Hi, just bouncing some idea’s

I do 22 miles a day round trip right through the centre of Aberdeen, my car although capable of 45mpg is only getting 22mpg in the traffic so is going through about £55 a week on petrol (funnily enough the wife’s 2.0 tdi cmax only managed 24mpg for the same journey! So much for modern cars…)

As the wife has banned me from motorbikes, I’ve been thinking of alternatives to the car. As the distance is so short and it only needs to be for me, what I really need is a small 3 wheeled electric trike/car single seater that’s still safe. It has to be enclosed with proper windows, wipers, electric heater, stereo and a single side access door. Budget for the whole thing would be about 2k at most, hopefully a lot less using eBay.

A while back I’d looked at a few designs that you could make the body from foam and GRP, one in particular looks quite nice as in the picture, well the back look nice the front needs remodelled.

Based on its principles, I was thinking of buying a motorbike, ditching the engine and fitting an electric motor (belt drive), then removing the handle bars so the frame and rear end could be bolted to a simple laser cut sheet steel back bone chassis with an alloy vw Beetle front end, couple of narrow minilite’s on the front, fat wide alloy on the back like in the pic. For stability I think I’d mount the batteries in the sills on a tray that’s bolted on from below, for just a 22 miles range at around 70% @ 30mph & 30% @ 60mph usage I reckon 4-6 deep cycle AGM battery’s would be sufficient and I already know a company that can build the motor controller.

Most important would to keep the original bike registration so as to avoid anything like the IVA…I want it registered as a trike conversion.

Current features in mind are LED lights all round apart from the headlights which would be small second hand projector units. Chassis and front beam moulded into the body shell for strength and durability, seat back would be moulded to me with just a minimum of foam. Side windows acrylic but the front window would be a cut down tin top screen, not sure which yet. No storage space would be required. I already have a nice 225/13 tyre for the back so would make a new swing arm to suit it.

I’m pretty good with working GRP and this Bodyshell would be the old skinning a foam core method and on this scale should be a doddle to do. Idea's and suggestions would be appreciated.




[Edited on 17/10/14 by Mr Whippy]

I only do about a max 20 miles a day and think a leccy motor would do me as well.. was thinking mini moke style thing...

Only problem I can see with a home built job is the motor and batteries? These things cost a fortune, right?

And even the OEM electric cars don't come with batteries, you have to rent them seperately...

Got a firm plan for the drive train?

I'm in a similar boat in terms of range requirements. Only difference is I would go through msva. Over the last couple of years I've made some sketches and even bought some parts (steering rack, hubs) and I've been eyeing up the forklifts at the local scrapyard I've also considered using an electric hub motor such as enertrac and keeping the whole thing as lightweight as possible. Have you had a browse on this forum?

I seriously considered this a few years ago but the cost of a decent motor that had plenty of torque but didn't weight stupid ammounts was just crazy... There must be a better/cheaper solution these days though I expect!! Really interested to see what you come up with

Use a motorbike like I intend to do:

http://www.shedworks.eu/delta.html

This forum also has a wealth of info on all forms of electric vehicles....

Exactly where in at .

although drive the front wheels small engine , charge battery when needed.

rear wheel electric motor, it doesn't need to be expensive .

although 1850 quid will get me a modern dc motor to do the job

you can get trike mobility scooters..

Ah, you found RQ Riley.



http://blog.modernmechanix.com/the-mi-urbasport-tri-magnum-home-built-excitement/

I would go for a Haynes Roadster front end, but I guess a Beetle IFS is still cheap to get hold on?

[Edited on 17/10/14 by ettore bugatti]

Build below 300kg and u can register as a disabled vehicle..... But you need to be friendly with someone who is

Mev did a three wheel electric trike.
http://www.mevltd.co.uk/vd/etrike.htm
Matty

I looked at this about three years ago as work is 3 miles away and came up with golf cart, some of which it appears have already been road registered.

Might lack the range you need though

ATB

Simon