Charging with a portable generator?

[SamM]

Would recharging an Enertia with a portable generator work? Don't see why it wouldn't. Could I increase my range with one of these? Assuming I could carry one along with me? It uses 1 gal of fuel every 9.6 hrs.

Thanks!

SamM

[Brammofan]

Well, you could do it, but should you do it?  Part of the experience of owning an electric motorcycle is the knowledge that the bike is not contributing to air pollution... at least from the "tailpipe."  That is certainly one of the most significant advantages of an electric bike for me.  I actually feel a bit guilty getting my electricity from a coal-fired plant, and would (if it were available to me) pay more per kWh for renewable energy.

So sure, you could do this... but you could also drive a Hummer and eat Bald Eagles for dinner (although you'd get arrested for the latter).  I guess you have to ask yourself what's important to you about owning an electric vehicle.

[protomech]

It's technically possible. Slow charge times combined with poor efficiency make that a bad idea.

EU2000i is rated at 1600w continuous, 2000w peak -- 4 hours per gallon at the rated load, 9.6 hours per gallon at 1/4 load.

A full charge on the Enertia requires about 4kwh over 4 hours, generator will probably use around 0.8 gallons of gas.

Given a range of 20-40 miles per charge, that gives you 25-50 mpg -- with stopping every 20-40 miles to recharge for 4 hours. You can do much better than that on a Ninja 250 or similar.

EVs are not ideal long-distance travel vehicles, and may never be. Question is, is their range long enough for the overwhelming majority of your needs?

[Gavin]

The only time I could see doing this would be if I took an Electric motorcycle on one of our weekend camping trips. No electricity out where we camp....but we do run a generator to keep the kegs cold

But we do long weekend rides, so even then I don't think the Electric motorcycle would be the way to go.

Gavin

[SamM]

Well, you could do it, but should you do it? Part of the experience of owning an electric motorcycle is the knowledge that the bike is not contributing to air pollution... at least from the "tailpipe."  That is certainly one of the most significant advantages of an electric bike for me.  I actually feel a bit guilty getting my electricity from a coal-fired plant, and would (if it were available to me) pay more per kWh for renewable energy.

So sure, you could do this... but you could also drive a Hummer and eat Bald Eagles for dinner (although you'd get arrested for the latter).  I guess you have to ask yourself what's important to you about owning an electric vehicle.

Why would you feel quilty for something that you have no control over? Like a coal-fired powerplant. Did you build it or something? What's wrong with Hummers? I have friends that own them. One runs on diesel and the other gets 25mpg which is better than my Jeep Liberty! That's poor logic! If you ran a Hummer on bio-diesel made locally from waste vegetable oil it would be green. All the schoolbuses in the county where I live run on bio-diesel.

I'm all for doing what we can but we are still bound by reality. I'm currently building a new green passive solar home. I'd love to add a PV system but costs (30K) are way too high to allow this, at this point in time. I'll be using coal-fired electricity, without guilt because that's what's here. Maybe I shouldn't put heat in it because my power comes from a coal-fired plant. I'm sure it's coming to that. Thankfully, I have 107 acres of trees to burn.

What's the problem with trying to extend the range of a motorcycle into something more useful? What's important to me, is not sending anymore money to Saudi Arabia than I have to. Unfortuantely, I have to!

Should I do it?

SamM

[Kelly Olsen]

The only time I could see doing this would be if I took an Electric motorcycle on one of our weekend camping trips. No electricity out where we camp....but we do run a generator to keep the kegs cold

Now that is some dedication to the taste of beer. What do you do to keep beer loving bears away from the beer?

[SamM]

Does the Enertia need to go into a shutdown mode for charging? After thinking about it for awhile, I seem to remember something about that. If so, this all becomes a moot point! I need to recharge as I'm riding. Probably not an option with the Enertia.

SamM

[protomech]

Does the Enertia need to go into a shutdown mode for charging? After thinking about it for awhile, I seem to remember something about that. If so, this all becomes a moot point! I need to recharge as I'm riding. Probably not an option with the Enertia.

SamM

Correct, Sam. You can either charge or discharge - and while you can discharge the battery as rapidly as 20-60 minutes, a full charge at 110v would take 4 hours. So even if you could charge while riding, you would only extend the range slightly and still have to stop for 3 hours after 25-50 miles.

[SamM]

Correct, Sam. You can either charge or discharge - and while you can discharge the battery as rapidly as 20-60 minutes, a full charge at 110v would take 4 hours. So even if you could charge while riding, you would only extend the range slightly and still have to stop for 3 hours after 25-50 miles.

Thanks protomech! That helps! I was thinking I could just drag a generator around behind me and extend the range a bit. Not going to happen. I'll be waiting for at least a 60 mile range before I buy. That type of range makes the bike work for me in all situations. Honestly, I'd rather not bother with a generator. I'd like to ride it and enjoy the peace and quite. Finally! 

SamM

[beatsdddx]

Wow SamM sounds like your trying to
create a DIY hybrid motorcycle!

I read that MotoCzysz plans to make hybrid E1pc.
Czysz claims this way, he would have the crazy torque of electric
and extended range with a generator to recharge the batteries.

for now.......... I'll say good luck with that!

[Brammowannabe]

Well, you could do it, but should you do it? Part of the experience of owning an electric motorcycle is the knowledge that the bike is not contributing to air pollution... at least from the "tailpipe."  That is certainly one of the most significant advantages of an electric bike for me.  I actually feel a bit guilty getting my electricity from a coal-fired plant, and would (if it were available to me) pay more per kWh for renewable energy.

So sure, you could do this... but you could also drive a Hummer and eat Bald Eagles for dinner (although you'd get arrested for the latter).  I guess you have to ask yourself what's important to you about owning an electric vehicle.

Why would you feel quilty for something that you have no control over? Like a coal-fired powerplant. Did you build it or something? What's wrong with Hummers? I have friends that own them. One runs on diesel and the other gets 25mpg which is better than my Jeep Liberty! That's poor logic! If you ran a Hummer on bio-diesel made locally from waste vegetable oil it would be green. All the schoolbuses in the county where I live run on bio-diesel.

I'm all for doing what we can but we are still bound by reality. I'm currently building a new green passive solar home. I'd love to add a PV system but costs (30K) are way too high to allow this, at this point in time. I'll be using coal-fired electricity, without guilt because that's what's here. Maybe I shouldn't put heat in it because my power comes from a coal-fired plant. I'm sure it's coming to that. Thankfully, I have 107 acres of trees to burn.

What's the problem with trying to extend the range of a motorcycle into something more useful? What's important to me, is not sending anymore money to Saudi Arabia than I have to. Unfortuantely, I have to!

Should I do it?

SamM

First off, new diesels under truck/bus size have particulate filters and won’t run on bio diesel without damage.  I drive a 04 golf for that reason and can upgrade since I run bio diesel.   Also 25 mpg is pathetic.  My golf gets 45 mpg and a diesel minvan still gets 30+.  Hummers are a huge waste of resources room and are only sold to men who need to compensate.  I’d agree with the second poster, the whole idea is to not be using fuel and polluting by driving an electric bike.  Theoretically you need a 4k gen to keep running nonstop.  Not to mention the additional weight would give you worse mileage.  I would consider charging from an rv that is already running to get you to some ware. 

[WanderLust]

"Dragging" a generator behind you (hopefully on a small trailer of some sort) sounds like a bad idea on a bike like Enertia (or any bike for that matter) for more reasons than one.
1) As Protomech said, you can't charge and discharge at the same time. It may be possible with mods, to run off the generator, may be with a switch of some sort, when you run out of juice in the batteries, flip a switch to charge the battery and run off the gen...
2) Even if you did something like what I mentioned above, the added drag from (at least) two tires for the "Trailer" would add a lot more inefficiency. It would also make for a less aerodynamic profile, hence more inefficiency.
3) Add to that the additional weight of the Gen and fuel; about 50lbs more weight plus the weight of the "trailer". That's more than 25% my weight.
4) Safety and handling. Breaking would be a concern. Coming to a safe stop fast, is probably more important than getting to speed in a hurry. I've never seen a bike tugging a trailer, and there's probably a good reason for that.

Also I'm assuming you'd use a trailer, unless you strap the gen to your back which doesn't sound like a very bright idea either.

Unless someone came up with a tightly coupled hybrid system, I don't see this working very well...
Even then, the added complexity, weight and price for performance may make it unfeasible...

As Brammofan put it, the main reason most of us are getting electric bikes is to get away from gas.

SamM you said unless you got a 60 mile range, it may not work for you. well guess what, there's light at the end of the tunnel. Enter Enertia Plus and Empulse. Both available (hopefully by mid next year) soon with more than a 60 mile range.

[WanderLust]

Ok just realized this was an old post...
Sorry too much caffeine and too little sleep.

[SamM]

SamM you said unless you got a 60 mile range, it may not work for you. well guess what, there's light at the end of the tunnel. Enter Enertia Plus and Empulse. Both available (hopefully by mid next year) soon with more than a 60 mile range.

Yep, 80miles works for me. I could make it the 25 miles into town and back without a charge. My Enertia Plus was ordered way back in February. Now if I could just get my American designed and manufactured Brammo Enertia Plus I'd be happy. Made in Hungary doesn't work for me. 

SamM

[WanderLust]

SamM you said unless you got a 60 mile range, it may not work for you. well guess what, there's light at the end of the tunnel. Enter Enertia Plus and Empulse. Both available (hopefully by mid next year) soon with more than a 60 mile range.

Yep, 80miles works for me. I could make it the 25 miles into town and back without a charge. My Enertia Plus was ordered way back in February. Now if I could just get my American designed and manufactured Brammo Enertia Plus I'd be happy. Made in Hungary doesn't work for me. 

SamM

I'll take mine as soon as it's available thank you very much, I don't really care where it's made. If they need to assemble it in Hungry to keep costs down and make it a reality, so be it!