Comments

• NOBODY WILL......... advill on 07/19/2007 at 5:22 AM

  Posts: 13 Avg Rating:

  in his right mind buy this vehicle when can buy something like in gas for 10 times less money, no electric vehicle will take off if the tag price is higher than available cars today. Perhaps an explanation of WHY Li-ion or Li-ph batts are SO expensive ? As far i know thermal runaway is already controlled how come that a set of 300v batt costs $ 10K? is any chemical process so expensive?, how much can it be reduced (even in China) to make a real alternative?. Rate this comment: (Reply)

  • Almost NOBODY WILL - YET nick47g on 07/19/2007 at 6:34 AM

    Posts: 17 Avg Rating:

    This stuff is not even bleeding edge, it's in the Henry Ford quadracycle - village tinkerer stage.  Not even a Model-T.  At single unit production levels, it is more a piece of artwork than a true solution. BUT!!!  There are people who buy art.  Likewise there are those who [like me] love driving electric vehicles, or who want to make a statement.  It's a beginning. Nick G. So. Dartmouth MA Rate this comment: (Reply)

    • 	Re: Almost NOBODY WILL - YET advill on 07/19/2007 at 2:24 PM
      Posts: 13 Avg Rating:	What i can´t understand is WHY are so expensive the batts?, you see on them common materials, plastics most of it,niquel or lithium ($$??), carbon,and standard metals A Toyota Prius with lithium batts increase it´s price in 10K´s of the already high niquel batts price.  regards Rate this comment: (Reply)

    • Re: Almost NOBODY WILL - YET tomk on 07/20/2007 at 12:21 AM

      Posts: 4 Avg Rating:

      Look out as to what kind of statement you make. The Toyota Prius consumes more lifetime total energy from manufacture to disposal than full size SUV's and 250% more energy than a similar size conventional gasoline powered vehicle. (see http://cnwmr.com/nss-folder/automotiveenergy/DUST%20PDF%20VERSION.pdf). I would be not be happy with a Prius statement that now elicits a snicker from knowledgeable people. Rate this comment: (Reply)

      • 	Re: Almost NOBODY WILL - YET cypherpunk on 07/21/2007 at 2:26 AM
        Posts: 1 Avg Rating:	The claim that the Prius battery contains more embedded energy than an SUV or than it will save in its lifetime is false.  See calcars.org for a detailed description of why.  In part, NiMHs are extremely valuable and won't fail to be recycled profitably.   Rate this comment: (Reply)

        • 	Re: Almost NOBODY WILL - YET jdien on 07/22/2007 at 5:04 PM
          Posts: 2	I couldn't find the information on the site.  Could  you post the full link?  Thanks! Rate this comment: (Reply)

          • 	Re: Almost NOBODY WILL - YET davidh on 07/25/2007 at 6:39 PM
            Posts: 1	An extended discussion of the Prius/Hummer issue is available at http://hardware.slashdot.org/hardware/07/03/20/1858204.shtml CNW assigns the Prius with a lifespan of 109,000 miles and the Hummer with 300,000 miles.  Those figures have significant impacts on their respective life-cycle costs. Rate this comment: (Reply)

            • Re: Almost NOBODY WILL - YET shalwechat on 07/26/2007 at 11:35 AM

              Posts: 3 Avg Rating:

              Wow, 12,000.00 for this bike. Sheesh, for much less you can make a electric bike out of an old Honda Rebel 250 rolling frame. As electric motor technology improves and as battery technology improves, one just swaps out those parts. My electric Rebel is all interchangeable. Swap in and out batteries to fit my riding needs and budget, swap in and out sprockets. I can use cheap golf cart batteries to expensive Lithium-Ion Polymer etc chemistry batteries. With expensive & techie Lithium-Ion chemisty batteries, I get about a 70 mile range at 70 mph. Lead acid, I'm lucky for 20 miles at 30 mph. I used sprockets they gave me a higher speed with slower acceleration. Keep in mind this is DIY'er bike and not a purpose build ground up electric bike. For 12 grand, I can buy two new Honda rebels at 3 grand each. Convert one to electric, using mid price batteries, and still have some $$ for gas money for the gas Rebel or dissambele the gas engine and E-Bay the parts. Myself I been critical of claims about vehicle service life etc. Very few people keep a vehicle for 100,000 miles let alone 300,000 miles. Yeah I see 80's MB diesals and 70's lowrider Chevy Impala's around with 400,000 miles but those are owned by gearheads and they baby em and also seach the internet and junkyards for parts. I suspect the vast majority of vehicle are junked about 200,000 miles because they are worthless on the used car market. I take dispute about he claim of 300,000 mile hummer on the retail car market and 100,000 mile hybrid ont he retail used car market. Been my experence as an ase auto tech that most hybrid owners pamper their cars and the avg yuppie owner tends to worry about an oil changes when the engine makes a "funny noise" and the oil pour out in a some sludge form at "50,000 mile first oil change" or at the expiration of the auto lease  Rate this comment: (Reply)

            • 	Re: Almost NOBODY WILL - YET shalwechat on 07/30/2007 at 4:06 PM
              Posts: 3 Avg Rating:	http://www.pacinst.org/topics/integrity_of_science/case_studies/hummer_vs_prius.pdf and http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9750840-1.html?tag=cnetfd.mt you may need to be careful in how these studies are conducted. selective use of data and a lack of peer review. Rate this comment: (Reply)

• eBike or eScooter mahonj on 07/19/2007 at 1:59 PM

  Posts: 3 Avg Rating:

  An interesting question is how small to make them. The main cost is the Lion battery and if you can make this small, you can build a cheap vehicle. The obvious way to make it small is to model it on a bicycle with say a 10-20 mile range and a weight in the 20KG class rather than a scooter. This would be sufficient for urban commuting - it would eliminate the sweat of cycling in a hot country which is probably why most people use scooters. However, most e-bikes look awful, so it will take some design as well as engineering to make it a viable mode of transportation. Rate this comment: (Reply)

  • 	Re: eBike or eScooter H24meNu on 07/19/2007 at 5:11 PM
    Posts: 10	Ja, lighter = better  but suggest motor drive front wheel yet peddle high gears in rear's = synergy pedal.  Don't forget regenerative braking! 60 psi tyres!  Cycloid crank gear!  Aero skin!  Recumbent?  Etc! Rate this comment: (Reply)

• 	How do I charge this thing? islandinthenet on 07/20/2007 at 7:09 PM
  Posts: 3	Presumably I will need to charge the battery of my electrical grid which is powered by coal or oil burning generators.  So in effect this bike ( and all electric vehicles ) are designed to move the pollution from one place to another. Rate this comment: (Reply)

  • 	Re: How do I charge this thing? PaulTiffany on 07/22/2007 at 8:25 AM
    Posts: 2 Avg Rating:	Your argument is flawed.  Coal and oil powerplants burn much more efficiently and are more environmentally friendly than gas powered cars.  Besides, I'm typing to you now courtesy of nuke-u-lar magic.  Rate this comment: (Reply)

    • 	Re: How do I charge this thing? HealingMindN on 07/23/2007 at 5:50 PM
      Posts: 1	If we have a nanogenerator suit, then we can plug ourselves into the bike and keep charging it as we ride it.  We would also have different power interfaces for laptops, ipods, etc.  We'd be like cyborgs then.  http://tinyurl.com/29hakw Rate this comment: (Reply)

      • 	Re: How do I charge this thing? dmm on 07/25/2007 at 5:49 PM
        Posts: 143 Avg Rating:	Yeah, wouldn't it be nice if we could get our body to power stuff without using our muscles (and getting all tired and sweaty)?  Then we could eat all we want, and get rid of the fat by powering our computers and video games! Rate this comment: (Reply)

        • 	Re: How do I charge this thing? cretin001 on 10/05/2007 at 4:35 PM
          Posts: 35 Avg Rating:	dude that wud be so frikin awsom. Rate this comment: (Reply)

• Price dmm on 07/25/2007 at 6:05 PM

  Posts: 143 Avg Rating:

  The price has to come WAY WAY WAY down.  Trade off performance for cost.  Who needs to go 65 mph while urban commuting?  Duh!  Plus, I would need a special motorcycle license, registration, and insurance for something like that.  A top speed of 40 mph is plenty.  Heck, I'd settle for 20 mph, which is a lot faster than I can pedal.  And range?  20 miles is enough.  But the price has to be less than $2000, preferably around $1000.  Lastly, do manufacturers realize that expensive things tend to get stolen in urban settings?  $12,000??  Are you kidding me? Rate this comment: (Reply)

  • Re: Price shalwechat on 07/26/2007 at 12:51 PM

    Posts: 3 Avg Rating:

    "The price has to come WAY WAY WAY down.  Trade off performance for cost.  Who needs to go 65 mph while urban commuting?  Duh!  Plus, I would need a special motorcycle license, registration, and insurance for something like that.  A top speed of 40 mph is plenty.  Heck, I'd settle for 20 mph, which is a lot faster than I can pedal.  And range?  20 miles is enough.  But the price has to be less than $2000, preferably around $1000.  Lastly, do manufacturers realize that expensive things tend to get stolen in urban settings?  $12,000??  Are you kidding me?" --- "The price has to come WAY WAY WAY down." I can only agree...You can take a few classes in electricity, auto mechanics with an emphisis in motorcycle mechanics and some welding classes at the community college. You can make you own electric bike. -- "Who needs to go 65 mph while urban commuting?  Duh!" and "A top speed of 40 mph is plenty.  Heck, I'd settle for 20 mph, which is a lot faster than I can pedal." from your continuation i take it that 65 mph is excessive. Well if you are always in clogged inner city streets and not on suburban expressways, it is excessive. My gut feeling is mosr amercians consider 65 MPH the minimun acceptable speed. --- " I would need a special motorcycle license, registration, and insurance for something like that." and "Lastly, do manufacturers realize that expensive things tend to get stolen in urban settings?" Well, the motorcycle safety foundation offers free to very inexpensive classes for the motorcycle license. In many states, the state road test and written test is waived with proof of passing the MSF class. If the rolling frame is not DOT certifined as a motorcycle, it is illegal in many states and many states will not allow it the road, one my be religated to bicycle paths, sidewalks to the side of the road etc. Many will assume you lost your licence for driving for driving under the influence amd are riding a vehicle that is considered a motorized bicycle, which you need no licence at all, and not a motor vehicle which you need a drivers licence. I would not know how insurence would work in this featured vehicle, my guess, very high rates premium and cheap rates for state mandated lieability only. On my electric rebel, I has no problem in registering it or insuring it $130 per year state mandated lieability. The bike still have a the VIN number. If one is worried about some one stealing it, just unbolt the electric motor and take it with me. No motorcycle theif want a stripped out rolling frame or a homemade ratt-bike. Sheesh if you take the batteries and the electric motor, the thief may think it was allready stolen! (missing motor,trans, and gas tank) --- "But the price has to be less than $2000, preferably around $1000." The "pancake" electic motor is about $1,000. To keep it under 2,000 would be very difficult even if it was a homemade electric bike. Maybe if you can get some one to donate the donor motorcycle and your labor is free.    useful links: http://www.robotcombat.com/marketplace_motors_perm.html http://www.msf-usa.org/ http://www.marquecornblatt.com/art/cycle.html http://www.rebel250.com/rebelforum/index.php PS the marquecornblatt.com link person is using lead acid batteries(i believe)and I currently Lithium-ion with one more battry then he has.   Rate this comment: (Reply)

• 	Zero motorcycles drivin98 on 09/02/2007 at 10:32 PM
  Posts: 1	I like those Zero X bikes. It'd be sweet for riding quietly through the woods on trails or logging roads or whatever. Price is under $7000 too. Rate this comment: (Reply)

• Priced too high! wothmore on 03/02/2008 at 11:36 PM

  Posts: 1

  Most people can not afford $11,000 for a scooter. I am going to sell electric scooters with top speed of 60MPH with regen brake. The bike has 3500w motor and Lithium power. If anyone interested I am selling the first batch of perordered bikes for $3495.00. Price will be going up somewhat on later orders. You can buy 3 for the same price as a Vectrix. Cheers, phil_randall@verizon.net Rate this comment: (Reply)

  • 	Re: Priced too high! rsteer on 06/05/2008 at 1:07 PM
    Posts: 1	What brand are the scooters you're selling?  Sounds like maybe Falcon or Zapino. Rate this comment: (Reply)