Any love for a Tilting Recumbent Trike with eZee & Solar - Advice needed

Hi all,

This is my fist post.

I have been reading these forums for quite some time now. I found this site while looking for information on building a solar assisted e-bike.

I got inspired by the Sun Trip racing event that takes place from France to China:

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At first I was thinking about adding a gear-less hub motor kit to a trike. I imagine it would be a relatively straightforward process for a novice like me. (I have more of a creative mind than an analytical one and I would rather go riding than spend my time studying electrical engineering and break my brain in the process)

I tried anyway but got stuck on figuring out what solar setup I would need and how to connect all the pieces. The components needed I think I understand but as soon as numbers come up like in amps, voltageand wattage, etc I'm lost.

Anyway I found following vehicle:

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And it has an option for a solar panel! It is the only one I found that has it all in a finished package: Recumbent Trike, E-Motor, Solar

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I searched the web and this forum but there is very little feedback around. I will add some of the specs found here: http://ezeebike.com/bikes-and-options/ezee-longabike/

eZee Longabike – Natural Tilting Recumbent Trike
Rear Hub: NuVinci N380 Right wheel, Left wheel eZee Motor
Motor: eZee Brushless Planetary gear motor
Battery: 36V 19Ah – Option 28.0Ah and 34 Ah
Charger: 5A
Controller: 36 – 48V, Max Amps: 25 Amps
Display: Interface and LED display Battery gauge and 5 power assist level selection. Throttle / PAS / Bimodal modes
Range: 40 miles / 70km, Average 10 Wh / km @ 25 kmph
Motor Rating: EU 250W, USA 500W, AU 200W
Option: 260 watts Solar PV roof with controller -charger, stainless steel frame and support

I would like to know what you all think of this package. Is this thing just a toy or would I be able to travel the world with it (taking my time of course)?

Is 27 NM of Torque enough? I live in a very mountainous part of the world with steep slopes.

Would I need a trailer with some extra panels and can I simply connect them? How would I do so and would I have to change the controller for example?

I have read the consensus that solar is not ready yet to power vehicles and it would be better to have a stationary solar setup at home on a roof but please bear with me here.

Oh yeah, we love it. Some will like it, even the trolls, that's just their idea of loving things.

I'd say the first thing is what exactly are you using it for? Commuting, dirtbiking, etc. Or are you LITERALLY wanting to take that trip? Clarity.

You'll get feedback, not all well behaved but some will be good.

In the beginning I would use the bike for the summer holidays but am also thinking I could use it for extensive travels. I would like to travel autonomously full time. Meaning that I wont be using power sockets on my way. I would like to travel 5-6 hours a day without being completely exhausted and then sleep outside using a tent. I have experience in hiking long distances with minimal gear and plan on using this knowledge to keep packed weight at a minimum.

As tempting the thought would be, I am not going to participate in the race from France to China.

I am watching this very inspiring video on the race though. It's in french but the vehicles are awe-inspiring. If only I would have paid more attention in physics class at school

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I owned a E-Bike in the past and loved the assistance given especially climbing steep hills. If I run out of power having the eZee gear-less hub motor would allow me to freewheel.

I am definitely getting the feeling I need a trailer with some extra panels.

I am trying to get an understanding of this specific setup.

- From looking at the numbers, how many kilometres would this vehicle travel on flatland on a full battery charge without the solar-panel?

- And for the comparison, how many kilometres would this vehicle travel on flatland with a full battery charge and the solar panel enabled under full sunshine?

- How many hours would it take to fully charge a completely empty battery using only the solar panel provided while the vehicle is standing still.

- Would the vehicle move at all, using only the solar panel without the battery and no pedal power?

- How would I calculate all this.

Any help is appreciated

Lots of people have been successful in guerilla charging, I do it all the time. I have my spots where I go the majority of the time. Gas stations are almost always good for outlets, convenience stores because they usually have an ice machine or pop vending machine, grocery stores are great too, colder snowy climates have parking lot outlets, transit commuter train stations are good, pilon signs (the rotating signs) usualyl have an outlet available so the repair people have power, community centers/halls, churches.


Newer strip malls tend not to have any but it all depends, McDonalds may have outlets at the back of the building, Canadian Tim Hortons are a bad choice too.

Another choice is to have a removable battery pack so you can take it inside with you, then you have even more choices and you are not limited to outlets that are outside.

Don't forget about Regeneration, in flat area's its not that great, but when you ride where there are hills it can be beneficial. Justin Le-More said that he gained 8% just riding around Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Not sure exactly where he rode, but he mentioned pathways, so perhaps along the river. We are basically in an ancient the river bed. He obviously came in on the Trans Canada Highway, so I dunno. He said too that in the mountains he gained something like 20% back. Something to keep in mind.

For long cross country rides, solar is a good option too. I haven't paid any attention to that way of charging. TBH what first comes to my mind is a small 30cc trimmer motor and a generator which is very polluting. Planning out trips for charging the battery at power outlets is a great method of transportation.

Having the ability to pedal and reserve your battery power when needed, so a geared motor is best for that as there is no drag like the direct drive. There are pro's and con's to each. Geared motor is more moving parts, but lots of reduction for great torque, it is also has a slight noise from the gears. DD is silent, but has drag so its like pedaling with a slightly flat tire when you run out of juice.

More power on one wheel than the other seems like a very bad idea because if the power is high enough, it will give you torque steer.

27nm of torque at the wheel is absolutely not enough for climbing up mountains.
Go play with the ebikes.ca motor simulator to find out how much power you need at what weight, what speed, what grade etc.
https://www.ebikes.ca/tools/simulator.html

Also if you have mountains plus a heavy vehicle, you absolutely want regenerative braking. Let's just rule out a geared hub right now.

Solar? it's very heavy for the power it puts out. It's best used as a trickle charger for slow speed, high distance.

ps, if you want range, a recumbent or semi recumbent is the right tree to bark up. 20%-30% aerodynamic advantage over a situp bike. One with a 20 inch wheel in the back will give you a ~20% increase in continuous power/torque over a 26" wheel.

Throw a fairing on a semi recumbent and you will see some pretty insane ranges, on top of the extra power of a small wheel.

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Working on such a beast myself.. in final form, it should use about 675 watts to do 30mph.. 325w less than an upright bike in a semi-aerodynamically favorable position. And that's before fairings, other aero optimizations, and pedaling power