ebike that acts/looks like a car

[Blueshift]

Hi all,

I am looking for something that has the comfort of a car (enclosed) yet is classified as an ebike 20mph tops. Velomobiles sit too low and i am willing to sacrifice aerodynamics for a more upright vehicle. The twike is nearly perfect but it is way too expensive and not classified as a ebike under U.S. law. The elf seems to be out of its initial production stage and probably will not be making any in the near future. The elf would be ok but i would prefer a fully enclosed vehicle.

any suggestions?

 

[Samd]

Do you have to keep both bike and rider dry, or just the rider?

if it's the latter a rain cape may suffice?
https://www.bicyclenetwork.com.au/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=24346

 

[Dauntless]

My first suggestion is to look long and hard at an electric footboard scooter that's maybe 300 watts. THIS is what California law is trying to tell you to get around on if you don't want to register.

If you settle for paying $15+tax one time, you can go 30mph and have a seat. As long as you have 3 wheels or less, pedal, are all around not very big, well, you'll have pulled it off.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/commuting/2011/04/portlands_ecospeed_will_power.html

http://www.prlog.org/10489190-electric-bike-car-solo-and-v2.html

 

[Geebee]

A cab-bike with electric assist would make a superb well sorted car/bike. http://bluevelo.com/bluevelo_-_Cab-Bike.html
The Tripod is mega fugly but already electric. http://columbiacycleworks.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=1

 

[neptronix]

I know what you're looking for and unfortunately it's going to be very very hard to find :/ i've been looking myself..

 

[Jason27]

Blueshift what you are asking for is a lot of traffic tickets. Riding the elf or something similar that looks like a car but only goes 20 MPH is going to get the attention of police. Especially if your backing up traffic by going slow.

Its either car or bike my friend.

 

[Chalo]

Hi all,

I am looking for something that has the comfort of a car (enclosed) yet is classified as an ebike 20mph tops. Velomobiles sit too low and i am willing to sacrifice aerodynamics for a more upright vehicle. The twike is nearly perfect but it is way too expensive and not classified as a ebike under U.S. law. The elf seems to be out of its initial production stage and probably will not be making any in the near future. The elf would be ok but i would prefer a fully enclosed vehicle.

any suggestions?

If what you want is an NEV, get an NEV. It's easy, and you won't get hassled by cops, or piss off cyclists, in the process.

No version of a car is a bicycle. Don't push the issue to the breaking point; that just makes things harder for everyone.

 

[ddk]

I built what you seem to be looking for.
The body framework was fabricated by a local fab shop. It's clad with polycarbonate with a coroplast roof.
The undercarriage is not enclosed. Neither is the rear. (important anti-wind features)
The body cost about $800 including the lighting.
I started with a trike that was equipped with turn signals and a reasonable lighting package.
I added an additional front geared-hub motor to supplement the not-so-reliable mid-drive motor the trike came equipped with.
Mounted in a 16" wheel, the front hub motor climbs any local grade by itself but is speed limited to 15mph with the 60V battery I'm using
-total cost was ~ 3.6K$.
If you think 3.6k is high, you haven't priced NEVs

It keeps me completely dry in the hardest rains and is not bothered by high cross-winds.
I consider it a very successful design, even with the cranky POS motor the trike comes with.
The trike garners LOTS of attention... none of it negative.
It's only 1.5" wider than the original trike at exactly 30"
it is a BICYCLE by any usa standards. I've been passed by the local and state police with -0- undue attention.
-except gawking-

detailed somewhat in this thread

I

 

[ddk]

oh yeah

[youtube]2zvmIUjkUxg[/youtube]
a local bloke builds UN-powered tadpole trikes with bodies made from fiberglass siding material
-pretty cheap actually...

 

[rojitor]

Superb project ddk, i never use my bike under the rain (pretty often) but i wouldn't think twice if i had something half as good as yours.

 

[rscamp]

Yes. Nice to see home projects like this.

Here's a commercial one I like. Quite car-like for a velo. http://oceancycle.co.uk/gallery

 

[ddk]

Superb project ddk, i never use my bike under the rain (pretty often) but i wouldn't think twice if i had something half as good as yours.

LOL- I live in the Pacific Northwest coast of the USA.
We get about 2.5 meters of rain each year.

 

[John in CR]

As far as cabin bikes and trikes go I guess it's nice to not have any wind, but that's about the only reason I can think of to live where there's no wind. Add in 2.5 meters of rain per year and it's good habitat for ducks not people.

 

[Chalo]

Superb project ddk, i never use my bike under the rain (pretty often) but i wouldn't think twice if i had something half as good as yours.

LOL- I live in the Pacific Northwest coast of the USA.
We get about 2.5 meters of rain each year.

It's gentle rain too, as I recall from my time in Seattle (which only gets one meter of rain spread out over 200 days a year).

A good solid Central Texas thunderstorm would blow your trike on its side, and then the water running down the street would carry it away.

[youtube]u4zMlQ_KLVI[/youtube]
[youtube]cNZEubyY1uo[/youtube]

 

[Dauntless]

it is a BICYCLE by any usa standards. I've been passed by the local and state police with -0- undue attention.
-except gawking-
I

That's the kind of strange I I go looking for.

http://www.thetrivette.com/

http://www.vigillante.com/

 

[The fingers]

An electric Trivette would be fun. 8)

 

[ddk]

Superb project ddk, i never use my bike under the rain (pretty often) but i wouldn't think twice if i had something half as good as yours.

LOL- I live in the Pacific Northwest coast of the USA.
We get about 2.5 meters of rain each year.

It's gentle rain too, as I recall from my time in Seattle (which only gets one meter of rain spread out over 200 days a year).

A good solid Central Texas thunderstorm would blow your trike on its side, and then the water running down the street would carry it away.

I lived in Nebraska for 35 years. I been around tornadoes etc.
I expected nicer storms here
but
...as you may have heard, the weather in the world has gotten a bit crazy recently.
We got 9" in one hour this last season, along with several 4" per hour downpours.
...And I live on the coast.
There's a bridge I have to cross that's completely exposed to the wind blowing off the ocean.
I've had 70-100mph side winds slam into me while riding this trike.
The body shakes a bit, (the roof a lot, because of internal updrafts by design) but the handling remains as firm as it ever feels -which actually isn't saying much, since this trike handled like crap even before I installed the body :lol:

Beings I'm visible to the world, people can see me pedaling the trike. Hence no concerns about not being recognized for it being a tricycle

 

[Dauntless]