Motorcycle Forums

re ZeroDS

Thank you for taking my words out of context and omitting the part about an industry standard battery swapping infrastructure.

I agree that when it comes to refuelling a vehicle nothing is as convenient as plugging it into the mains elecricity supply at home. It's when you venture further afield that the problems arise. Only when electric vehicles can more easily be used beyond the limit of their range can they hope to be of greater use to the public as a whole, hence my comment about being able to swap industry standard-sized batteries at fuel stations.

I, along with many other motorcyclists, ride my bike way beyond the range presently offered by batteries. If those who are developing this technology could agree an industry standard sized battery and persuade the power generating industry to get behind them and build a nationwide infrastructure similar to that of fossil fuel providers then the lack of range wouldn't be a problem.

What would then be a problem is how all the extra electricity required to power millions of battery vehicles would be generated. At present our electricity comes mainly from coal-fired power stations. The government is investing heavily in wind farms but that won't generate nearly enough. So that leaves us with nuclear power, which is also a government preferred option, though I doubt very many people want a nuclear power plant on their doorstep.

I suspect the reason the power generating industry hasn't got behind electric vehicles is that they see no long-term future in doing so. It would take an awful lot of investment which could be wasted if, as could well be the case, a more viable alternative to battery-powered vehicles is developed in the future.

So please, let's not get too evangelical about battery-powered vehicles as, when put into the wider context of electricity generation, they too have their problems. I dare say they will play their part in an integrated transport system as a commuting alternative but any more than that is wishful thinking. We all know something needs to be done but I suspect any dramatic change will only take place when it is politically expedient to make that change.

And just so you know I have ridden a battery powered bike that was being developed by the guys behind one of the TTX race bikes. It was interesting but not that engaging, though I admit it was an early road going version. More interesting was the fact that the chap developing it, who rode this bike daily, was surprised at how much energy I, along with others, had used when we rode it. Perhaps we provided an insight as to how other motorcyclist might use a battery-powered bike.

ZeroDS

Why would anybody buy a sports styled motorbike and ride it like a commuter bike? Almost every ride out I've been on involves slightly spirited riding (ie fairly quick pace) with a fuel stop so typically around 150-220 miles in range. I use my motorbike for commuting but also much much more than just that (touring, rallying, track days - ride there/use on track/ride back home, visiting different venues which could be quite some distance away, occassionally doing some shopping etc). For some of these an electric bike could be utilised but certainly not for all of them.

The truth is that electric vehicles have some extreme limitations. If you want to limit yourself to only being able to use the vehicle for certain circumstances then by all means go ahead and buy an electric bike/ car. Do not however try to ignore the very significant limitations that these vehicles have.

I rode to germany last weekend and back to see a show. That was 880 miles in 4 days with luggage and all ridden at moderate pace (ie around the speed limit on motorways etc). I could not ever have dreamed of doing such a journey on an electric vehicle. I used to work away from home for a while which involved stopping over in a B&B monday to friday (about 160 miles from where I lived). I could never have contemplated that with an electric vehicle. I sometimes go away to rallies or shows and most of them don't have provisions for recharging. None of the parking facilities at any UK company I've ever worked at had recharging points and trailing an extension lead from one of the buildings wouldn't have been tolerated from a health and Safety view point (tripping hazard and also cable length would have been excessive leading to possibility of overheating the extension lead or reducing the current so much that recharging times are multiplied.

Vehicles do have collisions from time to time which would involve potential damage to batteries. Both Lithium Ion and Nickel Metal Hydride batteries have  health concerns (carcinegens and fetal harm to name some of the most prominent). I have heard of cases whereby electric vehicles were left to burn because full body respirators weren't available for the fire fighters.

Production of the batteries is an extrememly Carbon Monoxide rich producing process. The processing of the raw elements for the batteries produces significant amounts of pollutants equivalent to running a conventional petrol powered vehicle for  a couple of years.

Industry likes to extol the virtues of new technology as it can make money out of them but after a while the flaws in that technology become evident. For example CD's do not last for ever etc.

You may have an opinion about about electric vehicles but everybody else is also allowed to have their own. I can not see electric vehicles being a realistic transportation source unless exchangeable common fit batteries are developed which can be exchaged at realistic costs.

As others have mentioned where does the power to recharge these vehicles come from? Wind farms are one of the least efficient forms of extracting energy and only ever work if there's wind (god help this country if we get a sustained cold/ dark period without wind as parts of the country will end up being cut off - or we'll simply end up buying electricity from overseas at whatever mark up they want).

Long distance?

Every year, I like to take my bike on the continent. How long would it take me on an electric bike to go from Lancashire to Portsmouth? At the moment, it takes me about 6 hours although on one occasion a few years ago, in a mad rush, I did it in 4 and half hours. If an electric bike can do that, I'll be in the queue for one tomorrow, but I doubt if I'll see one do that in my lifetime and I think I've got quite a few years to go yet.

re zero ds

I never thought the CB1300 was too heavy because it's a Retro beast built for comfort not a race bike. I dont believe electric bikes or cars or cycles are the answer to our energy/polution problems but thats beside the point problem is manufacturers will bring out a new technology a long time before its perfected ( I phone anyone). Most cars are only any use in a small range 30 miles round trips and even though manufacturers will tell you the range in perfect conditions they dont tell you how much use they are when you are stuck in traffic wipers on lights on heater trying to clear the glass. The main problem is not just the range but when you do run out of charge you cant just pour some more in the and a no amount of man servants will help. As for the benefits to the environment the dangerous chemicals that make up the power pack the fact that power stations produce huge emissions not to mention mining these chemicals and sending them around the world for processing and then disposing of the power pack at the end of it's service life that believe me will be no where near half a million km as any MK1 Prius owner will tell you. The moving parts may be good for half a mill but the battery will be limited to time and recharging cycle. And as you do not mention what model of electric bike you have I assume it's a scooter the RC-E has a car power pack that will not be as cheap. The petrol / diesel piston engines are a refined tech that has an exsisting infrastructure. I like piston engines & will only consider an electric alternative when they are ready & have benefits they are designed to achieve. 

For those that complain that they can't take their yearly trek across Europe I can only say, pull out the other bike for that trip. E-bikes are not meant for that, maybe never will be unless there's some sort of quick-change battery system universally adopted. These are urban commuters that should do well within their battery range. Many of my friends that ride have more than one bike, their touring style bike used for road trips and something smaller, usually lighter, used for around town use. I can see something like this slotting well into that use.