arkmundi
10 MW
This is part of the ebike@technocopia.org endeavour to spark a local transportation paradigm shift (see below). One of the participants would like an enclosed, car-like experience. Understandable, we live in wet & often cold New England. Primary transportation for many will mean some protection from the elements.
My own approach was to simply adapt, meaning riding in the worst of elements. Most of my travel needs are for short-distance local errand hoping trips, for groceries and what-not. I merely layer up in trip appropriate clothing. And don't mind getting drenched if it happens. And though not ideal, riding on iced-up roads. I noticed that in the worst of it when the snow plows were unable to keep up, and in hilly Worcester, that I was managing better than most other people. Go figure!
So looking into the question came across Building an Ultra Light-Weight Car Part 1 and Part 2, where the University of South Australia has built the monocoque tub of an ultra lightweight and innovative, three-wheel electric car. Rather than using a steel or aluminium tubular space-frame structure, the strength of the vehicle lies in a monocoque constructed from foldable, aluminium honeycomb/fibreglass sandwich panels... and Adfoam ‘M’ grade modelling type expanded polystyrene blocks cut and then epoxy’d to the fibreglass/aluminium sandwich panels.
The approach, all using simple hand-tools, lends itself to a makerspace and folks doing as much of the work as they can making a light electric vehicle suited to their needs.
At first consideration, I'd be inclined to use Carbon Fiber-Large Parts 3D Printer posted in another thread. In part because Technocopia is in the business of 3D printers. But if there is a way to go from opensource CAD design software to STL file to carbon fiber impregnable mesh to finshed car, that would be really cool and part of the necessary paradigm shift to a new economy.
My own approach was to simply adapt, meaning riding in the worst of elements. Most of my travel needs are for short-distance local errand hoping trips, for groceries and what-not. I merely layer up in trip appropriate clothing. And don't mind getting drenched if it happens. And though not ideal, riding on iced-up roads. I noticed that in the worst of it when the snow plows were unable to keep up, and in hilly Worcester, that I was managing better than most other people. Go figure!
So looking into the question came across Building an Ultra Light-Weight Car Part 1 and Part 2, where the University of South Australia has built the monocoque tub of an ultra lightweight and innovative, three-wheel electric car. Rather than using a steel or aluminium tubular space-frame structure, the strength of the vehicle lies in a monocoque constructed from foldable, aluminium honeycomb/fibreglass sandwich panels... and Adfoam ‘M’ grade modelling type expanded polystyrene blocks cut and then epoxy’d to the fibreglass/aluminium sandwich panels.
The approach, all using simple hand-tools, lends itself to a makerspace and folks doing as much of the work as they can making a light electric vehicle suited to their needs.
At first consideration, I'd be inclined to use Carbon Fiber-Large Parts 3D Printer posted in another thread. In part because Technocopia is in the business of 3D printers. But if there is a way to go from opensource CAD design software to STL file to carbon fiber impregnable mesh to finshed car, that would be really cool and part of the necessary paradigm shift to a new economy.
