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Old 08-28-2010, 04:16 AM   #1 (permalink)
MPaulHolmes
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Maricopa, AZ (sort of. Actually outside of town)
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Michael's Electric Beetle - '71 Volkswagen Superbeetle 500000
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Electric motorcycle test drive!

I went down to Oregon and took a test drive on a new electric motor cycle. It's top speed is 90 mph, and uses a brushed DC permanent magnet motor. It was 48v, and direct drive, and holy cow was the acceleration good! The controller looked like an Altrax 48v-72v 450amp. The batteries were some new kind of Lithium Polymer. They told me they are supposed to have a very high cycle life, which is unusual for Lithium Polymer I think. The range is 200 miles, but I don't know at what speed that range is supposed to be for.

It was sort of like my electric bike, but the power was just ridiculous. The motor wasn't even very heavy. Not much bigger than my hub motor, but man! And absolutely silent. I really really really want one. I got up to like 35 mph in the parking lot in a couple seconds. It was sort of irresponsible of me, and my son was even watching. I"m so ashamed.

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