Electric Izip trike

[roadstar]

My Izip trike PROTOTYPE - uses a unite MY1018J, 250 watt motor at 24 volts from an Izip CB26 also uses the controller and throttle. The drive sprocket on the wheel is an ACS southpaw 16 tooth. It has a 26 inch izip rear wheel and two 20 inch wheels from a BMX - I was going to use 26 inch wheels all round which is why the forks are so high. Problem with that approach is the wheels hit the pedals - but I thought 26 inch all round would be quicker.
The trike is 32 inches wide (includes forks)- wide enough to get through my gate and funnily enough wide enough to pass through the barriers on the cycle ways with maybe a foot clearance.
32 inch width is ok but I think wider would be more stable on corners. Trikes are generally low to the ground but my one is quite high up because I want to be seen.

At 24 volts the trike gets 17 mph which is slightly quicker than the Izip CB26 doner bike (even with the southpaw upgrade). If you overvolt to 36 volts (41 volts on my lithiums) then the trike has gone 24 mph and would have gone faster but I ran out of road and the I only have a rear brake at present.

The trike uses the same motor as my mid drive bike which recorded a speed of 27mph at 36volts. The izip rear wheel configuration was only a stop gap measure to test everything but I've got to say an izip single speed rear wheel drive configuration is as good as my mid drive WITH GEARS. Both configurations are real hill climbers. The trike is still being tested and has not showed it's full potential but if I compare the two using the same motor, my mid drive accelerates slightly quicker than the trike and maybe the top speed is greater. However I've got to say the izip controller and motor and concept is a really outstanding design especially if you want to overvolt to 36 volts.

The other thing which is really great is that driving a trike is totally different to a bike. I suffer from carpul tunnel and a trike puts no pressure on my hands. At low speeds it's like sitting in a chair at higher speed because you are so low down you really feel you are traveling really fast.

this is a prototype and the seat is really uncomforatble and not angled right but a trike is very exciting.

 

[gogo]

Thanks for posting and please update any further progress. Are you soliciting design critique?

 

[roadstar]

Thanks Gogo. Had to look up what you meant by design critique, but yes I am.

I'm currently trying to get everything functioning and then refine the design. Motor drive is working great (which surprised me) but using the pedals is hard work so is not right. Seating position needs looking at as I'm not sure if the best position is laying down or sitting up. The front steering is a 'gocart' design and does not use any bearings but it works - not sure how long for though. I'm going with 20 inch wheels rather than 26ers so the front forks can be cut down. My initial plan was do not go with forks at all and use 14mm axles on BMX wheels which would make the design look cleaner.

Today I'm looking to fit a better seat and also get the front brakes working - they have to brake together. Also need some rack for my batteries as they are tied to the seat and fell off going to work. I'll put in more photos.