Infrastructure would be very attractive to service station and rest station owners.
You could have an energy card that would log in your rented kilowatts in one place. You swipe your card at the charging station and rent the power you need.
Local station owners could make mark up on the kilowatt hours sold just like gasoline.
Hide and watch - Hydrogen or Natural gas fuel cells will come back on the scene. Fill ups become a 5 minute affair. Infrastructure is an issue of replacement or simply additional pumps. Until the carbon nano tube battery is perfected, the lithium ion batteries are "it". But lithium mining is a dirty Chinese secret. Large carbon and pollution footprint.
Imagine an e-bike that had a "pick an exhaust sound" feature. I think the Rolls Royce Merlin sound would be interesting! Perhaps a Wright Cyclone. An enclosed Tesla coil could make an interesting "anti-collision" light display,too.
I'm surprised the oil companies haven't been buying up the patents on these and tucking them away in the 'to be forgotten' vault. I know motorcycling is not the oil company's bread and butter but it seems like they are becoming a major player in the electric vehicle R&D. Anyway, sweet bike...I ride one for sure!
I'll repeat myself, There is a documentary available at the library that takes a look at what happened to GM's car and the battery solution that became available. And who bought out the battery company. It talked about the death of the electric car.
The death of the charging infrastructure that Ft_bstrd speaks of is an interesting topic in the documentary Ourdee has posted about.
If you haven't seen the documentary and have even the most remote level of interest in alternative fuel vehicles, its definitely worth the time to find and watch this one.
I'm excited to watch this emerging motorcycle technology and market unfold and would love to be an early adopter but I'm also just leery enough to wait and watch after seeing how screwed up a situation can become when corporations and governments simultaneously find themselves in bed together on a topic and play both ends against the middle at the expense of taxpayers and customers (the Ford meetings cited in the movie and the public charging station storyline are both an example of this).
I'm not a conspiracy theorist but I have a healthy dose of skepticism on some issues. I'm just glad that despite the EV debacles, there were people persistent enough and skilled enough to pursue this technology for us.
I grew up in a hot rod,how can we go faster, type family. I love the internal combustion engine, especially the ones without spark plugs. I absolutely hate the Prius and other hybrids-I'd rather drive a VW TDI and get the same mileage. Having said that, if they could take care of the slow charging and lack of charging station like FT Bastard was saying-they would have a lot of appeal.
For some reality checks about living with electric bikes, google up Jennifer Bromme of Werkstatt Racing... her current blog about racing the Mavizen electric superbike is interesting.
Search: TTXGP
I can envision Erik Buell turning his attention in the "zero emissions" direction. If he does, bet a lot of us'd be among his first customers!
"Who Killed The Electric Car" is about as accurate of a documentary as the National Enquirer. That video was made with the sole intent to damage and deface GM.
The only reason the EV failed 20 years ago was due to the costs.
If a American motorcycle Co. could come up with a "Ulysses" type of E-M/C, range of 250 miles and a 1 hour recharge my stable would empty out in a heart beat.
I am sure that there are a lot of people out there who would do the same thing. Now the question is: are the American motorcycle Co. listening?
Erik Buell Racing - could get a new line going with a built in following. HD - would find a new lease on life by being able to make a pirate E-M/C - sell more T-shits Victory - who knows?
If a American motorcycle Co. could come up with a "Ulysses" type of E-M/C, range of 250 miles and a 1 hour recharge my stable would empty out in a heart beat.
It can be done, just not at the price you are willing to pay. Nice weight penalty for 250 miles worth of battery too.
It is just a matter of time and 250 miles per charge will be a reality and not a pipe dream. Many of us started riding bikes before electronic ignitions, and fuel injection. Points ignitions were the norm back in the late 60's. Nobody would buy a bike with points ignition these days. Someday, no one will buy a bike with a gas engine. Electric bikes will be so much easier to own and maintain. No valves, no primary, no cam chain, no gears, no fuel pump or injection system, probably no clutch, and just think of the low end power. And the electric bike will be super quiet unless THEY legislate noise which I hope doesn't happen. I might even spring for an Empulse.
