Video: Electric Assist Velomobile going 50mph!

[newtonsfirstlaw]

Check

this

out... someone hitting 45-50mph on the flat with electric assist! That is SO cool!

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/v/zcxLNvkee7A[/YOUTUBE]

[AndrewJ]

That's awesome!

That thing was really hauling if it was doing that kind of speed. I doubt it really had a 1-2kw motor in it though. Maybe 1kw max, the aerodynamics would really cut back on the amount of power it takes to get up to those speeds. If a HPV can hit +60, and a human cyclist can put out 500watts in a semi-sustained effort, then I think you could easily get away with a 500watt motor and do those kind of speeds in a adequately streamlined vehicle.

[newtonsfirstlaw]

Originally Posted by AndrewJ

That's awesome!

That thing was really hauling if it was doing that kind of speed. I doubt it really had a 1-2kw motor in it though. Maybe 1kw max, the aerodynamics would really cut back on the amount of power it takes to get up to those speeds. If a HPV can hit +60, and a human cyclist can put out 500watts in a semi-sustained effort, then I think you could easily get away with a 500watt motor and do those kind of speeds in a adequately streamlined vehicle.

Yes, I suspect that you could easily get away with a 1kW motor in there, depending on the velomobile. With the WAW, it should take almost exactly 1kW.

e.g. 250W * (80/50)^3 = 1.02kW That's for 50mph, or 80kph.

I have the feeling that within a couple years these things are going to be EVERYWHERE.

[ebacherville]

wish these things were a few hundread bucks.. id snap one up and just put a scooter motor..

I just want something that gets over 100mpg and is enclosed for bad weather

[Christopher Jordan]

I have seen that video with the camera glancing at the speedometer a few times. Impressive! 50 kph or 50 mph - whatever. Those noisy 2-stroke scooters get about 35 mph now. With aerodynamics that makes so much more sense than "alternate this" or "alternate that" or just more vapor-ware coming in a few years.

[ebacherville]

yeah no doubt for commuting id go electric if i could get a 70mile per day range with opportunity charging..

really if a 250 watt motor will do this add a couple hub rims to one of these and you got a killer commuter.. just need to make sure a hub rim can do 50 mph..

but still these things run in the thousands of dollars. there by no means cheap

[bennelson]

I wonder how crazy I could get with a bicycle, electric motor, and aero-shell and still have it considered a bike!?

I know a lot of states have a 20 mph speed limit on electric motors on bikes.

Maybe just keep it slow when cops are looking.....

[jjackstone]

The Feds say anything under 1hp and up to 24mph is considered a bicycle. States vary. Here in CA the rule is 20mph. I usually keep it at 19 to 20 mph just to not draw attention. Haven't built the fairing yet.
JJ

[Christopher Jordan]

Originally Posted by bennelson

I wonder how crazy I could get with a bicycle, electric motor, and aero-shell and still have it considered a bike!?

I know a lot of states have a 20 mph speed limit on electric motors on bikes.

Maybe just keep it slow when cops are looking.....

So many throttle controllers and governers now- Canada boasted 40 kpg in 2001, but CA restricts them to 20. I rarely overpower mine. The rear hub cassette was geared very very low, so I swapped my front gear to the largest and highest I could cram in there.

It is like an overdrive, 1 or 2 more mph; but down hills- my heart doesn't beat that fast