Canadian startup launches INDIEGOGO funding campaign for low-cost electric self-charging solar tricycle produced in Pakistan
19 October 2020
A Canadian startup has launched an INDIEGOGO funding campaign to support the development of the VEGAN electric self-charging solar tricycle. The VEGAN is a lightweight multipurpose hybrid electric-self-charging solar tricycle. The team has not yet produced a working demo for their concept.
The team projects that the high-efficiency vehicle will have a a minimum unit cost of only $1,400 to produce—the price of an average mountain bike—once the funding goal is reached.
The VEGAN is to be made from lightweight fiberglass and aluminum; maximum range per charge is 120 km. Of that, the battery will deliver 90 to 95 km; with self-charging and solar, the range increases to 120 km +.
The VEGAN features an extremely durable lightweight reinforced aluminum (6061-T6) chassis that weighs under 31 kg and a reinforced fiberglass body with carbon fiber ribs that weighs under 23 kg.
The simple engineering design is low maintenance due to having a minimalized drive train as the hub motor (1 kW brushless motor) is directly attached to the rear wheel. Producing an average speed of 30 km/h, the VEGAN has a top speed of 70 km/h—via increased acceleration through its own designed internal gear hub.
The VEGAN is equipped with a built-in GPS tracking system & has high-end safety features, including a 12V AC outlet for gadgets such as Bluetooth speakers & charging a phone. The fully concealed cabin offers protection from all external elements.
Total vehicle weight is 175 kg; payload is 320+ kg. Charging time from the grid is 4.4 hours; from the solar panels, 10.2 hours. The battery is 48V, 22 Ah.
Production will be in different manufacuring hubs in Pakistan.
I'm definitely supporting this campaign & will be looking into buying one.
Thanks, Green Car Congress,
Posted by: GoGreenOrGoMean | 19 October 2020 at 05:58 AM
Hmmm.
1Kw, 1kWh - OK.
If you put the parameters into an ebike simulator, you can get a range of 49 km with a 22Ah, 48V battery and a speed of 30 kph.
(Weight 250 Kg, frontal area 1m^2, cd 0.7)
http://www.electricbikesimulator.com/
I don't see how you can get to 70 kph with a 1 kW engine.
The solar panel looks tiny, so you won't get much out of that.
Looks like typical indigogo "optimism" with little respect for the laws of physics.
There is a lot to be said for very low power, low speed vehicles, but let's stick to reality.
Posted by: mahonj | 19 October 2020 at 10:44 AM
Plugged in the specs of the Zero FXS ZF7.2 and the Electric Bike Simulator verifies minimum range and power (which on power the FXS blows those minimums away).
Zero Motorcycles is partnering with Polaris. Polaris will develop, manufacture and sell electrified ORVs and snowmobiles using Zero’s powertrain technology, hardware and software.
The current RZR Trail 570 has a 45 hp motor so the Zero ZF7.2 powertrain with 46 hp will work. Just keep the cost under $12k. This would be the one to get.
Posted by: Account Deleted | 19 October 2020 at 02:57 PM
A cute vehicle. With improved technology inputs it can be big success.
Posted by: Nirmalkumar | 19 October 2020 at 09:15 PM
@mahonj, this vehicle only weighs 175 kg, not 250 kg, so it is more than likely that it can achieve the range it says it will. Plus they have a patented internal gear hub that makes the motor's output increase, hence their top speed. There are plenty of e-trikes out there that exceeded 70 kmh with the same power source, but they are like 10X the price. So $1400 is a very cheap price to pay, based on its looks alone, even if it doesn't even have a motor to begin with, Lol.
Posted by: GoGreenOrGoMean | 20 October 2020 at 12:52 AM
@GGOGM,
The vehicle weighs 175 kg, but you have to put a person in it so I added 75kg for one adult male hence 250 kg.
This will increase the rolling resistance, but not the aerodynamic resistance, which is the main drag once you speed up.
The "patented internal gear hub" will increase the gearing, but it don't overcome wind resistance, so it won't go much faster. If you think this will increase the speed from 30kph to 70kph you are deluded.
Please furnish examples of the etrikes with a 1 kw motor that can go 70kph.
Use the ebike simulator to figure out its capability, but expand the frontal area to 1m^2 and reduce the CD from 0.9 to 0.7 or 0.5.
If you consider this as a 30kph etrike with a range of 50 km, you won't be so disappointed. It still has merit.
Posted by: mahonj | 20 October 2020 at 02:43 AM
Looks like the front-half of a vehicle. Add the rear-half to it, triple the battery capacity and triple the price and you wont be able to keep up with demand.
Posted by: yoatmon | 20 October 2020 at 08:30 AM
Mahonj,
Completely agree. Again plugged in a real world "E Bike" the Delfast Top 3.0 into the simulator and got good results. The Delfast comes close in size and has a real range probably of 110 miles (175 km) and a top speed of 50 mph (80 kph). Note they claim a 200 mile range, however that is probably at low speeds.
The Delfast has a 72V 3.5 kWh battery, a 5 kW motor, and a MSRP of $6,799. So a Trike built to these specs would agree with @Yoatmon's comments.
Posted by: Account Deleted | 20 October 2020 at 01:31 PM
@mahonj,
We don't know what is the frontal area and the Cd.
If the frontal area is 0.9 M^2 and the Cd is 0.2, rolling coefficient at 0.008, and weight at 250 kg, then it only takes 1 kW of power to travel at 64 kph, which is pretty close to the stated specs of 70 kph maximum speed at 1 kW of power. Its range at top speed of 64 kph would be 64 km, but could be a lot higher at lower cruising speeds.
It looks as if the Cd could be 0.2 because the rear of the vehicle tapers to a much thinner section width than the front of the vehicle.
This is a good looking design and would be great for the crowded inner city. Why need any more power? Keep it light and affordable.
Posted by: Roger Pham | 20 October 2020 at 07:38 PM
Producing an average speed of 30 km/h, the VEGAN has a top speed of 70 km/h—via increased acceleration through its own designed internal gear hub.
Actually, it may just work! Currently, two companies make a 2 speed geared hub motorcar E-bikes: SRAM’s “E-matic” system and XiongDa, that provide a low/high speed operation (you can read about it here:https://www.electricbike.com/2-speed-e-matic-xiongda/).
Posted by: Account Deleted | 20 October 2020 at 10:38 PM
That should say "2 speed geared hub motor for E-bikes".
Posted by: Account Deleted | 20 October 2020 at 10:40 PM
The VEGAN is a great concept, however, it could use some better design. While the geared hub is a good idea, it adds complexity and impacts reliability. The use of 6061 Aluminum Alloy is cheaper, though does not have the strength of 7075-T6. Why use a AGM Lead Acid battery when there are low cost LiFePo batteries or energy dense 2170 batteries that other E-bikes use?
Posted by: Account Deleted | 20 October 2020 at 11:13 PM
@gryf,
Geared hub is a necessity in order to reduce the size, weight, and cost of the e-motor by allowing it to spin much faster than the slow rotational speed of the wheel, hence producing much more power and torque at the wheel.
AGM Lead Acid battery is cheaper than Li-ion batteries to keep cost down, but they should provide an option for LiFePo batteries for those wanting more performance and reliability. I would never choose Lead Acid battery since Li-ion is much longer lasting and much lighter.
Posted by: Roger Pham | 21 October 2020 at 12:42 PM