Boxerworks.com

Zombie Master wrote:

Major Softie wrote:

Sibbo wrote:It does seem possible that should someone decide to build a bike with a little more weight and say double the battery pack range would become quite acceptable, especially if you could recharge at work.

Exactly. Yet, I understand what the issue is there too: they don't expect people to pony up the big bucks for anything less than the top performing model, and the big battery packs add a lot of cost. Still, if they designed the bikes so that any battery pack would fit, then you could choose according to your own price/performance priorities.

When that tiny, 20 lb., 100 kWh, $200 battery pack comes out, then it will all be golden.

Since the original battery pack is supposed to go 500,000klms when exactly would you need to replace it?

The cost of the top of the line model is still in the same range as a midsize BMW.

The motor is capable of producing way more power, they just don't want folks hurting themselves.

The only problem I see on the bike is the size of the drive belt. It looks way to skinny for 70 ft/pds!

A minor misunderstanding ZM. I'm talking about charge life and mileage per charge not the overall working life of the battery.

Zombie Master wrote:

Major Softie wrote:Exactly. Yet, I understand what the issue is there too: they don't expect people to pony up the big bucks for anything less than the top performing model, and the big battery packs add a lot of cost. Still, if they designed the bikes so that any battery pack would fit, then you could choose according to your own price/performance priorities.

When that tiny, 20 lb., 100 kWh, $200 battery pack comes out, then it will all be golden.

Since the original battery pack is supposed to go 500,000klms when exactly would you need to replace it?

My cost comment was not about replacement, it was about how much of the cost of the bike comes from the battery pack.

Zombie Master wrote:The cost of the top of the line model is still in the same range as a midsize BMW.

Yes, for a bike that is competitive with a 500cc supermoto style bike, and has a single ride range of a little over a 100 miles. That's much too expensive to be competitive with gasoline machines, even with the reduced "fuel" costs.

Zombie Master wrote:The motor is capable of producing way more power, they just don't want folks hurting themselves.

I failed to see where in the article they gave that information.

Where does all this electricity come from, anyway?

What? A coal powered bike?

Bob

justoneoftheguys wrote:Where does all this electricity come from, anyway?

Around here, the serious EV folk use this:



In Cali the deal with the utility for PV solar is that you can offset your own usage with your own generation, but they won't pay you for any excess generation. So people with excess generation capacity try to find ways to use it.

Replacing gasoline with PV solar pays off faster than the usual household utilities, as the natural gas, propane, or electricity does not have the excise taxes applied that the gasoline does.

I'm presently doing Rebuild #5 of my VW Westy motor (see avatar), and I'm annoyed enough that if the EV fairies were to make it possible to go 500 miles on a charge and recharge overnight, I'd convert that big orange beast.

melville wrote:I'm presently doing Rebuild #5 of my VW Westy motor (see avatar), and I'm annoyed enough that if the EV fairies were to make it possible to go 500 miles on a charge and recharge overnight, I'd convert that big orange beast.

There is a lot of square footage on the roof of that thing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YUR6iHabSM

I buy wind/solar from my utility at a 30% excess and have 6 PV panels on the roof that produce 5kwhrs here , our daily usage is 8kwhrs for 4 people.

melville wrote: I'm presently doing Rebuild #5 of my VW Westy motor (see avatar), and I'm annoyed enough that if the EV fairies were to make it possible to go 500 miles on a charge and recharge overnight, I'd convert that big orange beast.

What happened to all those Raby engine parts?

On an even odder note, I found myself drafting behind a 1.9L Vanagon on the highway with my new 125R (R not for rocket).

melville wrote: In Cali the deal with the utility for PV solar is that you can offset your own usage with your own generation, but they won't pay you for any excess generation. So people with excess generation capacity try to find ways to use it.

I don't believe that is "the deal" in California. I believe it depends on your utility district. Here I am on Liberty Energy, which is pretty small as utilities go. Just down the hill in the Sacramento area, they are on SMUD, which is a municipal utility district: almost a utility coop. Lots of California is PG&E. Different companies and different regional regulatory agencies have different rules. I know that some places in California you can sell your surplus back to the grid. I'm pretty sure SMUD is that way.

Garnet wrote: On an even odder note, I found myself drafting behind a 1.9L Vanagon on the highway with my new 125R (R not for rocket).

Oh that IS odd.