I'm an R/C airplane fan.
R/C airplanes, if you're not familiar with them, generally have the very latest and best in electronic control, composite construction, and battery technology. And the second-best, too, for a tiny fraction of the price.
So, why the zark are'nt we applying this to electric cars?
Motors:
Take a look at the following:
Crystalyte Phoenix Brushless Motor
The Crystalyte Racer 4840 pulls about 1900 watts maximum, but allows accelleration to 20 mph faster than some cars. And the 4840 is not a high-torque motor, either; accelleration is likely limited by the fact that in-wheel motors don't have gearboxes. (Shimano DOES make some awesome in-wheel gearboxes, though; I wonder how they'd work?)
Now, let's consider the following:
1. This is for one electric motor, pulling 250+ lbs. of rider and bike.
2. Multiple electric motors are easy.
3. More motors means higher torque.
4. More torque on these high-RPM motors = much higher speed.
Batteries:
Of course, batteries are a problem. Or, they were, until a certian company used nanotechnology to improve their lithium ion cells. The so-called "emoli" cells are wonders of technology, with an energy density much higher than standard lead-acid cells, high current draw capability, and long life.
Info on cells
In addition, there's another benifit: Charge time. You can charge these FULLY in under 30 minutes. If you drive half of the car's range, just plug in your car; in 15 minutes, you'll be back up to full. It takes more time than that to pump gas!
So, where can we find these? A NASA laboratory, or perhaps some Japanese lab in Kyoto?
Try Home Depot, Lowes, or Target.
The "Emoli" cells are currently found in Milwaukee Power Tools v28 battery packs. They do a fine job of powering power tools, which are, after all, just big motors. A pack would be under 2,000$, and require replacement only once every 2-3 years.
Design:
Obviously, an electric car would be very different from a normal one, especially with the above features.
First, it would need to be light. Think along the lines of one of those two-hundred-and-something MPG concept cars made by VW: Just enough room for two people, or one person and a few bags of groceries.
However, there are advantages to in-wheel motors.
First, you have no transmission, just wires. No transmission means that you have a more reliable design, and front-wheel-drive is easy. Heck, you can make the entire car tilt into turns.
Second, you have no moving parts outside of the wheel itself. These are brushless motors, computer controlled instead of using stators.
Third, weight position: You can put the battery wherever you want.
Although it would be much smaller than we're used to, an efficient electric would likely be very sporty. Because you can make the car lean into curves very easily (no transmission!), an electric could easily out-corner almost anything. And, due to high low-end torque, it would easily "leap off the starting line".
Cost:
And here's the all-important pricetag section.
2x Crystalyte wheels w/ in-wheel motors: 800$.
2x 48v Crystalyte 48v/40A ESCs: 420$.
1x El Humongous lithium battery pack: 2,000$
1x grip controller: 40$
4x inexpensive disc brake sets (for bicycles): 80$
2x Front wheels: 100$
Assorted steel tubing and cable: About 200$
Total cost: 3,700$.
This seems insane, certianly, but consider the cost of a small used car. Although you're limited to about two grocery bags of storage capacity, this is pretty economical.
Also considert that this is a one-off. If thousands were made, the cost would be about 2,500$, making them great vehicles for college students, or as secondary cars for people who own sedands for driving large distances.
Maintenance and Upkeep:
One of the major costs of any vehicle is fuel. However, another, possibly larger cost, is upkeep.
Let's examine the two.
Gas: $2.50 a gallon, for an estimated 30 miles in a small car.
Electric: $0.30 for 3 kilowatts, yielding 30+ miles from an electric car based around two of the above motors. Or free, if you plug it into a city outlet in a city like, say, Green Bay.
But there are further advantages.
Parking: A small electric car could easily be stood up on end. After all, it would only weigh about 150 lbs. In this way, you could fit about ten electric cars in the same space as a SUV, and probbably find a way to avoid paying for parking.
Idling: Gasoline engines suck down fuel when idling. Electric motors will happily sit in traffic for hours, and pull no power at all. A 25mpg car will often get about ten miles per gallon in LA traffic; an electric motor will have a very small drop in efficiency.
And then there's maintenance.
Your average car can cost $1,000-$2000 or more a year, between transmission fluid, brakes, and other assorted problems. Brake pads cost hundreds, as do tires.
On the other hand, an electric car costs very little. Although a new battery every few years means a 600$ average yearly expenditure, you have to consider that an electric bike according to the above specs would be otherwise very cheap.
Bike tires: About 20$ for okay ones, or 80$ for all 4. You'd need new ones every six months, but you can move to mountian bike tires during the winter with little difficulty. Tire replacement costs about 6$ at my local bike shop with purchase. Inner tubes are 10$ installed.
Car tires: 80$+ each, although you need to replace them less often. However, flats are much more costly to replace, and installation must be done at a garage, which charges much more.
Bike oil: My favorite variety of turbine grease is 12$ for a bottle. A bottle will allow for about 2 years worth of oil one of these bikes.
Car Oil: 30$ per oil change. And you need 'em on a regular basis for stop-and-go traffic.
Bike transmission fluid, CVDs, et cetera: Does'nt used them
Car transmission fluid, CVDs, et cetera: I don't like thinking about it.
High Performance
Take four motors, make an AWD variant of the above vehicle with two battery packs.
Cost would be 3,000$ higher, but performance would be insane. (Plus, AWD!)
R/C airplanes, if you're not familiar with them, generally have the very latest and best in electronic control, composite construction, and battery technology. And the second-best, too, for a tiny fraction of the price.
So, why the zark are'nt we applying this to electric cars?
Motors:
Take a look at the following:
Crystalyte Phoenix Brushless Motor
The Crystalyte Racer 4840 pulls about 1900 watts maximum, but allows accelleration to 20 mph faster than some cars. And the 4840 is not a high-torque motor, either; accelleration is likely limited by the fact that in-wheel motors don't have gearboxes. (Shimano DOES make some awesome in-wheel gearboxes, though; I wonder how they'd work?)
Now, let's consider the following:
1. This is for one electric motor, pulling 250+ lbs. of rider and bike.
2. Multiple electric motors are easy.
3. More motors means higher torque.
4. More torque on these high-RPM motors = much higher speed.
Batteries:
Of course, batteries are a problem. Or, they were, until a certian company used nanotechnology to improve their lithium ion cells. The so-called "emoli" cells are wonders of technology, with an energy density much higher than standard lead-acid cells, high current draw capability, and long life.
Info on cells
In addition, there's another benifit: Charge time. You can charge these FULLY in under 30 minutes. If you drive half of the car's range, just plug in your car; in 15 minutes, you'll be back up to full. It takes more time than that to pump gas!
So, where can we find these? A NASA laboratory, or perhaps some Japanese lab in Kyoto?
Try Home Depot, Lowes, or Target.
The "Emoli" cells are currently found in Milwaukee Power Tools v28 battery packs. They do a fine job of powering power tools, which are, after all, just big motors. A pack would be under 2,000$, and require replacement only once every 2-3 years.
Design:
Obviously, an electric car would be very different from a normal one, especially with the above features.
First, it would need to be light. Think along the lines of one of those two-hundred-and-something MPG concept cars made by VW: Just enough room for two people, or one person and a few bags of groceries.
However, there are advantages to in-wheel motors.
First, you have no transmission, just wires. No transmission means that you have a more reliable design, and front-wheel-drive is easy. Heck, you can make the entire car tilt into turns.
Second, you have no moving parts outside of the wheel itself. These are brushless motors, computer controlled instead of using stators.
Third, weight position: You can put the battery wherever you want.
Although it would be much smaller than we're used to, an efficient electric would likely be very sporty. Because you can make the car lean into curves very easily (no transmission!), an electric could easily out-corner almost anything. And, due to high low-end torque, it would easily "leap off the starting line".
Cost:
And here's the all-important pricetag section.
2x Crystalyte wheels w/ in-wheel motors: 800$.
2x 48v Crystalyte 48v/40A ESCs: 420$.
1x El Humongous lithium battery pack: 2,000$
1x grip controller: 40$
4x inexpensive disc brake sets (for bicycles): 80$
2x Front wheels: 100$
Assorted steel tubing and cable: About 200$
Total cost: 3,700$.
This seems insane, certianly, but consider the cost of a small used car. Although you're limited to about two grocery bags of storage capacity, this is pretty economical.
Also considert that this is a one-off. If thousands were made, the cost would be about 2,500$, making them great vehicles for college students, or as secondary cars for people who own sedands for driving large distances.
Maintenance and Upkeep:
One of the major costs of any vehicle is fuel. However, another, possibly larger cost, is upkeep.
Let's examine the two.
Gas: $2.50 a gallon, for an estimated 30 miles in a small car.
Electric: $0.30 for 3 kilowatts, yielding 30+ miles from an electric car based around two of the above motors. Or free, if you plug it into a city outlet in a city like, say, Green Bay.
But there are further advantages.
Parking: A small electric car could easily be stood up on end. After all, it would only weigh about 150 lbs. In this way, you could fit about ten electric cars in the same space as a SUV, and probbably find a way to avoid paying for parking.
Idling: Gasoline engines suck down fuel when idling. Electric motors will happily sit in traffic for hours, and pull no power at all. A 25mpg car will often get about ten miles per gallon in LA traffic; an electric motor will have a very small drop in efficiency.
And then there's maintenance.
Your average car can cost $1,000-$2000 or more a year, between transmission fluid, brakes, and other assorted problems. Brake pads cost hundreds, as do tires.
On the other hand, an electric car costs very little. Although a new battery every few years means a 600$ average yearly expenditure, you have to consider that an electric bike according to the above specs would be otherwise very cheap.
Bike tires: About 20$ for okay ones, or 80$ for all 4. You'd need new ones every six months, but you can move to mountian bike tires during the winter with little difficulty. Tire replacement costs about 6$ at my local bike shop with purchase. Inner tubes are 10$ installed.
Car tires: 80$+ each, although you need to replace them less often. However, flats are much more costly to replace, and installation must be done at a garage, which charges much more.
Bike oil: My favorite variety of turbine grease is 12$ for a bottle. A bottle will allow for about 2 years worth of oil one of these bikes.
Car Oil: 30$ per oil change. And you need 'em on a regular basis for stop-and-go traffic.
Bike transmission fluid, CVDs, et cetera: Does'nt used them
Car transmission fluid, CVDs, et cetera: I don't like thinking about it.
High Performance
Take four motors, make an AWD variant of the above vehicle with two battery packs.
Cost would be 3,000$ higher, but performance would be insane. (Plus, AWD!)