ebike4healthandfitness said:
I'm keeping an eye on the next gen FOC controllers that are about to hit the market that can go into the triple-digit voltage range. 130V in a 3T wind 1500W Leafbike built into a 20" diameter drive wheel could theoretically get me 110+ mph top end. And
assuming wheelspin can be addressed, 0-60 mph acceleration faster than the average new car is also possible. Currently, it takes something akin to JohninCR's hubmonster build to have this level of performance.
The Death Trike is also a good inspiration, as is recumpence's custom build.
[youtube]LBR1y1Fa9Ts[/youtube]
That kind of power, in a vehicle whose chassis has just barely been modified enough to reliably handle it(in the interest of keeping weight down), with a slippery velomobile shell and roll cage slipped over it, is a ticket to levels of efficiency that can't be matched by any other vehicle type, with safety levels somewhat superior to that of a motorcycle even if not as good as a car. And the performance will be quite car-like as a nice bonus. And because it could still be pedaled(by keeping the weight somewhere around 100 lbs), range anxiety would be non-existent. A modest 1.5-2 kWh battery would go a long way in such a vehicle, yielding 100+ miles range at highway speeds, and greatly more at city-appropriate speeds(My 1.5 kWh pack gets me up to 150-200 miles range cruising 30-35 mph in a vehicle not nearly as slippery as what I'm proposing to build).
It would be nice if Leafbike would just build a much better motor already. They'd have no competition and could possibly make a lot more money in the Western markets. The potential for them to build a motor that peaks at over 97% efficiency and gets 90-95% efficiency over most of its operating curve is there, meaning they could cut the mass in half and still get a slightly increased peak power capability while retaining the same continuous power capability vs their existing offering. The existing hub motors on the market are well behind the state of the technology by more than a decade. The fact that Leafbike is one of the best out there for ebikes says a lot, especially given how low its price is relative to its competition.
Three Leafbike motors in such a vehicle with the bicycle drivetrain and steering bars removed and rack and pinion steering, accelerator/brake pedals in their place, would be fairly insane as the motor currently is. A 150 lb "car" that is ~350 lbs laden using a 1500W 3T wind in each 16x1.5" motorcycle wheel with a 130V FOC controller running each, and a LoneStar battery pack, would easily do 0-60 mph in under 4 seconds and 12 second 1/4 miles, if you could get enough traction. Upgrading that motor to existing technology could allow the possibility of more than 1 peak horsepower per pound of empty vehicle, with all wheel drive, which might mean 0-120 mph in ~4.5 to 5 seconds and upper 8 second 1/4 miles. In a vehicle that could do 100+ miles at highway speeds on less than $0.20 worth of electricity. DO WANT.