E-bike Concepts for a design project (UPDATED!)

[jonpanichella]

Hey guys,

In my industrial design studio we are doing a group project to redesign some e-bikes. I have some sheerly aesthetic concepts for you to review. These were done by 4 different students so there is a reason they do not appear consistent. Pick 3 that you like the looks of the most, and I'd like to hear why you like them and what you would add/change to them.

1A

1B

1C

2A

2B

2C

3A

3B

3C

4

 

[grindz145]

These are really nice designs. I really like the 2nd and 6th models the best. I love that enclosed moped/dutch bike look you came up with.

 

[jonpanichella]

Thanks for your kind words, but I can only take credit for the first 3. And thank you so much for your feedback!

 

[dogman dan]

3 a 3b and 3c are nice. Most of the others have too much chain guard. The chain will come off, and then you will have trouble putting it back on the others. Those three have a practical look to them to me. 3c has a nice look to it to me, but like 2c the battery in front under the seat will be impractical and awkward. There isn't as much room there as it looks on paper, because your feet are on those pedals as they come to the top of the arc, and use more space that you realize till you put some battery there. Ok if it's narrow enough though. But it still leaves room only for a tiny battery. Dogman likes battery big.

I like the look of 1a though, and the chain guard could be made to be openable to lube or put back on the sprocket. As the Designer of the EV Global found, placing the battery along the bottom tube between the headset and the bottom bracket is the ideal place for handling. And you could add another top bar for those who would not ride a sissy looking bike, or want to hang it from a normal bike rack on a car.

1b is good too, but doesn't look bike like enough for me. For some reason I object to the extra fairing under the seat.

1c strikes me as ugly somehow. just looks crude or something.

2a will handle lousy. Battery in the worst place. And again, too departed from normal looking bike.

2b looks kinda cool, but no fenders at all is no good. Same with any of them that lack at least a rear fender.

2c is not bad, but the battery placement won't actually work. It will make the rider have to bowleg too much unless under 4" wide.

 

[torker]

Probably 1b and 3b Also I like some of the original small drafts in the corner better than the final rendering. Like 2a

Really nice drawings.

 

[jonpanichella]

Awesome feedback guys!

We were planning on vacuum forming body covers and fairings, and we were considering something like a living hinge for access to the chain and controllers (we'll be forming with polyprop). Keep em coming!

 

[dogman dan]

I left out panel 4. on that one,

1 has the battery where there is not room for it, like the others with the batt in front of the seat tube.

2 has the battery in the right place, but it will only be enough for Fabian Cancellara to do one breakaway. Like 1 mile range.

3 looks good to me. Greatly resembles an EVG.

 

[spinningmagnets]

Might I suggest that for 20-MPH (or more) it is almost a safety requirement to have front suspension, a front disc-brake, and a thud-buster seat?

Your drive is similar to the "Currie-Drive" and also the improved RC-version made by mud2005 (which I like):

http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=9838&start=30#p159449

 

[jonpanichella]

It actually is a currie system. The project was broken up into different groups, with my group targeting the low end of the spectrum, which is part of the reason we opted away from disc brakes, but it's looking as though we will have a front suspension.

 

[madact]

The sketches above the '2' series have a touch of elegance, as does 3C; 1A is beautiful in it's simplicity and the variations of 4 have a certain utilitarian appeal (if not a great deal of novelty), but the rest I could only describe as 'blocky' (sorry to be harsh, but you did ask for aesthetic comments ). The use of large 'filled' areas contributes to a feel of solidity, but if you're not careful, it can look awkward, too.

As you are industrial design students, I do have to ask the question - what do you have against curves? I might also point out some common features of the curves you do have which don't particularly help the aesthetics:
- With the exception of some small details, all the curves are 'arches' i.e. curve up in the middle, so there's a lack of variety in the selection here
- Most of the curves are both circular and concentric to the wheels, which tends to look clumsy

I'd encourage you guys to try a few sketches with a couple of (non-circular!) curves in them going in different ways (bowed up, down, forward, backward or other directions), and see how you go. A flowing line draws the eye along it, rather than locking it to a single point, while concentric circles draw the attention to their centre, which in most of these is wheel hubs, not the most interesting part of a bike! Try to create some points of interest through the intersection of curves and lines in other places than hubs, seat, handles and BB crank - you can use either actual or extrapolated lines to achieve this - if you sketch in the 'continuation' of curves and lines from your physical elements, you can see where points of visual interest can be created which don't even require any physical 'realization' at the point itself...

Just my 2c :lol:

 

[jonpanichella]

We were all about curves until Apple made them unpopular...

 

[madact]

We were all about curves until Apple made them unpopular...

I know what you mean, but I think it's kind of sad - just because making everything a square-with-rounded-corners-and-a-glossy-highlight happens to be Cupertino chic at the moment doesn't mean the last word in ebike design has to be something that looks like it could be called the 'iPed' :?. Maybe it's a personal bias, but I tend to prefer the aesthetics of things that look good over things that look like they're aping the latest 'hot product'. Of course, if the main criteria of your assessors is "Nice, but does it really capture the essence of OSX?", then by all means, go for it :wink: - in that case, you could take it to an almost-satire level, and make the rear half a rectangle entirely enclosing the rear wheel and and BB, and almost down to the ground, add a small rectangular protrusion at the front to get the headstem, make the forks rectangular blades, slap the seat and handlebars on top, and put curves on all the corners

As an added bonus, you could make the sides out of glass :lol:

 

[mwkeefer]

If you can ditch the Currie in favor of either direct drive or crank based drive... count me in for design #1... the aft motor detracts but otherwise, it's freakin sweet work man!

The rest look (all of them really) too much like Mopeds or the cheap, chinese mid battery type electrics with step through frames or they look too Mopedy (if that's even a word).

Great work on that design though !

Even with a currie drive, it will be cool if built - and you can always UPGRADE to RC power later.

What power source are you intending ?

-Mike

 

[jonpanichella]

Unfortunately, due to cost restrictions, we'll be doing the SLA route. We have a lot of refinement to do and will keep you guys updated. In the meantime, keep the opinions coming. They help more than you guys can imagine.

 

[Salix]

The use of SLA batteries is incorrect. It is like designing a computer using valves. The lithium type battery is the technological advance that makes electric bicycle a truly viable mode of transport. The electric bicycle for where I live, Sydney, Australia, which is quite hilly needs a 1500 Watt motor and I like a range of some 40 Km. or more. I use a 20 Amp Hr 55 V LiFe Po Battery. Its dimensions are only 75 mm wide by 340 mm long and 250 mm high and I incorporate this into a custom designed and fabricated frame. The excellent designs that you have shown are a little too small to incorporate the battery into the central frame area, which is really much better than hanging the battery on the parcel rack over the back wheel. Additionally for a commuter bike I design my frames with a Flat Foot, as per Townie by Electra, as I believe these to be safer and easier to use than a traditional Amsterdam style city bike.
Thank you for your project. I agree with you that a modern electric bicycle deserves to be designed to achieve its own unique characteristics and abilities and not be a modified bicycle.

 

[Salix]

By the way, the lead acid battery, was the first rechargeable battery invented by Glasto Plante in 1859 , some 140 years ago. Get with the times, please.

 

[dogman dan]

It can be done. This isn't for a production run of bikes sold for profit, so the battery chemistry makes no difference. The EVG looked great and stil toted 2 sla batteries. Too short of range won't be a problem, and with lipo, or A123's better batteries could be put into a similar space later if you choose.

 

[jonpanichella]

By the way, the lead acid battery, was the first rechargeable battery invented by Glasto Plante in 1859 , some 140 years ago. Get with the times, please.

I am with the times, considering a large majority of Americans (us included) are feeling financially unstable, sometimes all they can afford is an antiquated battery.

 

[jonpanichella]

Anybody else want to comment? Every little bit helps.

 

[jonpanichella]

Here's a new concept which combines elements of each previous concept. It is shown without a rack/crank/etc, but we are curious to hear input on the form itself.

This is a basic silhouette, the curves will be a bit more refined and there will be some more surfacing work when we move into 3D.

Also, the battery doesn't have a ton of room to be removed, so we were thinking something where you could slide it in from the side and lock it that way. Any suggestions in terms of battery removal?

 

[madact]

That does have a nice look to it - better than the first set, IMHO. Like the way the chainguard & mudguard come together as a block of their own, and the whole thing flows nicely..

That looks like plenty of room for batteries, unless the 'body' is very narrow. Do the batteries have to be quickly changable? I think most 'consumers' and those who just ride to work and back, would charge them in-place (feel free to correct me, guys!) so you may be better off leaving batteries under a screw-down cover of some-sort and looking for a stylish way to incorporate a charger with a short retractable power cord :wink: unless you're thinking of a hire-bike scenario where the bike is returned, battery swapped, and out on the street again in minutes...

 

[jonpanichella]

Thanks! Believe it or not that design is based off the already existing currie low step geometry. I think we wanted to retain the removable battery, but maybe integrate the charger and battery into a cohesive unit that can be removed. I'm going to do some more refinement and hopefully provide you guys with some 3d stuff soon.

 

[veloman]

I like the above design.

If you're project is solely about the physical design of an ebike, then I think using SLA would be okay. Just don't let it be judged on performance, range or weight.

 

[jonpanichella]

Yeah, part of our design criteria was to design an e-bike for the "regular folks". Meaning something economical enough to get people on ebikes in the first place. Thanks for your feedback!

 

[REdiculous]

Charge in place should be #1 if you're stuck w/ SLA....nobody wants to remove and carry 30+ lbs of lead....let it roll. :wink: