Quote:
Originally Posted by drmiller100
3 wheeled vehicles are classified as motorcycles by the federal DOT. No crash safety problems.
3 wheeled vehicles are classified as motorcycles. Much easier to get the state DOT guys to pass.
Federal laws for motorcycles say the motor must be EPA certified. If you use electric, you bypass this. if you use an ICE from a car, you get past this as long as you have all the emissions equipment the car came with (read CAT).
Motorcycles do not have to pass emissions. 4 wheel cars have to pass emissions, which means operating OBD2 port with serial number of the car embedded in the ECU, which means you have to hack the ECU fundamentally, or build your own from scratch (not available anywhere).
I think you are crazy to consider an open source 4 wheel car.
So. My design uses engine, drive train, steering, brakes, suspension from ANY FRONT WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE. Read honda civic, geo metro, or vw diesel.
My design uses doors and rear wheel from a Honda Civic. working roll up and down windows on both sides are pretty nice.
My design allows up to 600 pounds of battery/electric motor. With this, and a small generator, you could drive a LONG time.
My design is about 600 pounds for the body, chassis, everything except the drive train. so it is half the weight of any other car out there.
It has a heater, AC, windshield, operating doors, windows, etc.
so let me ask this.
I will give you my design. and I will sell you a body for cheap. or I will sell u a frame for cheap.
what is cheap to you?
If I sold the complete body for 2000 bucks, would you buy one? If I sold you the pieces for the frame for 1000 bucks, partiall welded, would you buy one?
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Miller,
Building a motorcycle requires a person to get a motorcycle license and affects their insurance policy more than a car would...just a thought.
Building a motorcycle is still a better option, I agree. That said, let's build one...get all parts into production and then build another...maybe a 4 wheel design (or improve the old one)? Why stop with one vehicle?
You and I are on the same page, why wouldn't the DIYer buy something like this?
Wayne
SC