"Vectrix Electric Scooter" thread in "Motorbike Chat"
Originally Posted by Horse Current battery technology may be about to be usurped anyway . . . The Ride: Hydrogen Fuel-Cell & Electric Power I'm ...

I'm sure hydrogen is a dead end - unless they can find a way to produce and store it much more efficiently.

Capacitors are cool though - Get one Notrun Rotary running at a steady 90BHP, driving a two phase alternator capable of using that output, connected via a mechanical two-way switch, to two of these trick capacitors, each connected to a two phase motor/s connected to how ever many wheels you can keep on the ground - and possibly a control system of some sort, with a spark discharge system to dispose of any spare electricity. Fire extinguishers, etc.

It's wired so that one phase is charging one capacitor, while the other capacitor is discharging to the motor. So at any given instant the vehicle is being driven by 'stored electrical power' Bingo! no tax, easy insurance, driven by 15 year old etc. Almost a ZEV....

Yup, didn't mean the H power - but in a hurry to post so didn't C&Paste.

But the Capacitor 'battery' seems a good improvement.

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Argue with me: http://the-ride-info.blogspot.com/

Did you see the quick charge electric screwdriver on The Gadget Show on Monday (had the Monotracer featured too)?

Standard looking small electric screwdriver, but with capacitors rather than batteries - short charge (I think they said minute and a half) and off you go. Web report here says 22 screws per charge rather than 37 for a LIon version and doesn't take hours to recharge.

The 'capacitor' seems to have two main things in its favour, one being the 'life' - a major drawback of batteries, and recharge time - it's reasonable to be parked mid-journey at a 'refueling' station for minutes, not for hours.

What did they reckon to the Monotracer (and who rode it?)?

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Argue with me: http://the-ride-info.blogspot.com/

Yep. Carry a small generator (or Norton Rotary) and you won't even need to find a changing point.
Fluffy and light piece by the new bloke (Dale?) but some good moving shots. I think you can get more of a better idea of the bike from this - albeit in German.

Just seen this.

Clearly is trying to be a Vectrix 'competitor' but I spot chain drive and I wonder how well developed it is. Might be just a 'low-tech' take on the things and perfectly good - but there is a distinct lack of technical details on that site.....

The range and price look better than Vetrix, it says the 75 mile range is at 40-45mph on the flat. My problem is this the battery life, the range will cover my commute but as batteries start to deteriorate quite quickly it wouldn't be long before I ran out of juice on the way home. I reckon I'd be lucky to get 6 months use out of a set of batteries .

Yeah. But 'electric vehicle people' and 'range' are similar to 'fair weather sportsbike riders' and the 'speed' they go.

They both lie through their teeth to try to make themselves look better.
Yep. There is the fundamental problem. I'd say sub 15 miles is going to be the best for these things currently. And you can cycle that.

The X21 is certainly a passable spec if you take the (IMO killer) battery thing out of the equation.

Torque (Rear Wheel): 105NM/77.2 Ft lb
Power: 21KW / 33.7 HP

Which would make a passable road bike for me (again range and battery caveats aside).

At the mo a powacycle style pushbike thingy is more likely for me for the cross-town commute - but only if I can find one that can be frigged to run on 24v lorry batteries or the likes if the manufacturer goes tits-up. One local chap has a little leccy motor run off a car battery on a third wheel (like the kiddy trailer things) behind his std pushbike. Works well too.

I test rode a Vectrix the other day, and was pretty impressed, with much the same perception as Nidge. I was told the batteries were good for 50,000 miles, which, if true, would be amazing. But in the same breath I was told they last better if they are recharged before they are fully discharged. So if the true range is more like 30-40 miles than 60, and you want to preserve the batteries, you might be looking at 15 miles as Voyager says. Still useful for many a London commuter, for example, but unless that's all you do you'd definitely need a second bike. And in that case, you won't save mony with the Vectric unless you're doing 7-8,000 miles a year on it. But if fuel prices continue to go skywards....