Check This Out

[Big Dave]

http://www.enertiabike.com/

[GasSavers_RoadWarrior]

Interesting, but ...

range 35-45 miles...
CO2 reduction, 92% compared to 27.5mpg car with an average commute of 29 miles...

Hum... 2x29>45

Also, you could argue that one of the 50cc mopeds/scooters with 150+mpg capability is in the same ballpark for total CO2 emissions, particularly, if you're gonna want to recharge it in the summer, when they have to bring coal fired and natural gas generating stations online to meet demand due to A/C load.

I'm also a little confused as to motor size/strength, 18HP sounds as big as what a lot of people are using for retrofitted and scratch built small electric cars, with better performance. Battery pack size is a bit confusing too, 3.1KWh??? Most people quote in Amp hours. If P=IV then dividing by the voltage should give us amp hours... which comes out to about 40Ah... same as 10 D-Cell NiMh batteries, or I think about the same as 2 lead acid electric wheelchair batteries.... so why does the battery pack look so big?

Personally I'm thinking one could easily wring the same performance out of a 50cc scooter frame and off the shelf parts.

[DarbyWalters]

I will say that it is at least a step forward ... I think? It is asthetically a good looking package. I just don't get the purpose of building with so short a range then a ~3 hour recharge time.

Seems like a little hybrid scooter would be a better option. The figures they give don't quite jive. I am getting 119mpg with my 50cc and it is not fully broken in yet. Once it is and I start a bit more conservative driving style, who knows...but I will be very happy with a running 90 day average of 110+ and I think I will get it (176 mile range per tank...3 minutes to fill up with about $5.00)

[GasSavers_RoadWarrior]

I just saw the price *shudder* I think it's possible to retrofit brand new CBR125s and make money at $8000 a pop for the same performance. Crap, it should be possible to build a 4 seat electric city car with the same range for that money.

[kamesama980]

Originally Posted by RoadWarrior

I just saw the price *shudder* I think it's possible to retrofit brand new CBR125s and make money at $8000 a pop for the same performance. Crap, it should be possible to build a 4 seat electric city car with the same range for that money.

exactly what I was thinking. 15k is a lot of gas for a modded metro. getting 40 mpg at 3.25/gal that's 185k miles in a car you already own. at 50 mpg, that's 230k miles

compare to a few hundred for a good gas scooter at 110 mpg.....

I do admit it's a step in the right direction. A step though and a little one.

[Lug_Nut]

http://www.vectrix.com/US/index.html

But about $12k !

[GasSavers_RoadWarrior]

That one has near double the range for same approx power and not much more battery capacity. Built more like a more expensive cruising bike by the looks of it too.

[GasSavers_Ryland]

My CB125 also has a simaler top speed, 55mph (60mph if a tuck down), weighs 210lb, and I think I have $400 invested in it in total.
my electric bike is currently running 36V with Lithium batteries, I don't know the range yet, but I'm sure it's over 30 miles, 27mph current top speed, but the motor is designed as a 72v motor, and 72v controllers are available, I think 45+mph top speeds are achievable at that point, of course if I was going that rout I would want something more like a custom made frame, or a moped frame.
on the plus side, their product I'm sure is over built and hopefully sells enough that they make back some of their investment.
A real electric moped would be nice, something simple with good performance and that fallows moped laws so it's available to a wider market.