How do I connect the batteries for my electric bicycle together?

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Bruce M

I bought a bicycle kit from someone online. But, since they didn't have batteries for it, I bought those seperate. But I stupidly bought 4 12volt batteries to equal the 48volt battery needed...is there a way to connect these 4 together now?

Answer
You want to connect them is series so they add up to 48 volts.

(-) neg of bat #1 goes to the black wire on the bike.

(+) pos of bat #1 goes the the (-) neg of bat #2

(+) of bat #2 goes to the (-) of bat #3

(+) of bat #3 goes to (-) of bat #4

(+) of bat 4 goes to the hot wire on the bike.

You want to use the same gage wire that is on the kit or larger.

What is the best electric bicycle out there?

Tim

Looking for an electric bicycle for commuting...range isn't too crucial as long as it's greater than 10 miles. Affordability is important.

Answer
There are now many electric assist bicycles out there. Some come complete and some kits you adapt to your own bicycle. A great place to start might be here: http://www.electricbikesreviews.com/

There are two general types of electric assist bicycles. They are hub motors and friction motors. For either one the motor and batteries will add weight to the bicycle.

Features you will want to look for should include:

Light with a good power to weight ratio.
The added weight of the batteries should be well placed for the design of the bike and not simply put anywhere.
Ability to remove the battery for charging inside the home.

Regenerative braking captures inertial energy and tries to convert that back into electricity to charge the battery. Bicycles are much lighter than a car and so have less inertial energy to capture. Batteries can't accept a massive influx of energy at once. As a result batteries are not so good to capture inertial energy. The good news is that while this may not be an extremely useful feature it virtually comes free with an electric motor

A fairing of some sort will extend range probably more than regenerative braking. Because of its lower wind resistance an electric recumbant makes some sense: http://www.recumbents.com/wisil/e-bent/default.htm

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how much will my business increase with a toll free number?

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dani_CH

I sell large ticket items, electric bikes at a web site USAebikes.com. How many more calls would I get if I changed to a toll free number? Most customers won't order without talking to me as there are often many questions about my bikes.

Answer
None. Everyone has free long distance.

is it poss to run a bicycle or small motorcycle on 12 volts dc?

oldfarrrrt

i am trying to make an electric bike for my granddaughter. can anyone give me some suggestions on how to accomplish this? what size motor would i use? can the battery be recharged while in use? any info would be appreciated.

Answer
To answer your question, 24 to 36V would be more realistic. 12V will be a very slow e-bike (maybe that's what you want?)

That said, this is a classic make-vs-buy proposition. Let me hazard a guess that you want this by Christmas, and it needs to work, right?

I suggest buy.

The reason is, motors for e-bikes are much more robust than those you might find in a hand tool, kid's ride-on toy or a starter. A typical e-bike motor will be 500W or more sustained duty, and so will have the extra mass and cooling to handle it. A tool or starter motor just isn't built for that kind of duty and will fail in short order.

Plus, the kit will come with a speed control - and if done right the controller will do regenerative charging too.

Lucky for you, there's lots of e-bike kits, both the in-hub style and chain drive. Looks like they run about $400, with the bulk of the cost being the motor and battery.

First link below is to a site that sells both parts and complete kits. (Lots more if you google "electric bike kit" - second link is just an example).

BONUS: sub-8 second electric drag bike (last link.) Just because.

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What is riding one of the electric power assist bicycles like?

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Q. The only thing I've heard is that they even out hills a little. What else have you heard? Are they worth the high price?

Answer
You can buy a nice shop quality bike for the same price as a cheap electric bike. You will benefit from the exercise and be a lot healthier. Don't expect the batteries to last long on the cheap bikes so you end up with a 70 lb bicycle or ending up pedaling harder then a regular bike. Expect to buy a new battery pack every 6 months or so.

What is a good road bike for a beginner?

foreverana

I would really love to start cycling this summer, but I honestly don't even know where to start. I'm female and 5' 4.5" and I need to know what kind of bike would suit me best. A specific bike or brand would help a lot or a website to go to. Thank you so much!

Answer
If you are going to really ride any miles, you want a dedicated road bike. You should invest in a good quality, aluminum-frame road bike if you want efficient transportation on pavement. I found that switching from a hybrid comfort bike to a low-end road bike increased my commuting speed 30% over my sixteen-mile daily ride.

I found a Trek 1500 that weighs about 20 pounds with narrow tires. I travel downhill at 42 MPH, level at 25 MPH, with an uphill speed of about 8 MPH. Total terrain average is 12 MPH.

I shopped around year-old models at 20% discount, but found a Trek 1500 demo model at a 40% discount in a 60 cm frame size. I am 6'2" at 195 pounds, a perfect fit. With accessories, I spent $800 with a tire repair kit, pump, and lock.

Within the first 1,000 miles, I had five flat tires. I replaced the tires with a Schwalbe Marathon Plus on the rear and a Continental Gator on the front. I had no flat tires over the second 1,000 miles. The tires cost about $100.

I spent more than $100 on Night Rider 15 watt headlight and rechargeable battery pack. I bought a back-up Cat Eye lamp with four rechargeable AA batteries. I also bought red flashers for the seat post and helmet, with a duct tape loop on the helmet to hold the LED lamp. Since I ride in below-zero windchills, I paid $160 for Hotronic electric footbed heaters in leather shoes that cost $100. I also wear layers of fleece with North Face waterproof pants and Spyder backpack cover, figure another $200.
So, I spent about $1,600 on everything that I needed for 2,000 miles of riding in the past year. Spread over five years, bicycle commuting will cost me less than $0.15 per mile, which is cheaper than driving a car and provides great fitness.

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Solar Panel wattage for my Electric Bike?

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www.jkrish

I am looking to purchase an Electric Bike for transport to work. I work on an Organic farm and need to save some energy up those hills.

I need help figuring out what size solar panels would be needed to charge the battery, and whether its plausible.

I'm looking at Ebay in Australia as I am immigrating down there. I prefer to afford the foldable/portable solar panel system: 80 watt, 120 watt, 160 watt, but IF necessary a bit more.

300w 3 PHASE 36v ELECTRIC REAR WHEEL
THREE 12v 17ah SLA BATTERIES (Total 36v)

or

Motor: 250 Watt brush-less DC hub
Batteries: 24V/10Ah pack, valve regulated

can anyone out there help explain to me how to figure this out?

thanks :)

Answer
You will want to have some sort of voltage regulation.
If the panel voltage drops off you don't want to discharge the batteries on your bike.
And you would not want to overcharge your batteries.

Harbor Freight has a fold out 18 to 24 vdc solar recharger.(see link)

For a work/home commute you might not want to haul the charger around everyday.
Ask the folks at the farm if you could set up a solar charging station. They might even help.
I'd suggest a bicycle locker that has the panel on top and a couple spaces for bicycles with charging stations inside, out of the elements. Your employers may like the idea.

Ice-cream process and ingredients?

lol!

What is the process and ingredients used to day to make ice cream commercially?

(links would be fine for answers)

Thanks in advance!

Answer
Before the development of modern refrigeration, ice cream was a luxury item reserved for special occasions. Making ice cream was quite laborious. Ice was cut from lakes and ponds during the winter and stored in large heaps, in holes in the ground, or in wood-frame ice houses, insulated by straw. Many farmers and plantation owners, including U.S. Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, cut and stored ice in the winter for use in the summer. Frederic Tudor of Boston turned ice harvesting and shipping into big business, cutting ice in New England and shipping it around the world.

Ice cream was made by hand in a large bowl placed inside a tub filled with ice and salt. This was called the pot-freezer method. French confectioners refined the pot-freezer method, making ice cream in a sorbtierre (a covered pail with a handle attached to the lid). In the pot-freezer method, the temperature of the ingredients is reduced by the mixture of crushed ice and salt. The salt water is cooled by the ice, and the action of the salt on the ice causes it to (partially) melt, absorbing latent heat and bringing the mixture below the freezing point of pure water. The immersed container can also make better thermal contact with the salty water and ice mixture than it could with ice alone.

The hand-cranked churn, which also uses ice and salt for cooling, replaced the pot-freezer method. The exact origin of the hand-cranked freezer is unknown, but the first U.S. patent for one was #3254 issued to Nancy Johnson on September 9, 1843. The hand-cranked churn produced smoother ice cream than the pot freezer and did it quicker. Many inventors patented improvements on Johnson's design.

In Europe and early America, ice cream was made and sold by small businesses, mostly confectioners and caterers. Jacob Fussell of Baltimore, Maryland was the first to manufacture ice cream on a large scale. Fussell bought fresh dairy products from farmers in York County, Pennsylvania, and sold them in Baltimore. An unstable demand for his dairy products often left him with a surplus of cream, which he made into ice cream. He built his first ice cream factory in Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania, in 1851. Two years later, he moved his factory to Baltimore. Later, he opened factories in several other cities and taught the business to others, who operated their own plants. Mass production reduced the cost of ice cream and added to its popularity.
An electric ice cream maker

The development of industrial refrigeration by German engineer Carl von Linde during the 1870s eliminated the need to cut and store natural ice and when the continuous-process freezer was perfected in 1926, it allowed commercial mass production of ice cream and the birth of the modern ice cream industry.

The most common method for producing ice cream at home is to use an ice cream maker, in modern times generally an electrical device that churns the ice cream mixture while cooled inside a household freezer, or using a solution of pre-frozen salt and water, which gradually melts while the ice cream freezes. Some more expensive models have an inbuilt freezing element. A newer method of making home-made ice cream is to add liquid nitrogen to the mixture while stirring it using a spoon or spatula. Some ice cream recipes call for making a custard, folding in whipped cream, and immediately freezing the mixture.

Commercial delivery
A bicycle-based ice cream vendor in Indonesia

Ice cream can be mass-produced and thus is widely available in developed parts of the world. Ice cream can be purchased in large cartons (vats and squrounds) from supermarkets and grocery stores, in smaller quantities from ice cream shops, convenience stores, and milk bars, and in individual servings from small carts or vans at public events. In Turkey and Australia, ice cream is sometimes sold to beach-goers from small powerboats equipped with chest freezers. Some ice cream distributors sell ice cream products from traveling refrigerated vans or carts (commonly referred to in the US as "ice cream trucks"), sometimes equipped with speakers playing children's music. Traditionally, ice cream vans in the United Kingdom make a music box noise rather than actual music.

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Which commute bicycle is best for me?

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Tara

I am looking for a bicycle for a commute to work of about 8-10 miles and would consider an electric model. Can anyone offer any specific models? There is so much out there to choose from. The area where I live can be fairly hilly, so higher number of speeds would be best, and I'm wondering how often there would have to be battery replacement on an electric bike. Any help would be appreciated, preferably from personal experience, but speculation from an experienced rider would also help. Thanks.

Answer
You can get a good electric assist bicycle - for a few THOUSAND dollars. http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/collections/electric_assist/models/ Or...you could take the initiative to get a nice entry level "performance hybrid" with the gears to pull hills under your own power. And this bike may just come factory equipped with fenders & a rear rack for under $400! You will get & stay fit. Electric assist bicycles make you fat & lazy. What if the charge in the battery runs low or out at the wrong time & in the wrong place? Then you are faced pedaling an extremely heavy bike home under your own power. See these two links...

http://www.rei.com/product/826111/diamondback-insight-rs-commuter-bike-womens-special-buy
http://www.rei.com/product/826110/diamondback-insight-rs-commuter-bike-special-buy

What size dirt bike is good for me im 5,10 250 pounds?

Mark M

Looking for a trail bike not new to motorcycles but never rode a dirtbike

Answer
first off, I am 6'3" ~260 lbs and have been riding motorcycles for roughly 45 years, dirt mostly...

if you are looking for a less expensive trail bike, find a good used XR400 ('99-2004), 500 (82-85), 600 (mid 80s-mid 90s) that is in decent running shape.... don't worry so much about the normal wear parts like tires, chain, sprockets, brakes as those can all be upgraded and are readily available still. these bikes are bullet proof air cooled 4 stroke with all the latest (for their era) performance equipment with plenty of torque ... but they are very heavy (280-300 lbs). I owned probably 10 of these from '82 up thru the late '90s, they will not let you down and are great trail bike for a heavier rider.

other alternates would be a DRZ400 or KLX400 but might be a little more pricey (not much though).

others that are going to be a pretty good jump in price would be moving to a CRF450X or WR400 / 450 but these are newer models. also you might even look into the XR650 too.

then moving on up higher in price but well worth it are the KTM EXC (prior to 2007) models or the XC-W (2007 and later) models in either a 400 / 450cc or 520 / 525 / 530 but these all have the latest high performance aftermarket parts on the bike coming from the factory.

if you are looking for a good trails bike, stay away from the MX bikes as these were designed for high rpm track riding and will easily overheat at lower rpm on the trails, also have very small capacity oil and will be higher maintenance in the long run... this would be any of the bikes like CRF, YZF, KXF, RMZ, KTM SX... not to mention these are not designed for torque in pulling hills unless you have it rev'd up ...

if you want to go with a 2 stroke, something in the 250cc range like a CR, YZ, KX, RM and then merely play a little with sprocket gear ratios and the addition of a 9-14 oz flywheel weight to give you more rotational mass to increase the torque and make it not as peaky (tones the 2 stroke power band down)... also look at the KDX 200 /220 which is set up for enduro that already has the gearing & added weight from the factory (these are just a bit too short front to back for my height but alot of fun to ride).

another very good option is the CRF230 which is based on the XR line engine with an electric start but is limited in suspension & brake performance parts but it's a great little bike. I ride my daughters probably more than my KTM 525 EXC just due to it being a bit shorter seat height and makes it easier to get off and on when I am working cattle or running fence lines...

anyway, that should give you a pretty wide range of things to start looking for that would suite your size pretty well. find one that fits your price range and you will be set...

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A car that runs on something other than gas (school essay)?

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Not A CowG

This is for a school essay. The topic is, "if you could invent anything, what would it be?" And I thought a car that runs on something other then gas. Now the 2nd half of the essay is, "how would you go about making it?" I'm only in high school with NO background in engineering whatsoever. I would gladly accept any answers/help/advice, thank you!

Answer
Have you given up on the water car then?

My personal favorite would be a practical velomobile that could be used for commuting. http://pedalyourselfhealthy.org/ This is essentially a three wheeled recumbent bicycle that is covered with a fairing. (wind screen) They are made but perhaps you could "invent" a cheap convertible that would become very popular. Popularizing such a vehicle would recognize that for a personal transportation system to reach a mass market the correct supporting infrastructure must also exist. So we really can't think just about the vehicle.

Second choice would be an electric vehicle system that did not depend upon batteries. See my long answer here with cites: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20130219144323AAAji2Z

The third choice I will offer is a vehicle that runs on heat. This combines two technologies already in existence. The first is a stirling engine. This works by applying heat to one side of the engine. An efficient design would be to use the quasi turbine stirling engine: https://sites.google.com/site/quasiturbines/enginetypes/etypestirling For the heat source we would use chemical heat batteries similar to those researched by MIT that are charged with solar energy: http://cleantechnica.com/2011/07/29/21st-century-stable-thermal-energy-storage/

I am sure you might come up with a few yourself if you spent some time doing a little research into "alternative engines" or "alternative vehicles."

Best of luck with your essay.

Why Chinese car companies have turbo diesel plug-in hybrid electric cars whereas Japanese car companies don't?

fat kid

Geely Corporation's Volvo V60

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_pNPAGZDeM

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/13/volvo-introduces-production-v60-diesel-plug-in-hybrid/

Geely Corporation's Emgrand GT, though not diesel

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/25/beijing-2010-geely-emgrand-gt-plug-in-hybrid-coupe/

Answer
Yet most Chinese are still riding bicycles.

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is it poss to run a bicycle or small motorcycle on 12 volts dc?

best selling electric bikes image

oldfarrrrt

i am trying to make an electric bike for my granddaughter. can anyone give me some suggestions on how to accomplish this? what size motor would i use? can the battery be recharged while in use? any info would be appreciated.

Answer
To answer your question, 24 to 36V would be more realistic. 12V will be a very slow e-bike (maybe that's what you want?)

That said, this is a classic make-vs-buy proposition. Let me hazard a guess that you want this by Christmas, and it needs to work, right?

I suggest buy.

The reason is, motors for e-bikes are much more robust than those you might find in a hand tool, kid's ride-on toy or a starter. A typical e-bike motor will be 500W or more sustained duty, and so will have the extra mass and cooling to handle it. A tool or starter motor just isn't built for that kind of duty and will fail in short order.

Plus, the kit will come with a speed control - and if done right the controller will do regenerative charging too.

Lucky for you, there's lots of e-bike kits, both the in-hub style and chain drive. Looks like they run about $400, with the bulk of the cost being the motor and battery.

First link below is to a site that sells both parts and complete kits. (Lots more if you google "electric bike kit" - second link is just an example).

BONUS: sub-8 second electric drag bike (last link.) Just because.

How do you put a chain driven motor on a bike with suspension?

Dug

I was thinking about putting a motor on an electric motocross bike so it goes faster, the only problem is is that the motorbike has suspension in the back and I was wondering if a chain driven motor can be mounted so when I hit a bump with the suspension the chain won't pop off or become stressed.

Answer
Get your rpm ratios (drive to driven) figured out first. This may be a non-starter. You would be better off using a belt drive with a slip clutch pulley mounted on the drive shaft. Then ratios are not a big issue because the belt slips enough to give you variable and workable ratios as you vary the clutch tension.. A cobbled up chain drive can be bad news. Too much stress and it breaks. That could tear your leg open. As for the suspension, the idea would be to have new things follow the exact path and position as the old.things. If that is not possible, then you will need someone who can cut, reposition and weld. By the time that is done, you may wish you had just sold the bike and bought a bike with a gas engine. Back in the day, we did this with bicycles. Our rear wheel pulley was a second rim welded on the rear tire rim.

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CAN or could you convert a 10 speed bike to a three wheeler that you could peddle an also run off of SOLAR ?

best electric bike under 1500 image

James S

POWER
HOW much would it cost to build a bike like that?
where in the USA could i get this done

Answer
There are a few people doing this sort of thing. Most start with a trike of some description.

Here is an example. based on a recumbent trike.
http://www.solartrike.com/

Unless you need an extraordinary long range (e.g. crossing the continent) you are probably best to stay with and electric bike/trike or use a conversion kit. The weight, expense and fragile nature of most solar panels on the market don't make a good choice for a day-to-day vehicle. The best place for solar panels is on your house roof as part of a grid connected system. (can also be used to charge batteries)

If you are really keen to go with a solar powered vehicle then there are panels that can do the job for you. If you shop around for common silicon based panels then you can get them for under $10 dollar a watt. You will need about 200 watts to maintain a bike and rider at speeds of 20 mph (32km/h) on flat ground. The panel would need to be
about 1.5 sqr yards for this. If your budget extends far enough then you could go for triple layer Gallium arsenide panels that output about twice the power per sqr metre. These are used on satellites and priced as you might expect.

The next ingredient is an electric drive system. Again there are heaps to choose from
For variety, choice and ease of fitting these are hard to beat. (There others that are good as well) If you are planning on using it a lot, it is worth parting with a little extra cash, to get the much lighter and larger capacity LiFePo4 batteries. (smaller battery if carring solar panels) About $300 for the kit and anywhere from $100- $700 for batteries.
http://www.cyclone-usa.com/

Last but not least, the bike/trike that you use as your platform. If you are going to this much trouble you are probably best to start with a ready-made or custom trike. I would suggest a recumbent as they have a low centre of gravity and offer significant advantages in wind resistance. Here is some examples of some entry level trikes. There are of course others.
http://www.actionbent.com/GendTadpoles.html

If this isnât enough to put you off, then consider that a reasonably trained cyclist can usually match most legal electric bicycles for speed and blow them to the weeds for range. A good road bike about $1500 training will take a couple of months. The enjoyment and health benefits last a lifetime.

Iâm interested in putting a solar powered vehicle like this together. Just find it difficult to justify the expense.

What do you think of Electric bicycles?

Eartha Q

are they worth the price?
bikernoj ,
Gosh ! Maybe I have a reason for asking besides being fat and lazy???
Me too M R ! It's a simple question for goodness sake.
Dear Lime ..did it ever occur to you that I might have my reasons for asking!! Is that OK with you???
Thanks Bob Lahblah ..I was trying to get some informed information..but it seems the bike enthusiasts are not very nice people.

Answer
Legal Low Powered Electric Assist bikes are now becoming a great alternative for tens of thousands of commuters in the US. Use an ebike for commuting and save the price of the ebike in insurance savings and service costs, And still get a workout- no more time on that dreaded treadmill at the spa.

Some young fit folks may never need one, but, if you are one of the folks that really does not want to take their car EVERYWHERE, especially to just get a loaf of bread, Ebikes may be the thing for you.

They all have on/off switches and a way to control the level of assist. People might use maximum assist going to work, but minimum assist going home for a workout. If you have asthma or arthritis, an ebike makes the bicycling world yours again- on good days- minimum assist, on bad days - you still don't have to get in the car- just use more assist.

Fifty percent of households own bicyles but less than 5% of them use them regularly. Over 50% of households with ebikes use them on a regular basis.

Some people use their $2,000 racing bike as a roof ornament and a badge of being a yuppie. Other people take ebikes every where, saving lots of money, helping the environment, and stayiing quite fit. YOU DO HAVE TO PEDAL, other wise your range is really shortened.

Right now you can get an ebike that will go 30 miles, (with your pedal assist) make it up most any hill in most cities, feels like a normal bike, can bring home 40 lbs of groceries and has no more service issues than a normal bicycle -for about $1500. And have local service in MANY US cities.

There are today some really great ebikes, much better than 3 years ago. The Bionx, www.bionx.ca , has the most bicycle like feel, and great range. Cyclone, www.cyclone-usa.com , has the most power.
Crystalyte system kits have pretty good value
http://www.poweridestore.com .

In most US states, Ebikes are legally limited to 20mph under electric power, must have pedals that work, less than 750 watts of power, and 2 or 3 wheels (not 4), and are legal where other bikes are legal. Check your state though.

For reasons of test riding and long term support, it is highly suggested that you buy your first one from a local dealer, unless you like to work on such things your self.

The average ebike rider puts on more miles than the average regular bike rider. Why? Ebikes are more fun, less hassle, and there are just less excuses to take the car.

Many ebikes are also light enough to be put on many city busses and trains- helping with "multi-mode" commuting.

(But be careful, there is some junk out there)

What is the best kind of bicycle? The one you will ride.

Try the following yahoo discussion group for indepth information on specific ebikes:

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/power-assist/

There are great ebike dealers in Texas, Colorado, Seattle, Georgia, New York, California, Kansas, Illinois, Utah, Nevada; the list goes on and on.

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Which yamaha dual sport bike is better?

best electric bike for steep hills image

Vertigo

I was looking the 2011 WR250X, the 2011 WR250R and the 2012 TW200. I prefer the TW2000 cause is cheaper and dont know it looks nice. But i will like to know the pros and cons of each one, nore concentrated in the TW200. Thanks

Answer
Rule out the wr250x as its street tires will not be good off road.

The wr250r is a dual sport, powerful for a 250 and tall, so you will want to sit on one and see if it fits. While it won't be too comfortable on a highway it is fast enough for one. It would be a good off road bike based on the power and tires.

The TW200 has been sold for years so its easy to find one used, though I think very early models had kick starting only, so check the one you are looking at has electric start. It will be about half the price of the 250, less if you are buying used. Its 200cc engine is not very powerful, so it will not be fast enough for highway driving (top speed is around 60mph). It will be ok on easy trails, but a bit underpowered on anything with steep hills. If it doesn't matter to you about the higher speed and power of the 250, or the 250 is too tall, then I think the TW200 would be a good in town and trail bike, and fine for country riding, and will get really good gas mileage.

I think I want an electric bicycle?

Butterfly2

YES, YOU READ THAT CORRECTLY. I WANT TO HAVE EASY TRANSPORTATION TO VISIT BY GRANDCHILDREN WHO ARE 2 MILES AWAY BUT THERE ARE SOME STEEP HILLS ALONG THE WAY. I DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO OUR CAR AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE AND MY HUSBAND DOESN'T WANT TO PUT THE MONEY INTO A 2ND CAR JUST FOR MY LITTLE TRIPS. WE ARE RETIRED BUT MY HUSBAND STILL WORKS PART TIME AND NEEDS THE CAR (HE IS A PASTOR SO HE CAN BE CALLED AT ANY TIME) MY GRANDCHILDREN ARE SO CLOSE AND YET SEEMINGLY SO FAR. I WOULD WALK THERE EXCEPT FOR THE HILLS. SO, I SAW ON THE WALMART WEBSITE SOME VARIOUS DIFFERENT KINDS OF ELECTRIC BICYCLES AND SCOOTERS. THERE ARE ALSO BICYCLES WHERE YOU KIND OF SIT BACK AND PEDDLE. I KNOW THIS PROBABLY SOUNDS CRAZY BUT I JUST WANT AN INEXPENSIVE WAY TO SEE THE KIDS MORE OFTEN. I AM TOTALLY SERIOUS SO PLEASE DON'T GIVE ME ANY HURTFUL OR CRAZY ANSWERS. BUT, PLEASE SOME ONE PLEASE HELP ME. I DON'T KNOW EVEN WHERE TO PLACE THIS UNDER WHICH CATEGORY SO I AM CHOOSING AUTOS - MORE. ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU SO MUCH
So sorry about the caps. I didn't mean to insult anyone. I am new on here and I am just frustrated. Since it isn't very far to go to my grandchildren perhaps a bicycle without a motor would work but I don't know about the hills. I see there are some bikes with the seals extended back and you are sitting lower. I am sorry I don't know how to explain it. Anyway, the hills are m concern and it probably is a little farther than 2 miles. Anyway, it is a little farther than I would want to walk right now. Any suggestions about what kind of bike would be helpful to this older lady. I am in good shape but just don't feel up to doing 4-5 miles up and down these hills. I really do appreciate your answers and any help you can give me. Again, I apologize, I really didn't mean to insult anyone. Can some one please help me? Something easy to peddle. No, we are in a small college town and no buses
We will forget the electric bikes if they will become illegal soon. Thank you for your help

Answer
Look up your local laws. It's not hard to find your local statutes on motorized bicycles/mopeds. Many states consider them to be the same thing. Some places have banned combustible engines but are ok with electric motors. So look up your local statutes instead of going by word of mouth law. All to often people don't know what they're talking about. You may want to consider a gas engine kit. I can do 30 mph and get 200 mpg. Staton Inc and EZ Motorbikes sells good gas kits. You can go to motorbicycling.com and motoredbikes.com for help. I live in Tennessee we have lots of hills. I also have heart problems. I looked up my local laws then built a legal motorized bicycle. It gave me a way to keep riding in spite of a handicap. Here is a really good kit you can put on a department store hard tail steel frame mountain bike. It's the Bionx 350.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om5wXf5puL4&feature=youtube_gdata_player

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What is the cheapest electric motor I could use for an electric boat?

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Tahini Cla

I want to equip some small boat with an electric motor, which I want to run on a car battery or several.

I really wonder what I could use as a motor. Maybe truck starters? How long would the boat run on that though? I'd need something that can run four or five hours.

Answer
First of all, I don't know anything about electric motors for boats, but I have seen a lot of motorcycle conversions. The motors used for these bikes usually seem to be used for golf-karts so that they are specifically designed for DC power sources.
Here's an interesting site with conversion kits for all kinds of vehicles including boats:
http://www.electricmotorsport.com/store/ems_ev_parts.php
A conversion of a stock 50ccm motorcycle:
http://www.maxdon.com/gpr.html
Conversion of a used old Kawasaki at home:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rzi4tL3QMWk

From what I can see the main problem in all these conversions is still the battery-space and capacity, and of cause, the price.
A boat might provide enough space for the batteries but I couldn't find reliable info on the range an electric powered boat might have.
Unfortunately, I lost all my bookmarks related to electric engines. These few links here are all I can remember, sorry.

What is riding one of the electric power assist bicycles like?

Q. The only thing I've heard is that they even out hills a little. What else have you heard? Are they worth the high price?

Answer
You can buy a nice shop quality bike for the same price as a cheap electric bike. You will benefit from the exercise and be a lot healthier. Don't expect the batteries to last long on the cheap bikes so you end up with a 70 lb bicycle or ending up pedaling harder then a regular bike. Expect to buy a new battery pack every 6 months or so.

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What are the Pros and Cons of living in Japan as a foreigner?

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Q. .

Answer
Hi Anonymous


CONS
The cities are very crowded
Many streets are narrow and congested
The trains are overcrowded
It's difficult to keep Japanese houses warm in the winter
Speaking the language and also the written Japanese -especially kanji

PROS
The English language is not spoken fluently so it gives many of us useless bums a chance to be English teachers
Where I live (Hadano) it's great for bicycle riding as it's not crowded like Tokyo
It's a pretty safe country - I've been all over this joint and have never really experienced any trouble. Safer than the UK
Trains are on time.
Even though the summer is very humid, here in Hadano we do not use the air conditioner. We have the windows open day and night and let the air blow through. Three things keep me going in the summer (1) Electric fans (2) Cool showers (3) Ice-cubes made from fresh fruit
There's also an outdoor swimming pool just 5 mins by bicycle from us. It opened yesterday, so I went for a dip. Big pool and only 2 people using it. Costs only 200 yen.
Being a foreigner has some advantages - we can sometimes get away with things or do things that Japanese people cannot. The ignorant foreigner syndrome.
Your kids (if you have some) can often speak 2 languages (mine speak English & Japanese) which gives them more job opportunities.
I can 'teach' English using the telephone from my home so I have more time and I don't have to ride crowded trains (standing only)

Are there any electric vehicles that don't require a driver's license?

wayfarer4

My mother, who is legally blind, wants a vehicle that she can drive, but that doesn't qualify as an automobile. She also won't consider garden tractors, golf carts or something similar. We've seen several electric cars out, but they all qualify as automobiles. Any ideas?

Answer
Try a mobility scooter
http://www.mobility-direct.co.uk/mobilityscooters.html

Most places in the world they need to be registered, but is a concessional registration (virtually free). There is no licence required.

Depending on the degree of visual impairment, another option could be a motorised bicycle or trike.(upright or recumbent.) Examples here
http://www.electric-bikes.com/trikes/trikes.html#TerraTrike

These are capable of quite high speeds (particularly recumbents) , but can be ridden slowly, within her limits.

Commonly an electric motor and a speed restriction are required to ensure they are considered the same as a bicycle. You will need to check your traffic act to see what restrictions apply to you.

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Any one know Gladway electric bike? How can i find an electric bike shop?

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Gladway Eb

I want to find someone who are in the field of electric bikes, or a dealer or distribuotr
Macha, Are you a dealer of electric bikes?

Answer
Where are you located? There are several electric bicycle dealers around the country. You can find a good list at http://e-bikedealers.com/ or at electric-bikes.com, or bicycle-power.com. Each dealer will carry a variety of lines and products. Options for electric-assist bicycle products include 1) electric bicycles, 2) do-it-yourself conversion kits to put on your existing bike, or 3) the motorized trailer that attaches to your existing bike when you want propulsion, then remove it in seconds when you just want to pedal. If you're interested in utility biking (using a bicycle for transportation rather than a car), any of these is a good solution.

Can the pedaling energy charge the battery of an electric bike?

Drowzzy

Can the mechanical energy of pedaling be stored as electrical energy to be utilized later to run the bicycle automatically? I'm not talking about pure electric bikes that need regular charging, and not even about those that you pedal for a while as the bike stands still and then run it on electric power. I mean can you ride a bike and store the mechanical energy simultaneously? Will it be efficient? If so, then are such e-bikes available in the market, and what are they called so that I may Google for them?

Here's the scenario: I need a bicycle for regular commute, may be even for covering long distances. It's not feasible for a layman to pedal continuously for more than 5 to 10 miles. So I'm looking for a bike that you pedal for sometime, and when you're exhausted, you simply flick a button to make it run on electrical power which has been converted and stored from the mechanical energy of pedaling the bike; and then pedal again and auto-ride again and so forth. Will something like that be technically efficient, since you're moving the bike while pedaling as well as storing your spare energy?

Hope I haven't confused you. Thanks :)

Answer
You will have to pedal extra hard to keep the bike going and to charge the battery. It could be done, but it would be easier and more efficient to pedal a regular (lighter) bike.

Maybe you could use a large solar panel to power the bike

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Who knows that where is ROMAI Electric bike in India?

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Q. Pls tell me ,I want to buy ROMAI electric bike.

Answer
Owen

No luck with Romai, but here is EV. EV offers bikes, scooters, and mopeds as well os other electric two and three wheelers.

Happy New Year


Soccerref

Would a bike that can be pedal or engine powered be feasible?

Q. I think a motorcycle that is a combination of gas, electric and pedal(last resort) powered would be the ultimate money/environment saving vehicle. What do you think?
I looked up moped images and didn't see any pedals

Answer
Yes, they have been around since the 1940s, maybe even earlier. My father had one, it had a small petrol motor on the back, and it was just used to help get up hills, it had a pulley that contacted on the side of the wheel. They still make them somewhere, mainly in countries like China and India.

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how do i find out the laws on importing goods from china to the usa?

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randybates

i want to buy electric bikes in china, and sell them in america

Answer
You need a customs broker. They know relevant regulations for each commodity. Chances are the only things you'll need to confirm regulation-wise are (1) whether you need to pay duties to Uncle Sam when you bring electric bikes in from China; and (2) whether electric bicycles require UL (underwriter's laboratories) approval.

For info on duties check the US International Trade Commission's Tariff Information Center at the following link:
http://www.usitc.gov/tata/hts/bychapter/2005_supp.htm
See chapter 87 "Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof"

Frankly if you don't know the regulations governing the importation of electric bicycles from China into the U.S., then that means you probably have no experience in this industry, and there are more important questions you should be asking, such as:
Who is your target customer and how will you get their attention?
Who are your main competitors?
Why will your target customers buy your bikes and not your competitors'?
What advantage do you have selling electronic bicycles that your competitors don't have?
How will you find suppliers?
Do you have the capital to buy bikes, ship them to the U.S., inventory them, and invest in marketing to sell them?

Keep in mind that suppliers in China only sell large quantities. Unless you are prepared to import full container loads of electric bicycles there is no point buying direct from China. You should first find a domestic wholesaler or importer to buy from, that way you can get your business started with a low capital investment. Your COGs (cost of goods) will be higher, but you won't need to tie up cash in inventory. Focus on developing your customer base and growing sales. As long as you at least break even you are doing great. Then, once you have built up a customer base and have sufficient demand, you can think about finding a supplier in China. When you're at that point give me a call and I can help you - 212-847-7175. Good luck!

What year, make and model motorcycle is this?

Phill

Idk if one even exists like this but I'm looking for a street bike that has no computer of any kind and minimal electronic parts. I want one with a distributor instead of coils and a kick start instead of electric. How old a bike and what kind would I need to get to have that?

Answer
The Enfield would be good, an Indian bike of good reputation. The Russian Bike called the Ural has a good reputation too. They both originally were designed for the military; designed to be fixed in the field with minimal tools.

The problem with them in the USA, is finding a dealer. Neither have a strong dealer network here.

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dirt bike for a 13 year old girl?

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Q. i only know a little about them and i really want to ride them. my parents had them when they where younger and at my dads cousins house they have a track because he races. i don't want something slow and i don't want anything super fast just something in the middle. im about 5`2 if that helps at all. could you tell me the basics of riding and what do you think would fit me best by the way it would probably be used from craigslist and under 1000 i was looking at like something from 1997 or up but i wouldn't really trust one that old. also what gear would i need.

Answer
Since you have never had a dirtbike, I HIGHLY recommend you stay away from 2-strokes...they are cheaper in price...but they are harder to learn on and more difficult to get the hang of. You are one inch shorter than me...I am 5'3 and I ride a crf150rb. There are two types of 150's...the race and the trail. I'm not sure which kind of bike you are looking for to start on, or if you are even wanting to race. This bike is not cheap...but you can find them used and they are amazing to start on. The crf150f is the trail version, it will have an electric start and not be as fast as the race bike. It will also have a smaller price tag. The crf150r or rb ( note that they are the same bike...the rb is just a little taller...) is a race bike. It is a pretty fast bike, but since it is a 4-stroke it does not demand being on the powerband 24/7 making it also a pretty good bike to learn on. These bikes are also excellent for your size. The bike first came out in 06 for the race version, and I'm not sure about how far back the trail version of the bikes goes.
Besides the bike, you will need some riding boots. Try some Thor Women's or Fox Comp 5 boots.
You will need a helmet. Any major mx manufactuer makes a wide variety of helmets.
You will need mx gear ( pants and jersey, gloves, googles.) You can pick whatever brand you like best for these items. There is Fox, Thor, One Industries, Answer, O'Neal, MSR, etc.
Have fun girl! Welcome to the dirtbike world! Hope you enjoy whatever you decide to get!

I'm looking for small(not pocket Rockets or really small) motor bikes that will be under $1000 with taxes.

Twilight R

I saw one up at my local TSC store and was wondering if anyone had any othrs they knew of, or a list or site ,but I'm also tring to find one that can be used on the street(not even legal,lol) but have head lights and I'll need the CC of the engine and the tank capacity,not looking for Electric.

please reply here and in an E-mail at currinbrandon@yahoo.com

Answer
You can get some reasonable used motorcycles in that price range, especially if you wait until October or November.

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is it possible to make a bicycle motorized with a weed wacker ?

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randy

is it possible to make a bicycle motorized with a weed wacker. I need details

Answer
Yes, but it stinks, is loud and is ugly. People will give you looks. Also when the thing inevitably breaks down or runs out of gas you have a deadweight on your bike.

Cycling is actually very easy if you use your gears well. Checkout Sheldon Brown [link below] for some expert advice on how to get the most of your gears.

If you are intent on being lazy or maybe have a good reason for assisted cycling I'd recommend an electric assist. These can be added to the hub of a modified wheel pretty easily. And the electricity is tiny compared to the price of gas. There are some pretty slick systems. The most important part is a nice battery that is long lasting. I think the new Lithion-Ion batteries are lighter and better (but not cheaper)

Try the renaissance electric bikes company, they can help you out.

How can I make a 9 Volt alert for a battery powered wheelchair.?

Dennis

I use a battery powered wheelchair to get around in. I live in a senior/assisted living home and I use a elevator often. At times I need to back out of the elevator and I can not see behind me. Also at times other people are just standing around blocking my path. I don't want anything really loud.. just enough to be heard.

Answer
Instead of going through all the trouble of buying, installing and wiring a horn like this, buy yourself a bicycle horn, it mounts very easy and you can get the sound that you want...

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What are the steps to make an electric bike out of items that are not 100$?

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teal289

How do I make a motor for a electric bike what pieces do I need ?

Answer
To make a high-quality one that can go fairly fast, you probably couldn't.

On the other hand, if you don't want to go above 15-20mph, you could probably make one for under $100. Buy a cheap broken electric scooter. Chances are the motor on it still works and you can use that. Those motors can get you going close to 20mph with the right gear ratios.

A motor controller could also be obtained from a scooter, or, if the motor you are using is not significantly powerful (<36v), you could probably buy a brand new controller for fairly cheap.

Batteries may cost a little more, but you could get sealed lead acid batteries for under $100 for sure.

Plus, their are the little things like the throttle, which is generally a potentiometer. These can be very cheap on Ebay.

Electric bike- I want to buy one that is top quality and easy to use?

irunwithbu

Any suggestions on a great electric bike?
I want to get a bike that I can pedal and goes maybe 20 mph??

Answer
I bought one recently, but it wasn't top quality - actually it was the cheapest I could find. The E-Zip Mountain Trailz. It's actually pretty good, but the realistic range is only about 13 miles.

I've heard that Giant makes some really good ones:

http://nycewheels.com/giant-electric-bike.html

As does Currie Technologies. They make both the E-Zip (cheap version) and the i-Zip (higher quality).

http://www.currietech.com/html/07_ezip_main_prod.html
http://www.izipusa.com/

The main things you want to look at are range, battery type, and weight. Obviously lighter and longer range are better. Mine claims to go 15-22 miles/charge and only gets 13, so performance may not meet the claims. I think the range claims are based on biking pretty slowly.

Sealed lead acid batteries are the cheapest and most economical, but only last about a year. Bikes with NiMh batteries last about twice as long, but the battery costs about 3 times as much as a SLA battery. Lithium ion batteries are very expensive but last a very long time.

Good luck.

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what is stopping people from just replacing a gas engine with an electric engine?

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Q. What is stopping people from just replacing a gas engine with an electric engine. I know a little bit about cars but not enough to know this answer. What makes an engine go from 8000 rpm or so down back to like 1 or 2 thousand rpm when you shift gears. Could you do the same thing with an electric engine?
Where would i be able to look at find motors with the type of power a car would call for?

Answer
If you want the equivalent of a golf cart, there are companies that will make the conversion for you. It will cost you thousands of dollars and you won't be able to go from L.A. to Anaheim on a charge.

The biggest barrier is batteries.

Gasoline has an energy density of about 46.19 Newton-Meters per kilogram (energy units per unit of weight).

A lead acid battery (the cheapest kind) comes in at 0.11 NM/Kg. That means it takes more than 400 times as much lead-acid battery to get as much energy as the same weight of gas.

The next generation of battery, the nickel-metal-hydride (NMh) they use in most hybrids, has a better energy density, but it's still only twice as dense as a lead acid, or 200 times more weight for the same energy as gasoline. On an energy per cubic centimeter basis, it's a lot better, but still takes 100 times as much space per unit of energy.

The newest batteries, used in laptops and the all-electric Tesla sports car, are lithium-ion. An experimental Japanese sedan, the Eliica, with eight wheel motors and lithium-ion batteries ran 230 mph a few years ago, but it cost a fortune, and we haven't heard from it since. These batteries have an energy density by weight three times that of an NMh, and 5 times by volume. So gasoline is only18 times as dense by volume. Still, imagine having to find room for 18 gas tanks in your car!

As to gears, you need gears for mechanical advantage (like a lever) to allow the engine to remain in its most efficient operating range at varying speeds.

Most gas engines do their best work between about 2,400 rpms and 5,000 rpms. A high performance engine's range will be higher, but they all need gears, or else they either couldn't get going from rest (geared too high) or would run out of breath before they reached freeway speed (geared too low).

If you ever rode a ten-speed bike, you'll know that you need low gears for going up hills and high gears to keep up with the pedals going down. Same with a car.

the Tesla now has only one gear. That's because an electric motor produces its maximum torque (the force to move the car) at zero rpms (from a dead stop). If you want one, they are taking deposits. They only cost around $100,000.

BTW, if you want to avoid sounding uninformed, technically the electric unit is called a "motor" while the internal combustion one is called an "engine." It's an engineering distinction.

Does the government have alternate sources of energy that they are not disclosing?

NortDaddy

The worldâs economy is based on petroleum products. Every known alternate or hybrid source of energy is only a stop-gap for oil, not a replacement. Everything we know only prolongs the supply, or shifts it from the current means. If the government can still make money on oil, are they hiding the solution until we run dry?

Answer
Yes and No.
There will always be oil, petrol for the Elite.
While they ruin the planet with lear jets and motor yachts, we will be using electric technology that was used in the first part of the 20th century.
One of the first working automobiles was an electric car.
One of the first Internal Combustion autos, Henry Fords Model T , got 24 MPG, that is better than any hummer.
That was 100 years ago.
Mr Stanleys Steamer used coal, or whatever would burn, horse droppings, cattle pooh, dead limbs of trees to generate Steam Compression. It worked then, it works now.
The current gov makes a TON of revenues from Petrol products. They levy taxes on the purchase of the vehicle, they levy taxes on the use of the vehicle, they levy taxes on the fuel it uses to operate, then they levy taxes on the destruction of the vehicle. It is a win/win for them.
Solar Power, developed by NASA with Tax $, is now a private industry. It is a known fact that if 1/16 of Nevada was used as a solar collection area, it could generate enough electricity to power 1/2 of the nation, 24/7.
Add wind and Tidal collections you would have the country covered in renewable, safe, clean energy.
Look at an interstate highway, if one could have a train transport there personal vehicle, and take buses , 80 people not driving 80 vehicles could travel across the country in three days and there cars would be waiting after they arrived.
The interstate highways and other infrastructure is collapsing around us while we rebuild some other country that we were responsible for partially destroying.
If more cities and towns used buses that ran on hybrid or bio diesel, that would save a mass of oil and environment.
I ride a bike, I take the buses, or I sail.
I choose to.

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Can't get to saffron city from cerulean city in Pokemon fire red?

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Q. Ok so I went aboard the ss Anne and fought all the trainers and got the cut hm. So I tried going back to cerulean city but the guard said the road was closed. Now, being the master hacker that I am, I used abra's teleport to get to cerulean city. Now I can't get back to saffron city because the officer still says the road is closed. How can I fix this? The last time I saved was on the ss Anne.

Answer
The SS Anne is in Vermilion City next to diglett cave. To get to Saffron City you need to get the tea from the old women in Celadon City, and to get to Celadon City you need to use the underground next to Lavender Town. To get to Lavender town you need to go through Rock Tunnel next to Cerulean City. Here's what to do.

1) Get off of the SS Anne and fight in the electric Gym.
2) Go through Diglett Cave and get HM Flash.
3) Teach Flash to you Abra.
4) Go back through Diglett Cave to get into Vermilion City again and get the bike coupon from the old man in the pokemon fan club.
5) Go up route 6 and into the underground tunnel to get back to Cerulean City. and use the bike coupon at the bike shop.
6) Then go across to route 9 to get to rock tunnel and use Flash in the cave to light it up.
7) when you get to the end of Rock tunnel you will be in Lavender town. Then leave to the Left to get onto route 8 and at the end there will be another underground tunnel like in Cerulean City. This will take you too Celadon City. You need to complete the Grass Gym first.
8) After the Grass Gym you need to go into the Casino in Celadon City. And go down into the basement to get the Silph Scope leave once you have it.
9) Then at the top of the city to the left of the pokemon centre there is a large building. Inside should be an old women with a cup of tea. If you take this tea to any of the guards around Saffron City they will let you in.

which bike do you think women would like more?

koy

which one do you think a guy could pick up more women with? a hayabusa or a zx-14?

Answer
an mini electric moped. chicks DIG it!

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when do the 2013 dirt bikes come out?

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Linda

im looking to get a new 250 dirt bike and i want to know when the 2013s come out. I am looking at honda, kawasaki, suzuki, ktm, yamaha...all the major brands.

Answer
All the bikes come out the same time, around the end of 2012. All the bikes are very similar, you're going to have to ride each of the bikes to find your preference.

KTM is way too much money, currency between Austria and the US isn't good. Yamaha is too advanced, their 2013 models are going to look like a futuristic robot, and it might even have electric start, which adds around 20 lbs.

Kawasaki is great as the 2012 model almost dominates the other bikes. I prefer the Suzuki, but it's all rider preference. Suzuki isn't over designed, it's the best bike in my opinion. Next years bikes could go from $8,000, but the KTMs... (Keep Throwing Money). Could go up to $10,000.

what engines are capable to run 100% on hho, h2, hydrogen gas for vehicles?

David Schw

Is there ideal engines for the conversion? I want to construct a van that holds enough hydrogen to operate 200 miles power day ++ and cover it with solar panels & a bracket to hold a1,500 watt windmill. Ideally,I would use an AC outlet to produce the hydrogen but with added options to make its own too. This is the ultimate bug out vehicle. I will probably wonder off into the wilderness forever once its complete.

Answer
Sounds like an interesting project. There are some car companies that make hydrogen internal combustion engines/cars but they are hugely expensive and conversions from gas to hydrogen has some problems. A propane engine design might be suitable for adaptation to hydrogen. The fuel/air mixture is much different for hydrogen requiring special carbs and engine timing changes and hydrogen embrittlement of engine parts or exhaust can lower engine life and other parts.
Storing hydrogen is another issue as it requires a large volume of gas under very high pressures to have a suitable range you're looking for.....special tanks, lines, valves, refueling, etc..

There are some new methods coming out to make on-demand low pressure hydrogen gas using chemical processes like sodium silicides or cobalt catalysts which could alleviate some of the problems with onboard storage/use. You can also make hydrogen from urine which has twice the hydrogen molecules as water and splits apart in electrolysis at lower voltages..

Related links on chemical hydrogen production....

http://www.onlinetes.com/tes-0311-hydrogen-fuel-cells-sodium-silicide.aspx
http://news.discovery.com/tech/magic-powder-fuels-electric-bike.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TinQ3iV403s&NR=1&feature=fvwp

Cobalt catalysts ...
http://phys.org/news187031401.html#nRlv
http://phys.org/news/2012-08-scientists-h2-fuel-cells-inexpensive.html#ajTabs
http://www.suncatalytix.com/tech.html

Urine to hydrogen...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31805166/ns/technology_and_science-innovation/


Videos on hydrogen engine fundamentals...
http://www.metacafe.com/videos_about/hydrogen_fuel_-_engine_fundamentals_/

Hydrogen IC vehicle history...the first IC powered car actually ran on hydrogen back in 1807....decades before gasoline or diesel engines
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_hydrogen_internal_combustion_engine_vehicles
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francois_Isaac_de_Rivaz

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