Craig Vetter eCycle and Fuel Mileage Challenge July 22 Ohio

[bigmoose]

Craig Vetter eBike and Fuel Mileage Challenge July 22 at Mid Ohio.

This is the first year there is an electric motorcycle class!

http://www.craigvetter.com/pages/2011-% ... -VFEC.html

Electric Bikes
For the first time at Vintage Days, see how electric machines perform on the road, driven as we actually ride.

Few people expect any electric motorcycle to be able to go 110 miles at 65 mph through the hilly countryside of Ohio. But how far can they go?

We want to know.

At the Vetter Challenge, we will find out. The electric bike that goes the farthest wins! (As long as it can carry the bag of groceries!)

A bit more info on past events:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/craig-ve ... dium=email

[liveforphysics]

Hmm... Luke looks at stack of 9kw-hrs of lipo.... this doesn't seem like it would be that tough, and it would be fun to win in something with no aero efforts made.

I can hold race pace for 7 laps of Laguna Seca on 2kwhr. That's about 115watt-hrs per mile.

Looks like with a bit more Lipo I could go win that challenge.


Damn! Its the same weekend as motoGP and TTXGP at Laguna Seca, which I'm allready in. Dang!

[JennyB]

I wonder will these guys be ready?

[Jozzer]

Need to box Cedric up and send him out with his velo'motorbike, he's been doing over 150 miles on a charge for years..

[Nuts&Volts]

I'll hopefully be there with an 8 to 9 kWh pack, single agni, and alltrax 7245. Its all in a 89 katana frame, so i have some aero with the fairings, but its a heavy beast. Even if I dont compete I'll do my best to take pictures

I also have a kelly with regen. It may be worth it to swap out the controller and get the added 5% or so from regen...hmm

[bigmoose]

Jenny, good link! Guess Craig thinks about grocery getting. So Luke and Nuts&Volts, to win you guys have to carry 4 bags of groceries!

Raats for me, departure is 9am Friday the 22nd of July, and I'm driving back that day from an east coast business trip... There is no way I can be back in Ohio by 9am.... double Raaats. I would have met you for lunch or the "snacks" on the trip Nuts&Volts.

[Nuts&Volts]

That's too bad bigmoose. I know about the grocery thing. I have room in my tank area where my charger would normally go, but i need to measure to see what I can fit there. The real problem is that the groceries have to be covered so I most likely would have to build a new tank cover and a new tail cover to hold everything. I still might, but i think i am just going to enjoy the ride and see how far i can make it. It would be cool to win, but 4 bags of groceries is a lot, I prefer a 9c ebike and a single backpack with 25lbs of groceries. Makes the back strong!

[bigmoose]

Can you cover the bags with a small cargo net and bungies? I haven't read Craigs rules in detail... My hope is the week long meeting might end by early afternoon Thursday, and I can make it for Friday... but won't know that until July 21st!

[Evoforce]

what about a bike trailer is that legal?

[bigmoose]

eMail Craig and ask. He is very approachable.

[Nuts&Volts]

Very good day of riding for the electric bikes. The gas bikes did well too, the mpg winner was at ~156mpg on an nx250 with a big front bubble fairing.

Anyways 3 electric bikes showed up and raced. Current Motors (http://www.pluginamerica.org/vehicles/c ... es-scooter) co-founder brought one of their rides. I brought my electric katana (110 EIG cells, agni 95R, & Alltrax 7245) and Kraig Schultz (http://www.schultzengineering.us/) brought his delta-11. As electrics we made the decision to ride at the 55mph pace for only the first 36miles and then recharge and turn around. All three of us accomplished this without slowing anyone down. Well the Current Motors had some powerloss because the motor overheated some, they are working on things to improve this. The awesome thing is that the rest of their software and everything works flawlessly, i was highly impressed.

We travelled on 55mph roads and rode at about the speed. I stayed tucked behind my small windscreen the whole time to minimize losses. According to my CA I averaged 48mph over those 37 miles and peaked at 62mph downhill. I used 3.066kWh over 35 miles (reset the CA 2 miles in) and got 88.1 wh/mile. I think i pulled 180A max out of my 100Ah pack. We stopped and cahrged, but I only got 5Ah back into my pack. On the way pack we took a slower pace at an average of 30.1mph and I was able to get 75.5wh/mile or 2.5 kWh over ~35 miles (still tucked). Overall I used about 70Ah out of 100Ah and my cells are still sitting at 80.1V (3.64V/cell on EIG cells). It felt great to get some great performance numbers.

Next year I will be traveling the whole 100miles and having the best mpg (well MPGe). I can probably do 90wh/mile so i need about 1.6kWh or ~20Ah more at 90%DOD to do 100 miles. Planning on getting a narrower chassis and some sort front dustbin. Screw the groceries! haha

[markcycle]

Great report thanks
how hot was it we hit 103 today in NY

[ptd]

ok luke, they did mention that they didn't think an emoto couldn't even FINISH the race. the guantlets been thrown down, sic'em. but just imagine what you COULD do with aero. you wouldn't have to lug around 9kw of lipo (what, 150 lbs or so?). as it is, at 115 wh/mi, and 110 mi, you're looking at consuming 12.65 kw, at 10 cents a kw, and $4/gallon for gas, you're looking at about 350 mpge (with aero, who knows, 1000?). let'em stick THAT in their pipes and smoke it. (with their 80. 90. and 100 mpg)

[Nuts&Volts]

Mark, it was about 95 when we made the ride, and super humid. Kraig seems to love the motor and only had great things to say about it!

Yea my bike is fully faired with 1989 body thou but it is not aero at all. My 8kWh pack ways 125lbs mounted, whole bike is about 430lbs. I can save about 40 to 60lbs with a more modern frame. Add aero and if needed add battery. Most likely will add extra batteries to make absolutely sure I beat the ICE guys next year.

[bigmoose]

Nice thread on one of the bikes that rode with Nuts&Volts in the Craig Vetter Challenge. Our own N&V is in the last picture I believe.

http://www.schultzengineering.us/delta-11.htm

BTW, N&V I think it was said you used NCM/NMC cells? Can you share the vendor?

[Nuts&Volts]

Moose, I have 110 20Ah EIG cells that make up my main pack. These are used cells that a El Moto member sold to me. I believe Jay64 on here also sourced some of these cells. The LiCo are a 20s2p pack of 20C turnigy cells that I use on my ebike normally. I didnt even use this pack on the rode, but it would have gotten me about 6 more miles if i needed it.

For reference I believe I achieved 1.12 cents/mile (at ohio electrical rates) versus 2.2 cents/mile (at $3.5/gallon) of the winning gas bike.

[bigmoose]

Thanks N&V! I was not able to break free early, and didn't get back into Ohio until about 3pm Friday afternoon... way too late to see the mileage run. Nice bike you designed and built. Sorry I missed seeing it.

[sk8norcal]

results,

http://www.craigvetter.com/pages/2011-% ... sults.html