider production of the equipment to mine and transport the coal, the actual mining of the coal, coal transportation, coal burning generator plant infrastructure, power grid infrastructure, and maintenance of all of the above. Then there’s the pollution related to the burning of the coal (Can you say acid rain? I thought you could.) Then of course there’s the loss of the energy you seek to put into your battery as it passes through various forms (heat, rotational force, electrical power, transformation to lower voltages, finally to battery then back to rotational at motor and Lord knows how many other transformations in between. Then of course there’s the fact that energy is lost as electricity travels through power lines (energy in is more than energy out). Bottom line is the closer the energy source is to the energy use the lower the energy loss. Then what do you do with the billions of batteries as they expire? (oh I know, recycle them – more magic that takes zero energy to do, right?)

If that’s all too complicated for you to ponder, consider the following: If the millions of folks in a given urban area come home after work and turn on their PC’s, TV’s, lights, ovens, air conditioners, and other appliances AND all plug in their millions of electric vehicles the power grid will go kaput. So you build an even bigger power grid, do more coal mining (which anyone can see is just dandy for the environment) burn 10 times as much coal, etc, etc.

I’m not suggesting that there are not be ways to make vehicles more energy efficient and reduce overall energy consumption; there most certainly are. But electric vehicles are for linear thinkers who cannot fathom the bigger picture. Now somebody please help me off this soapbox.

What's with the condescending attitude?

Can't find much technical details on it. It looks like it has a radiator, so the motor or batteries are liquid cooled?

If I could get an electric vehicle that had really good range, and a heater, I'd probably drive one. The motor is basically one moving part. Some designs need no transmission, just a differential. The batteries may be costly, but overall maintenance should be simple and cheap (once all of the bugs are ironed out after years of production). Most of the maintenance should be electrical, I'm assuming.

I would love to never have to deal with oil changes, radiator fluid, fuel filters, air filters, rusty exhaust leaks... all a headache. I don't care about performance if it's just the daily driver to get to work.

We've had three major fuel-related disasters this year harming water. None were coal-spills. At least with coal, we know where the damage is.

If you want one just buy a Zero.

I am patiently waiting for the Nissan Leaf to come out in canada, should be early 2012. They are saying it has a range of over 100 miles. Most people don't go anywhere near that for daily commuting. The cool thing about the performance is that it has over 200 foot pounds of torque, and those are available right from a standstill, no waiting till the engine revs up. Here where I live, in the winter we have to start out car while we scrape windows off and get the windows clean and the car warmed up before we go...with the Leaf you can use your iPhone and turn your heater on (or the A/C) before you go to work without leaving the house. The car isn't running of course, so there is no idling and pollution while you heat up the car.

speaking of coal....who has that stuff???...maybe we can say they are hiding W.M.D's and go tear the place a new one.....

i got to walk next to some of the entries elec bikes the afternoon before ...most of em really...they had their own little pit lane...really just a few parking spots .....most were weirdo mad scientist looking ben and jerry types...with very old bikes and tons of added weight and things snaking and winding and taped on everywhere...not cutting edge magazine cover elec bikes...some looked like they had been being morphed along for a dozen or so years...i asked one old hippie guy with his paunch hanging out of his xxxl half zipped 1990's bates....if these things were fun......his answer was that some must be ,but his was behind the times and had too much weight and issues.....the battery in his was the size of a suitcase.......he and the bike looked tired.....

i watched him the next morning during that foggy race start from the back of the pack(no pit crew for the grateful dead) and quickly drop farther behind...a good bicyclist could have taken him for the first 30 ft.....he avoided being lapped for about three laps...the CYZ bike won...all shiny...he had a pit crew.....

it was about as exciting as a WNBA pre season game....

it was awesome!!!!

It's true that current superbikes are averaging somewhere north of 130 and the motocyzsz bike is only at 96 but considering that last year the fastest bike was in the 70's thats a huge increase in just one year. Compared to IC bikes thats a difference of the early 1950's to the 1970's. in other words electric bikes did in one year what IC bikes did in 20. Plus there is no reciprocating parts and no transmission. The new stuff that some of the really advanced guys are doing is really cool. I think that a high performance version of an electric bike would be fun to ride. I'll never give up my KZ's of course. Still, like tri did, I'd love to go to one of these races.

9am53 wrote:

I am patiently waiting for the Nissan Leaf to come out in canada, should be early 2012. They are saying it has a range of over 100 miles. Most people don't go anywhere near that for daily commuting. The cool thing about the performance is that it has over 200 foot pounds of torque, and those are available right from a standstill, no waiting till the engine revs up. Here where I live, in the winter we have to start out car while we scrape windows off and get the windows clean and the car warmed up before we go...with the Leaf you can use your iPhone and turn your heater on (or the A/C) before you go to work without leaving the house. The car isn't running of course, so there is no idling and pollution while you heat up the car.

I really like the Leaf, and I'm a Nissan fan in general.

I remember when the electric car was basically a joke. Funny how it was the cellphone that made the electric car viable. When cellphones came out, everyone hated them too. So many of my friends who swore they would never get, now only have a cell phone and no land line.

One thing needs to be kept in mind about horsepower and electric motors. Yes, their horsepower rating is low compared to IC engine. But an industrial motor is rated for continuous use. Try to run an IC motor at it's peak horsepower for years on end.

yeah but when guys started wearing earings again this century in north America ,there were tons who rushed to get one or two,,,,,tribal tatoos ,line around the block in the 90's,,,ohhhhomg your so unique....

not all things catch on ,and even though some folks rush to get in on the wave ,does not mean they are happy later that they got one.....


are we talking about electric motorcycles or electric cars..be cause they ARE different items altogether..

cycle......for the street.....naaaah.....

car...leaf...you bet.....

the current elec bike has a flashing dash light saying"bike is on" or something like that.....
can you imagine your buddy chit chatting and reaching over to blip the throttle while some poor fool is straddling the thing....

Kidkawie wrote:

If you want one just buy a Zero.

I'm too cheap. I'd rather cobble one together myself.

trianglelaguna wrote:

yeah but when guys started wearing earings again this century in north America ,there were tons who rushed to get one or two,,,,,tribal tatoos ,line around the block in the 90's,,,ewww your so unique....

not all things catch on ,and even though some folks rush to get in on the wave ,does not mean they are happy later that they got one.....


are we talking about electric motorcycles or electric cars..be cause they ARE different items altogether..

cycle......for the street.....naaaah.....

car...leaf...you bet.....

the current elec bike has a flashing dash light saying"bike is on" or something like that.....
can you imagine your buddy chit chatting and reaching over to blip the throttle while some poor fool is straddling the thing....

Very true.
Car versus bike, I have more uses for an electric car than a bike. But the bikes are cheaper to get into, and more people (or companies) tinkering still go a long way toward learning how to make the batteries lighter/more efficient etc. That will benefit both cars and bikes.

I'm happy with my KZ's as far as actually riding around for fun.

BTW, you have to spell eww, with two W's or it turns into a link...