Aero reverse trike project: Ninja 250 or Lifan 200 with electric assist/EV mode

[todayican]

The vehicles primary mission would be (for me anyway) 80% highway cruising on flat (Florida) roads.

I would say the spec, should someone else want to build one / buy mine should assume hills, stop and go etc.

Vehicle weight range with riders should be between 800 and 1100lbs, it will use vw single piston disc brakes

[Frank Lee]

The VW brakes are made for a VW at max load including any tow ratings. They are far in excess of what is required here. I'd say you can seal 'em up without worry.

[todayican]

Cool, one thing I think I will do is run a 2" vent from the nose into the tire bay and rely on the nessissary cutouts on the bottom (for the tire to turn during steering) to vent it out.

[todayican]

Thought I would post this here, its the latest drawing for the 3d artist, and in turn a virtual wind tunnel. Im thinking its fairly slick, maybe its just me :-)

[kawboyCAFE]

that looks wild. cool tadpole design.

[Hal]

[QUOTE=mnmarcus;204443]Todayican,

Great project. I've been thinking of a similiar design, reverse trike tandem seating hybrid for a few years, only I am thinking of a 20 something horse diesel with hydraulic pump motors. Some thought, suggestions (for what they are worth)...


IIRC, there was a 1F2R built by a trade school in Minnesota some years ago that used a hydraulic motordriven by an ICE. One of the ways they achieved fairly high MPG was by running the engine continously at close to WOT and using the hydraulic motor to control speed. At stops it charged an accumulator to supply additional power for starts.