My electric velomobile

[The Toecutter]

Pics of the bike:











So far here's the realized specs:

-46 mph top speed on flat ground on a full charge with the motor enabled
-1,500W peak power, plus rider effort
-7 watt hours per mile @ 30 mph w/light pedaling
-9 watt hours per mile @ 35 mph w/light pedaling
-12 watt hours per mile @ 40 mph w/moderate pedaling
-12 watt hours per mile in the snow with enough effort to do 30 mph on flat ground, but riding at speeds from 20 to 40 mph with a 20 mph rolling average
-While powered yields a consistent 40-50 mile range with enough effort to cruise at 30-35 mph on flat ground in freezing weather. I get about 8.5AH from the 46.8V pack in the cold, although it is rated to 10.5AH. This should improve to perhaps 60 miles range at the same speed in warmer weather due to reduced air density and increased battery capacity.
-With the motor disabled, I can pedal it to 35 mph in a sprint and cruise on flat ground around 23 mph. I lost a few mph unpowered after installing the motor due to its additional weight and cogging losses.

I tend to cruise around 30-35 mph and my lifetime average energy consumption is about 9 wh/mile.

At any operating speed with which it is capable, it feels stable and tracks straight. It has been up to 60 mph downhill before I motorized it and felt stable. It is very controllable at 30-40 mph in 30+ mph crosswinds with 50 mph gusts, although one will need a bit of effort to keep it straight in those extreme conditions. The brakes are good up to about 35 mph, but after that they are questionable and require careful modulation.

Regarding what specs this will eventually have, I'm in the process of building another battery pack. It's going to be 72V 21AH, capable of delivering 5 kW peak, and is liable to give me a 150-200 mile range @ 30-35 mph, acceleration like a car(simulation shows 0-30 mph in about 5 seconds with a 96A phase current, but a better controller and a 150A phase current could allow 4 seconds), and a 70 mph top speed. I’m also going to finish a set of wheel fairings, a windshield, roof, and rear wheel cowling to cut drag further. I also plan to add brake lights, permanent running lights, headlight, and turn signals, as well as solar panels and a charge port for electronics. Later upgrades may also include hydraulic disc brakes, thicker brake rotors, and perhaps a rear suspension.

Here's some additional specs:

-Weight: 82 lbs
-CdA: Unknown
-Trike Frame: KMX framekit
-Body shell: Custom corrugated plastic bodywork with aluminum ribbing, mounts, and supports
-Battery: 46.8V 10.5AH pack of 13S3P Panasonic NCR18650GA cells, 490 Wh rated capacity, 1,500W rated peak power
-Motor: Leafbike 1500W 4T wind brushless PMDC motor, w/10k NTC thermistor and 10-12 awg bullet terminals, laced to 26" rear wheel w/13ga spokes and double-walled aluminum rim
-Controller: Phaserunner v3, currently set to 1,500W maximum power output, 750W maximum regenerative braking
-Computer: Cycle Analyst v3 DP, currently set to 1,500W maximum power output
-Charger: GrinTech Cycle Satiator HV model
-Torque sensor: Sempu 2-wire w/115mm spindle width, no throttle installed at the time
-Front wheels: Velocity 20" 32-spoke w/13ga spokes laced to double-walled aluminum rims
-Front tires: Schwalbe Marathon Greenguard 20x1.5" @ 95 psi
-Rear tire: Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tour 26x1.5" @ 60 psi
-Front crankset: Suntour XCT Jr. with 152mm crankarms, modified with 26/39/53T chainrings
-Rear gearing: SunRace 34-11T 7 speed cassette
-Front derailleur: Microshift Mezzo
-Rear derailleur: Shimano Tourney RD-TX35 7/8sp
-Chain: KMC Z7, lubricated with Boeshield
-Torquearms: custom KMX torquearm designed and made by ES member dhwahl(left-side), GRIN Torquearm Kit v4(right-side)
-Right shifter: Shimano Revoshift 7 speed index grip shift
-Left shifter: SRAM 3-speed index grip shift
-Front suspension: EXA gas shocks on upper/lower swingarms at 65 psi, suspension designed and made by ES member adam333
-Brakes: Avid BB7 calipers with 165mm disc rotors, cable-pull operated
-Right Brake lever: Terratrike dual-pull lever with parking brake
-Left Brake lever: GrinTech ebrake, operated for regenerative braking in the rear

[Cd]

That's a beautiful machine.

You don't ride on roads with traffic, do you ?

I feel unsafe even riding a conventional bicycle on the far right hand corner of the road.

[The Toecutter]

It's my daily driver. I don't have a drivers' license. I have about 750 miles on it as an EV, but in excess of 50,000 miles on the frame in total. I put roughly 1,000 miles a month on it.

It will be even more beautiful once it gets a paint job. Thinking of rust-colored spraypaint with a sloppily-done red anarchy sign on the side. Make it look like something from a post apocalyptic sci fi movie and look even more dangerous to ride.

[freebeard]

The brakes are good up to about 35 mph, but after that they are questionable and require careful modulation.
,,,,
Controller: Phaserunner v3, currently set to 1,500W maximum power output, 750W maximum regenerative braking

What limits regen?

Red oxide primer and gray hot-rod primer is one of my favorite two-tone color schemes.

[Cd]

I can't sleep - so I'm awake messing with the picture of your velo.

[Cd]

And one more :

[The Toecutter]

For the nacelle, I used a NACA0023 from the top-down view and a NACA2820 with 2 degrees camber cut off at 87% length from the side view, and then transposed them. The shell width is 620mm and shell length is 2,695mm. Because I used coroplast, I was not able to have rounded cross sections, and instead turned what should have been rounded cross sections into 6-sided cross sections. Once I get the wheel fairings, windshield, derailleur cover, and roof installed, I'll do some tuft testing to see where the turbulence are generated. I'd like to do a compound-curved variant of this design if it shows enough promise to compete with decent commercial velomobiles like the Quest or WAW, although I do realize that outboard wheels are going to pose a major hindrance to that.

It's possible a redesign might be in order that does away with the outboard wheels with the tradeoff for doing so being the accompanying increase of weight and frontal area.

Originally Posted by freebeard

What limits regen?

Controller setting. I can change it to whatever I want. However, I chose 750W because it gives a very light braking effect that doesn't risk losing rear wheel traction in inclement weather. I typically get 6-12% regen on a set trip according to the Cycle Analyst computer.

Originally Posted by Cd

I can't sleep - so I'm awake messing with the picture of your velo.

Originally Posted by Cd

And one more :

Hell yeah! I'm probably going to paint the entire thing iron oxide, leaving no white showing. But you had the right idea for placement and style of the anarchy sign!

Another possible color scheme is silver and black with a 3D printed Baphomet hood ornament, with pentagram decals on the front wheels. I could call it "Satan Bike" and put in a sound system so I can ride around in it playing black metal.

[Cd]

Lol, this just keeps getting better and better.

So I'd absolutely love to ride one of these things around, but I don't like the idea of being crushed to death.

How do you ride this on a public road without worry ?

It just seems so incredibly dangerous.

[Grant-53]

This may well be state of the art. Depending on state DMV regs it would be considered a motorcycle. Items to consider might be a wind screen, lap belt, lighting package, and a dynamic braking circuit. For those more concerned about crash testing use aluminum honeycomb instead of plastic skin. People are far too frightened by thoughts of riding on public roads. Learn the traffic rules and maintain a 3 sec. spacing. Pick a route and be polite. It's kept me alive for 60 years.

[freebeard]

I'd like to do a compound-curved variant of this design if it shows enough promise to compete with decent commercial velomobiles...

May I suggest a different layout? Instead of tapered gores, use a geodesic layout. You can choose a level of quasi-compoundcurvedness, The trick is to use an octahedral instead of icosahedral base. This gives three axes you can orient to longitudinal and traverse, the vertical gets locked in.

For seams you can use triangles, diamonds or hexagons. Diamonds can be chained into strips. A hexagon will have one seam running from one corner to the center.



Cd: Consider the size of an F1 racer's cockpit. It's no larger. An open-wheel vehicle is safer in an offset frontal collision.

An I-can't-believe-i'm-seeing-this paint job reduces safety. A Baphomet hood ornament is begging.