New scooter showing off its potential - Battery

[dArKeR]

By Chiu Yu-Tzu

This newly designed electric scooter, which gets double the mileage on a fully charged battery compared to other battery-powered scooters, was unveiled at a press conference yesterday.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/photo/2004/08/11/2003146241

A newly designed electric scooter, with gets double the mileage on a fully charged battery relative to other battery-powered ones was unveiled to the public yesterday. The scooter is the result of collaboration between engineers from Tamkang University and the motorcycle industry.

Displayed at a press conference yesterday, the battery-powered scooters are superior to conventional ones in terms of energy usage, according to Duh Wen-chien (???), an electrical engineer at the university. A specially designed mechanical and electrical system makes it possible for the scooter to regenerate some of the power it uses while in motion, Duh added.

Engineers from HK Environmental Service Inc and university researchers allowed the Automotive Research & Testing Center to test the 199kg scooter. On a fully-charged battery, it was driven at a fixed speed of 30kph until its power was exhausted. Results showed that it could travel a total distance of about 110km after having having been charged for four hours. Under similar conditions, electric scooters already on the market get only half that distance, Duh said.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2004/08/11/2003198289

[indigobusiness]

1. I don't trust anyone

named Duh.

[opihimoimoi]

2. Whatever we do, never let the Duh W on the damn thing, he would

wreck it and fall down at the same time...

[wtmusic]

3. It's pronounced, "D-oh!"

Better?

[TO Kid]

4. My bike does better that this

It weighs just 37 kilos, has the same top speed under power (but goes faster if you pedal and use the motor at the same time), is regenerative when coasting and goes 60km on an 8-hour charge. I'm building a new charger that will get the charge time down to 3 hours.

[rustydad]

5. ooo well

My bike goes 30+mph, 300 mpg on gas, weighs 35lbs. Costs around $1000 for bike and motor (which can be detached for 'pure' bike riding). bob

[TO Kid]

6. Pricier here

I looked into the mopeds on the market here, but the cheapest ones are still more than double what I paid for the electric. Had I found a gas-powered bike here for what you paid it would've been a no-brainer; the only drawback of the electric is range. Mind you, being the pathological tinkerer that I am, the portable gas-powered generator (built with a weed-whacker motor and a salvaged alternator) should be ready in time for the Labour Day weekend...