Fancy a look at a crystal ball really working? Hop on this new revolutionary Vectrix scooter by the U.S. based company and get an idea of what the shape of things to come are: electric bicycles.
With our non-renewable fossil fuels running out, there is no doubt that alternative energy two-wheeled vehicles, such as the Vectrix take up much space on our streets one day, like it or not. Automakers are in it for a while, but nobody has really offered a totally zero-emission vehicle. The Vectrix, on the other hand, hybrid no such thing - there is no internal combustion engine to charge batteries for a combined cycle.
Instead, the Vectrix works only with electric power, and after a few days journey, I must admit that I was in a mild state of shock in the future. Nothing to do with the actual driving, however. On many levels of the Vectrix feels and acts like a large scooter today. Think of new ways of thinking: the management of personal energy, performing all types of extension cords and pace yourself to get to the next connection.
But before we get too philosophical about the Vectrix, here's the story behind the innovative car that goes where the four great fear, the tread at least for now.
It seems that around 1995, was an old Lockheed Martin looking for some fun projects to bite on the outside of the military. Together with businessman Andrew MacGowan, who soon realized that a zero emission city car powered by electricity only, a great idea. Bam!
Fifty million dollars and 11 years later we have a mass production bike that delivers the goods. Well, well, a bit more complex than the insurance.
Big hitters like Parker Hannifin, Alcoa, Gold Peak batteries and others had to pool their technical resources and a new factory was founded in New Bradford, MA, but in 1997 a first working prototype. The scooter was presented at the Bologna Motor Show 2000.
The Italian connection is no accident. With about 300,000 motorcycles a year sold only in Italy, this is more than two wheels, has the housing market in the west and a fertile ground to introduce the Vectrix. Just to make sure that the message is not lost in the spaghetti-eating, Carlo Di Biagio was the former CEO of Ducati Motor Holding, took the advice.
Technically speaking, the story seems simple confusion. A DC motor is brushless side and rear planetary gear transmission that all the powers of the Vectrix. The wide space between the legs of the rider, basically, the bike lower back, is full of NiMH rechargeable batteries. Easier said than done. Because no similar vehicle with engine technology and things like batteries, controllers had to be developed from scratch. The heavy batteries requires a significant reduction in weight in other areas, which could only be achieved in a single framework for aluminum body parts ABS injected.
In 2005, the project was mature enough to win the Frost & Sullivan Technology Innovation Vectrix "and Leadership of the Year, while in Poland a remote assembly line was built. When the type of sound that small number of large manufacturers twin helicopters are able to create around its low-tech accounts, you should take your hat off to quiet Vectrix is surprisingly deep way to do things. Behind the production of the Vectrix is a complex supply chain brings together the U.S. electrical components, bicycle parts from Italy, Hong Kong batteries and who knows what else.
What they will ask? Well, here begins to be difficult. Think of something different mindset? So forget about cc, valves per cylinder, and so on. If it's any consolation, then you might be pleased to know that the "3-phase permanent magnet brushless, 12-pin, 16-slot" engine achieves develop a healthy 25 horsepower more or less equivalent to a current 250-300cc scooter gasoline. But that does not tell the whole story, because if it is electric, the motor can develop massive torque from zero rpm and maximum torque of 45 lb-ft.
Give the Vectrix a handful and, in fact, although the top speed is electronically limited to 60 mph in order to save battery, the Vectrix is in a hurry, while most cars in its path. 30 to 50 mph the Vectrix is awesome, gaining speed roll-on with a serious push.
But that is half the story because the way in which the electric motor responds to the inputs of gas is easy, unlike anything else I've tried. First is the mysterious silence, a fairly smooth wooosh accompanies his magic. So remember that journos the term "electric motor response" to describe the sound of a gasoline engine? Well, a real electric motor is even better, the great fluidity of the drive is fun, fun, fun, and when it's time to tiptoe in traffic, you really can deliver the station in what feels like fractions ft. lbs. The control is just amazing.
Need to slow down? Do not bother playing the Brembos excellent at both ends. Vectrix has patented an ingenious system of energy regeneration, and if you pull the throttle, the motor acts as generator, the vehicle deceleration and the transformation of the back of the kinetic energy into electricity that is stored in the battery for later use . The braking force varies from mild to very severe, and as the throttle can be adjusted with precision how far you twist the throttle in reverse. If that was not enough, when parking maneuvers off, reverse the throttle results in backward movement, a nice touch.
The only problem I've found so far that if you hit the back of the accelerator while using the brakes while the rear wheel tends to lock up too easily. Not a bad idea for the regenerative braking system of court as the actual use of the brakes. More to the point, regenerative braking is very fun to use, they tend to forget the normal brakes, but in case of emergency, you have the right levers, but perhaps not so used to them more. My last complaint is related to brake. Although the driving position at first seemed quite normal, in my time runs very close to the steering wheel results in a series of mid-back pain, which was a bit annoying. A little pity, because the chair is really fancy the Gold Wing.
Given the considerable dry weight of 460 lbs., The Vectrix really responds well to steering inputs and very agile. The low center of gravity of the battery unit and the engine of your hand, while the rigid aluminum frame makes the whole plot is very stable while leaned over. The sport suspension calibration was a little hard on speeders, but other than that, the cycle of things very well organized.
And this is when we finally got to the mother of all questions: battery life. Vectrix says that in an urban driving cycle, 3.7 kW h for the classification of nickel-metal hydride batteries provide up to 60 mile range. Is that my 20 mile drive to work is usually done in the bypass not-so-city of Milan and the technician gave me the bike I was warned about how the gas too happy. Besides that, the bike brought me to just 70% of the load, and I had to work, no time for a recharge.
My journey begins with caution, and if I press the busy highway, I settle on a cruise of 45 miles per hour before going "crazy" at 60. Heavy traffic in the morning does not go much faster anyway. The most useful tool you have for your product range to evaluate the backward mile marker that tells you how many miles left in the batteries. If I'm getting closer and closer to my office, I am relieved that still about 20 kilometers from the load.
Thinner than the traffic - the time for gas! You can only go to 60 miles per hour, but then this way of thinking of the management of their energy to the miles start looking for fun. Not surprisingly, my last-mile drive 60 mph in the last row in the AH. In the parking lot of my work is an output that can connect, but then I realized I needed an extension. Welcome to the new tools of the trade of electricity - forget everything you knew about funnels and cans.
In the first stage, the fear is gone, everything starts useful. For my normal cycle of displacement house 40 miles a day, 2.5 hours a night in the garage is sufficient. They have some additional steps during the day? Better to plan ahead, where you can make a day of mid-load. Of course, the Vectrix planned around a stationary bike, commuting, but if these guys manage to continue with an independent fuel cell to recharge, it's really more game on this front.
This naturally leads us to ask the total price and profit. Better sit down before reading further, because at $ 11,000, the Vectrix is certainly not cheap. Far from it, at least at face value. It is only when the operating expenses estimated at a few years of commuting the Vectrix makes sense and actually save serious money. I think if you reach the point of rotation that really begin to feel satisfied to go electric, virtually running your scoot to one-tenth of the cost in fossil fuels.
What will the rate of Vectrix? This is great too. The asking price is surprising, but only if you look at the short term. On the other hand, very few people believed the Toyota Prius might as well sell it, so go figure.
