EV Hybrid trike?

May 30, 2015
193
49
Perth Western Australia
I have a Honda Valk based trike. She has a hue Jarse, based on a Ford Falcon and a full width of NAD 6'. There is also a large storage box placed over the back tyres and clear of the diff. I reckon I can fit in a 10Kw motor and a bank of batteries sufficient to run it, especially if I can get regen braking and let the main motor /gen to help the charge.

Ideally I would like to have the hybrid setup always available, but thinking makes me feel that this will be complex. I know the vehicle makers are doing this, but they have a lot of time and resources to put to research. I want to keep this simple at the start and MAYBE look at more later.

ATM, my idea would be to add 10Kw of electric power and whatever torque I can to the trike. Again at this stage as a sort of replacement for any other form of enhancement (turbo, blower etc). I reckon that adding 10Kw of _electric_ power is significant, and then we have electric torque being constant at any revs.

So far I would see a direct connect to the rear driver shaft, with a power to the motor linked to the engine throttle, The electric motor would be always driven, so regen braking would always be available. But I would like to hear ideas. The idea of setting out early in the morning on electric, nice and quiet, and then opening up on the road is attractive...christ it may make me get out early at last! :(

Has anyone had direct experience with this idea, or even done a bit of research or a lot of thinking? I see lots of YT videos about hybrid bikes, but (shock horror) they are short on real details.
 
The idea of setting out early in the morning on electric, nice and quiet, and then opening up on the road is attractive...christ it may make me get out early at last! :(

I got that goal via reducing noise. Dual pipes, 4 baffles and 2 'DB killers'. We can hear the cicada bugs in the trees as we ride. Ride by the local golf courses, and players dont even look up. Absolutely love it. GREAT low end torque, and enough power it tore 1/4" steel on the rear axle. :xzqxz:

Only 'down side' is that you hear EVERY single rattle and noise on the trike. I have tracked down most of them. :clapping:

49581744712_de10e109ae_k.jpg


Walk softly and carry a big stick, right? Should you lack a big stick, make a lot of noise. :p

But as to your question -

"" I reckon that adding 10Kw of _electric_ power is significant""



Adding a 10kW motor doesnt seem like a lot of extra power for all the static weight added - 10kW = ~15 Horsepower. (My VTX 1800 came with 107 hp / 78 kW @ 5000 rpm stock) And the added rotating mass would be a drag on acceleration.

The hybrid idea is a good one, but I am thinking you would need a purpose built vehicle to make it even CLOSE to the same as performance as your current setup. Even if you went with a custom full electric trike rear, like Jack suggested, you would need a way to change the ~75kW of engine power you have to electricity. The generator head alone would weigh 700#+. :(

If quiet is what you are after, make things quiet. :) That was my goal, and I am VERY happy with results.
 

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