Kathryn Davies says: This looks awesome! How fast can it go though? Does it have a battery? and can you only use it when it's sunny?

Nigel Jarman says: At the moment I am in the stage of building a prototype to offer proof of concept and also to study better the vehicle's characteristics in use and to futher develop its design to be more simplistic and cheaper.

To achieve the low cost of the vehicle, its main construction components for the chassis and bodypanels will be varnished wood (pine for chassis, plywood for bodypanels). An aluminmum model, I estimate, would cost 50% more, and would be the next step in development for higher priced markets. The drive mechanism is based on established cycle technology and cheaply available off the shelf electric motors.

It will also have twin sets of pedals so that one or both passengers can pedal, this could allow it to go faster (whilst unassisted by the motor) than the 15mph limit of the 250w electric motor which UK law allows. Reaching speeds of 30mph would, I imagine, be entirely feasible. It may even be possible to reach 50mph and thus I'm considering adding an airbrake to suppliment the disc brakes when going down hill at speed. I envisage an average journey would see people pedalling on the flat and using the electric motor to help with hill climbing and pulling away from a standing start.

As it's classified in the UK as a pedelec, once more funding is avialable,
it could be tested and classified as an E-Bike. This would allow for more flexibility in the need to pedal whilst moving. Due to being under 60kg, having 3 wheels with a 250watt electric motor and pedals, it avoids the need for an MOT, road tax or compulsory vehicle insurance.

I would be looking at resin polycrystalline solar panels, for their lightweight and durability aspects. Whilst the initial vehicle would have a range of around 2 miles on solar generated electric per day, adding more panels could push your range up to 100 miles, for an extra estimated £1,500 in panel costs. This would mean that a person, on low income, could afford to buy the basic vehicle and as they save up, they could add extra panels themselves or revisit their local dealer to have more installed.

Simple and cheap lead acid batteries would be utilized for power storage, and easily upgraded if a customer wanted. Part of my design is to create
a vehicle that can be easily retrofitted by the user to their requirements and rather than costing more than a house to buy, like many existing electric vehicles that are in the current market place, it is affordable by people
on minimum wage levels,upgradable, and easily repaired at low cost.

I also consider high ground clearance as an important necessity not usually found in such vehicles of this nature, to aid not just negotiating speed bumps, but also potholes, dirt tracks and mild flooding. Other benefits to that would also mean increased visibility in traffic owing to being on an equal eye level with existing car drivers and avoid the psychological submissive feelings some say are associated with
current recumbent cycle designs.

With the sociable side by side passenger seating, this would also aid
to the social aspects and improved driving assistance of having another
pair of eyes to help with GPS, traffic/pedestrian watching.

With its low cost, the vehicle would be eligible for the UK government's cycle to work grant which would pay between 30% to 50% of the purchase price, thus making it potentionally cheaper to buy than a years worth of public transport by bus in London!

I envisage localised small workshop production to avoid the need for large capital investment in a central factory. This will allow the use of locally sourced parts which may differ from the original components in the existing design specfifications and allow for rapid research, development and improvements to the vehicle, allowing the design to evolve as needed.

Local production could also see a reduction in import requirements, creating more local jobs, further developing local supply industries and helping the local money supply by recycling wealth from the consumer through the manufacturer and back out into the local economy to be reused, rather than exported.

steve clemens says: Hi Nigel, I've been thinking of kinda the same concept for months now. A recumbant bicycle-like chassis with a body for aerodynamics and weather-resistance, electric drive and a solar panel as a roof.
But did not act much on it, and you did, so good for you.

I was looking into starting from an existing trike design, that's already one difficulty solved by others, but they're sort of pricey. Good ones are easily 3000 euros. On my holiday in germany last month I saw a roadside stall selling recumbant bikes and EV's so I stopped and they were selling a trike for about 1500 euro and there was a sign "electric drive version 2500 euro".
Still your 'higher' design and low cost approach is very interesting.
Good luck!

Nigel Jarman says: I've recently started a blog on my new site, and also a project section about the vehicle too in my own forums there for anyone thats interested:

http://www.bravenewdawn.com

Progress is slow though due to my economic situation being far from ideal, but I'm still holding in there, just!