I've got a plan for a series hybrid, though I've conceded that it isn't the best option. I'm still doing it because I think it's cool. Just using a bigger battery is almost always lighter, cheaper, and more reliable.
Rc plane engines are very light, but are unreliable and expensive. Not viable for much more than a proof of concept.
There aren't many ebikers who want to spend hours in the saddle doing cross country trips. And people that do that stuff with an ICE don't get much from EVs and likely aren't interested.
Ebikes and motorized bikes are similar in that legality is all up to whether or not the local cops care enough to stop you.
When you say a plan; do you mean the plans to build it from, or you plan to build it? Either way; any progress worth noting?
I mostly concede your point about RC plane engines. Though there are better engineered motors that overcome the unreliability.
I don't know if I take your point about long hours in the saddle. I think you may be confusing ability with desire. It's simply not possible for E-bikers to do this, therefore what they desire is untested. If we had long range ebikes (which I'll repeat; we don't because of battery weight) then we would know whether or not people would want this. Personally ... I can envisage a world where heavy bicycles (carrying decent cargo) criss-cross the world in the way that people tour in their cars today. Why not imagine that better future?
Agreed regarding the cops. But for some people, legality matters more than chance. Getting caught with an unregistered motorbike, for instance, which is what people get charged with in my jurisdiction by grumpy cops, would mean a loss of license, which can easily also mean a loss of livelihood. Take a truck driver for instance. Sooo; we're back to square one. How do we make an Ebike a viable alternative for both your short distance trips (let's say from home to the truck depot) and your weekend getaways up mountains with camping gear?
I'm limited to 250w of power output on my ebikes here. But I am not using that all the time. An option I thought of was to have a small diesel motor with a friction fitting that adds 125w to the bike, paired with a 125w electric motor. Use some kind of PID control to turn the electric motor into a generator when no throttle is required, and to drain the battery when more than the baseline throttle is required. Of course, you could potentially have larger motors, with software limits on power output, if that is indeed legal. Ebikes that are sold as road legal here can, with a software change, exceed the legal pedalec speed limit of 25kmph, and similarly cars can be programmed to do things that are illegal, but are still legal to drive on the road.
With the above example, you would have a highly efficient way to deliver power.
Alternatively; you could isolate the ICE from the drivetrain, and build it entirely as a generator, spec'd to the expected watt output required to charge the battery. Either it constantly runs, and charges the battery at the average power usage, or it's over-spec'd and you run the battery flat, then turn on the charger, and so on.
The point is; for let's say less than 10kg (ICE, fuel tank, battery, generator motor) you could get the equivalent range of 40-100kg of batteries AND you could fill up the fuel tank at every petrol station you pass. And your bike would be fully electric for most of your trips.
