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

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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

Does anyone know where to get a good looking electric bike for around $400 in or close to philadelphia?

THATGUY

I need an electric bike for parking issues(tickets)..I am able to spend up to 400 but i also want a good looking bike hahaha..anyone know of a place in or close to the philadelphia area?

Answer
Good electric bikes start at around $1500 and go up from there. Even decent conversion kits are about $1000. Anything lower than that price point will be a slow, disappointing, heavy pile of junk.

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/collections/electric_assist/t80_plus_gl/#

Just sell your car, you aren't responsible with a motor vehicle anyway.

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Which countries now have full-electric car technology besides China and Japan?

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Q. BYD e6 electric full-size SUV: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BYD_e6

Nissan LEAF compact electric car: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_Leaf

* Chevrolet Volt is not full-electric besides it needs gasoline as fuel.

Answer
It depends upon what you mean by "full-electric car technology" and by asking "which countries"...

Electric cars are not a national phenomena. They are things. National policies can promote electric cars but to my knowledge no country has nationalized an electric car building company and is producing electric cars on their own. Corporations may give some a feeling of national pride or identity but many corporations are multi national and may hold allegiance to no country.

Countries and areas that promote electric cars with incentives are more likely to attract corporations that are making electric cars. Such companies are in some ways not very different than other corporations. If an area will provide certain grants, property, utilities, or tax incentives then companies are more likely to build a plant in that location. Having cheap labor and reasonable lines of supply are also a plus. Selling their products may require a different set of incentives to attract buyers.

A case in point may be "Better Place." http://www.betterplace.com/ This company does not make cars. They sell a battery swapping service. They have several international initial target locations including: Israel, Denmark, Australia and Hawaii, San Francisco and Canada. The nissan leaf was to be a part of their system and may be in the future. For now they are swapping batteries on the Renault Fluence ZE. http://www.betterplace.com/ By some measure this might be considered a "full-electric car technology," but to what country are you going to attribute this technology? Shai Agassi, the companies founder and CEO has lived in California and Israel.

The Tesla Roadster is an American company and a media success. It is now selling their cars internationally, but the actual number of vehicles sold is presently just over 1000.1 Their are many lessor known electric vehicle companies that may happily sell you a vehicle that is hardly a production run. For a full production run of a full electric vehicle (BEV: battery electric vehicle) that is fully highway capable in the US we are looking to the Nissan Leaf as a first. Zap vehicles have been built in China for years and sold by an American Company internationally as motorcycles but we might not necessarily put these in the same class as the Nissan Leaf. The same may be true of other of the ess expensive Chinese cars.

I would agree that the Volt is not a "full electric" vehicle, but it is more electric than the more parallel hybrid prius. From a purist point of view perhaps even a BEV is not a pure electric vehicle as it uses chemistry in the batteries. A pure electric might use ultracapacitors for storage or something like this: http://electric-vehicles-cars-bikes.blogspot.com/2009/08/korean-researchers-develop-electric.html

Where can I buy a CHEAP electric bike in Melbourne/Australia,I have seen a few from China and cost under $300.

Croix du S

Answer
The Electric Bicycle Co.
91-95 Tulip St, Cheltenham, VIC 3192
(03) 9584 3000
Not really sure on their prices though

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