http://usp.nus.edu.sg/whats-new/2013/usp-launch-demo-electric-bike.html
A bunch of USP students managed to convert an old petrol powered bike into electric propulsion.
The main point of this seems to be aimed at extending the life of really old motorcycles with failing engines. Given the small capacity of most motorcycles, these bikes are usually ridden hard in Singapore in order to keep up with the pace of the roads and expressways. Particularly bikes under the 2B category.
The new electric propulsion makes use of seal-lead acid batteries which are typically very heavy while carrying little capacity, takes a hell of a long time to charge and its lifespan will be shortened every time the battery is used near its full capacity. On the flip side, they are relatively cheap to buy and cheap to maintain.
The only problem this project has is that the costs:
"...costs for the average motorcycle rider using the converted electric engine would drop from about S$121.11 to S$29.79 per month"
The estimate of $121.11/month is overly high if they are only considering petrol costs of a typical 200cc motorbike. Although the chassis used in this project is probably one that came with a 400cc engine, I sincerely doubt that the new electric motor has the same performance as a 400cc engine. Hence, it is fairer to compare it with a petrol engine of similar performance, which will be one that is 200cc and below. Unfortunately, the petrol costs for engines this small typically achieves very high fuel efficiency of about 30-40km/l, which means that it will cost about $70 per month if it is used for 38.5km per day. This means a saving of only $40 per month with the additional inconvenience of range anxiety, inability to follow the pace of other vehicles on the road and the initial conversion price of $3500 is already enough to buy a used bike with about 3-5years COE left.
In terms of overall running costs, an electric bike will save on maintenance fees that a petrol powered bike has to go through every 3 months, however, it is important to note that when the batteries are at its end of life, the replacement will cost quite a bit. In the end, it is difficult to tell which one will cost more in the long run.
While this project demonstrates the feasibility of converting the an old petrol bike into an electric one, the economic feasibility of this endeavor is not good because of the other costs of owning such a motorbike in the first place. This includes insurance, the need to renew the COE of the old bike and road taxes. All these additional fees make it hard for anyone to consider having an electric bike especially when the owner gets charged the same disincentives as one who owns a traditional motorcycle.
2 comments:
Good, valid points you have highlighted in your posting. I totally agree with you on the point of comparing fuel consumption based upon equivalent power output.
Correct me if I am wrong here: From your post, I gathered that you view the main barriers to acquisition of electric motorcycle are cost and vehicle's range. Other than the above, is there any other barrier you can think of that will deter you from getting an electric motorcycle?
Hi there. Thanks for reading my blog.
Yes. I think these are the main two reasons why electric vehicles are not popular. The range of an electric vehicle is particularly important because it takes many hours to charge up again. In terms of cost, the upfront cost of an electric vehicle is often a lot higher than a similar petrol motorbike. It is almost like paying a penalty for the perceived ecological friendliness.
Another reason which would deter me from getting an electric bike would be the lack of charging infrastructure. I live in a densely packed country where many of us live in high rise buildings. This makes it impossible to charge up a motorbike at home.
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