SOLAR E-Trikes in Philippines-PHOTOS/VIDEO/Fan Cooled Motors

[Kent]

Asian Development Bank providing $300M towards replacing 100K gasoline trikes with E-Trikes in the Philippines
11 December 2012 from Green Car Congress

http://youtu.be/yLiBgL2tmBg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHTG9DeZZ4c&feature=share&list=PLB429F5E68720A860



The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing $300 million towards a project that will replace 100,000 gasoline-burning tricycles in the Philippines with electric tricycles, or E-Trikes.

About 3.5 million gas-fueled motorcycles and tricycles are currently operating in the Philippines, typically serving as short-distance taxis, with the average tricycle driver earning less than $10 a day. E-Trike drivers will save upwards of $5 a day in fuel costs, and the new E-Trikes have the capacity to carry more passengers. E-Trike drivers saw their daily incomes more than double during a pilot program in Metro Manila.

The new E-Trikes, which run on an electric motor and rechargeable lithium-ion battery, will be introduced to Metro Manila and other urban centers across the Philippines under a lease-to-own arrangement. Replacing 100,000 gasoline-powered trikes will enable the Philippine government to save more than $100 million a year in avoided fuel imports, while decreasing annual CO2 emissions by about 260,000 tons.

In line with the government’s plan to develop a national e-vehicle industry, the project will support the establishment of an e-vehicle parts industry, battery supply chain, and charging stations, including five off-grid solar charging stations.


Without intervention, the Philippines is on a course to almost quadruple CO2 emissions in less than 25 years, the ADB said. Based on an ADB study, gasoline-fueled tricycles are responsible for more than two-thirds of all air pollution generated by the country’s entire transport sector.

In addition to its $300 million loan, ADB is also administering another $105 million loan and grant from the Clean Technology Fund for other Philippine environmental-focused projects. The Government of the Philippines is providing $99 million counterpart funding for the project. The project will run for five years, with an estimated completion date of December 2017.
View attachment 3
My comment: Once again, the Third World leads the way...

Puerto Princesa to Field 40 Electric Tricycles as Taxi Fleet

By BERNIE CAHILES-MAGKILAT
September 20, 2010, 9:07pm

Puerto Princesa City, Palawan has recently ordered the first batch of 40 electric tricycles (eTrikes) to serve as taxis to and from the Puerto Princesa City International Airport. The eTrikes will be supplied by local assembler Green Tech EcoCenter (GTE) in partnership with PhUV Inc., the business arm of the Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturers Association of the Phils. (MVPMAP).

“Since the eTrikes will be locally assembled using a fiberglass body that is also locally made, this project not only helps clean the air in Puerto Princesa but also provides local employment and marginal businesses for local enterprises,’ said Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn after inspecting GTE’s prototype of the eTrike, the first ever assembled in Puerto Princesa.

Hagedorn said his long-term vision is to actually replace all 4,000 gasoline-powered tricycles in Puerto Princesa City with eTrikes as part of his Clean Air Project aimed at preserving the blue skies and fresh air in the city.

“Aside from helping protect our environment, this project will also transfer electric tricycle technology to our locals and enhance the skills of our local tinsmiths, welders, auto painters, auto mechanics, auto electricians, upholsterers, trimmers, assemblers and fiberglass makers,’ he said.

Diana Limjoco, GTE president, says that what GTE will make commercially available is the 4th generation of GTE’s eTrike or the ET4.

“This will be a full electric vehicle running solely on pure battery power. It will be powered by a 5 kw electric motor that can more than cope with large loads of luggage and six passengers comfortably seated, without straining the motor. This electric motor is of a more advanced technology as it is equipped with an internal cooling fan,” she said. [/size][/b]“The development of the eTrike has been fast-tracked as we are fortunate enough to have as our partner PhUV Inc., the assembler of the electric Jeepneys in Manila. They supplied us with some of the parts we needed and technology they themselves have acquired in their three-year experience in locally assembling and servicing eJeepneys. We believe that this partnership will produce an eTrike that will soon be a mini taxi, not only in Puerto Princesa but throughout the Philippines as well,” she said.

Also:

 

[Kent]

A couple more-apparently they invited public participation with mock-ups. Here are a couple that were considered:

 

[leffex]

Its very nice they start this out and the government behind is cool.

When do they get this to Bacolod ? Hehe gotta love this e-bike n stuff. Avg income is 300 so not for everyday people and as you say 3k is expensive. They can get a new small car for that money.

When I visit I will tell my wifes cousins about this and maybe start a business but who knows. :lol:

 

[Kent]

There was no mention of costs of production in the original article. The comments attached were from readers-one threw out $3k as a guess.

With Indian/Chinese ICE rickshaws going for around a grand, I don't see how they can be over $2k to produce. The market is immense and they can certainly get economy of scale.

I would love to see them being imported for the US market. But all the safety/crash test stuff would flag them. Maybe add a secondary chain/pedal system so they can be called bikes.

They are ideal for large cities in benign climes. Here in the US, cities on the west coast and the south could be perfect. Even New York and Boston in the summer months.

But Atlanta? Not being able to lock yourself in with the open sides, people would be afraid of being mugged!

 

[Kent]

I found this recent video. Note their plans for solar charging!

I just came back from a trip to NYC which included a couple of cab rides. One taxi was a Prius. But the whole time I was thinking how transforming this solution would be. Noise, congestion, pollution....

Comments?

 

[Sancho's Horse]

Pretty interesting trikes, all that fiberglass looks heavy though. 3k seems pretty reasonable.

I worry that the margins on a pedicab business would be pretty tight, and you would definitely need some regular dedicated types of routes to base a business on. I have a very good situation in my town, because there are two major areas less than a mile apart where all the college students go to drink, there is an area where most students live which is on the edge of walking distance from the bars, there is a stadium which is far enough it is a hassle, and there is a new high end college housing development going up right across the street from my house. There is also a decent river drive, don't know who would take it though...unless a stoner route?

So...lots of potential business with predictable patterns, and distances. I think the road usage patterns, and infrastructure fit a pedicab without inciting other drivers to invent reasons why I can't be in business. The university and students will be happy to have me (reduced drinking and driving), and there is a downtown development group who will really go to bat for me. My competition is mostly walking, so I am putting some heated blankets in the back, and some good protection from the elements. The cabbies in town mostly take people a little further, so...I am hoping they won't be too much trouble. I also have spent some time looking into renting out the rig for somebody else to drive. The insurance is off the charts...at least what I have found getting quotes from insurers discussed in the pedicab forum...one quoted me ~$1500. But every situation is different, and I am afraid a business like this will always need some very highly specific first hand, local knowledge, and a willingness to make very little money for awhile.

I am going to get some advertising revenue it seems like (good college target demographic), and I am considering selling some energy drinks, turning it into a bit of a snack shack. So...for me it is a tenative go, but I am guessing having $7000 is the least amount possible to get it started.

Not sure it will get very many off the road, more likely the sidewalk, but it could get some people started in thinking about it.

It will definitely be a blast though.

 

[Kent]

Pretty interesting trikes, all that fiberglass looks heavy though. 3k seems pretty reasonable.

I worry that the margins on a pedicab business would be pretty tight, and you would definitely need some regular dedicated types of routes to base a business on. I have a very good situation in my town, because there are two major areas less than a mile apart where all the college students go to drink, there is an area where most students live which is on the edge of walking distance from the bars, there is a stadium which is far enough it is a hassle, and there is a new high end college housing development going up right across the street from my house. There is also a decent river drive, don't know who would take it though...unless a stoner route?

So...lots of potential business with predictable patterns, and distances. I think the road usage patterns, and infrastructure fit a pedicab without inciting other drivers to invent reasons why I can't be in business. The university and students will be happy to have me (reduced drinking and driving), and there is a downtown development group who will really go to bat for me. My competition is mostly walking, so I am putting some heated blankets in the back, and some good protection from the elements. The cabbies in town mostly take people a little further, so...I am hoping they won't be too much trouble. I also have spent some time looking into renting out the rig for somebody else to drive. The insurance is off the charts...at least what I have found getting quotes from insurers discussed in the pedicab forum...one quoted me ~$1500. But every situation is different, and I am afraid a business like this will always need some very highly specific first hand, local knowledge, and a willingness to make very little money for awhile.

I am going to get some advertising revenue it seems like (good college target demographic), and I am considering selling some energy drinks, turning it into a bit of a snack shack. So...for me it is a tenative go, but I am guessing having $7000 is the least amount possible to get it started.

Not sure it will get very many off the road, more likely the sidewalk, but it could get some people started in thinking about it.

It will definitely be a blast though.

Well that sounds like a nifty idea. I am glad to hear it. It seems that you are well situated in a college town. That is an advantage as you mentioned as you may get a broader appeal. Besides marketing, a visual statement-how the unit is painted/decorated may get the publics attention. The downtown development group can be a real assest in promotion.

So what kind of unit/powertrain have you considered? Will you keep the open no doors concept? And thoughts about power/range/operator & passenger comfort?

 

[Sancho's Horse]

Downtown development will think its a godsend. They tried a late night trolley, and the downtown bars chipped in for those operations, but economically it just didn't make sense. So, the pedicab is a definite win.

In the new year, I am going to speak with the city engineer about what options might work. I have an old trike from a local factory which closed, and I have wondered if I can make it work. Even considered making a pedicab trailer based on an old French trailer style from the 40's. I have other trailers of similar weight burden so, I am using those for safety testing. If they like it, and feel comfortable with system safety, then I will build a trailer. Otherwise I will be getting a purpose built pedicab. I have a 3000w motor, and a nuvinci n171, but it may be too powerful. I don't know, no experience. I have some other things I will use that motor for, but I built everything so it will be easy to switch out drivetrains if it is too powerful.

I have spent a lot of time looking at purpose built pedicabs. I am not really satisfied with any of them.

 

[Kent]

Downtown development will think its a godsend. They tried a late night trolley, and the downtown bars chipped in for those operations, but economically it just didn't make sense. So, the pedicab is a definite win.

I have spent a lot of time looking at purpose built pedicabs. I am not really satisfied with any of them.

Sounds like you have a plan. But picking up drunks can be challenging. They definately are going to need ease of access. Anything too low and they won't be able to get out! A more upright seating position and easy in/out. Something which may strike their fancy such as...



Then of course if there is a whole bunch of them... :| :|



Or...

Getting them to hang on is important...


Or there is the China unit...


Or ....


All in good fun But seriously, if you were to purchase one-as opposed to building your own-what type would you choose?

 

[Sancho's Horse]

I think that there are several that would work very well in the Chinese, Philippine, Vietnamese, etc. markets, but the main problem in my estimation for a pub crawler in America is the car drivers, and how unfamiliar they are with SHARING THE ROAD. On campus, at night, they just do not pay the kind of attention that they should, and if you throw in something like a vehicle going at a much slower speed...you have a recipe for disaster. So, my first interest is in having lighting (LED) well beyond the simple running lights, brakes, headlights and turn signals. I think this could be made to be very sexy, and effective at drawing attention of drivers/pub crawlers.

I also think that you should not have seating too low to the ground for safety reasons. If you were to be rear ended, you want the people to go up and over the bumper, not be crushed by it. The other safety issue is rollover during high speed turns on the trike, or side impact. This demands a roll bar, or competent driving, and that is where discussion gets complicated.

The powertrain just depends on where you are, and what you intend to do with it. You always need to talk with the local people, because that is who will shut you down if you do not. And...Since it is likely going to need to be insured it opens up all kinds of motors, but I would think a low speed trike motor in the 1500-2000W range with gearing would be the best option. Anything more, and it might be too powerful. Anything less, and I think it will burn up way to easily. But...I do not have the experience to say any of this with authority.

I like the classic style with the pull-over canopy, but I would like to see it updated.