Over on the Tidalforce forum (Google Groups) they've got an interesting thread that started with Electric Motorsport's GPR-S but is about which vehicle is preferable..
http://groups.google.com/group/Tidalforce/browse_thread/thread/913f2ac8ffe7be26?hl=en
There's a range vehicle types and several considerations over which are preferable and that different people have different preferences.
Such as ...
An e-motorcycle is cheaper than an e-car, an e-motorcycle is faster than an e-bicycle, on an e-motorcycle you can ride WITH traffic rather than be squeezed on the side of the road constantly bugged by the traffic, etc..
An e-bicycle gives you exercise, better contact with the environment, is cheaper than an e-motorcycle, hugely more energy efficient than anything else, less accoutrement's than an e-motorcycle, etc..
FWIW I prefer riding my e-motorcycle over the e-bicycle even though I think the exercise would do me some good. On the motorcycle I get there in 20-25 minutes rather than the 45 minutes it takes on the bicycle.
I'm one of those few future GPR-S owners.
I started with an E-bike conversion and fully considered riding it to work and home, however I chose not to. It was on some of the busiest streets in the morning that are not really setup to handle bicycles very well. I admit that people people do it and once you get into the neighborhood of work, there are plenty of bike path's and run areas that could be used. However, to reach them I wasn't willing to put myself in traffic long enough to get there.
Im not an avid (daily/weekly) rider, my choice was based on the ability to move with traffic at traffic speeds including the freeway, which is why I didn't go with a Vectrix. which would not have been a bad option if I didn't also have a path that could include the freeway, as the top speed was only 62...It was in range of freeway speeds, but since when do people drive the speed limits anymore? Sticking in the right hand lane on a Motorcycle/Scooter is not a good option with lots of exit/entry lanes in your path.
One of the things I see often on this forum, is that everyone wants to go faster than their bikes were designed. I understand that as I rode a Trail 90 as a motorcycle back in the mid 70's and was always subject to cars wanting to pass me as the top speed was only about 45-52mph in those days.
I dont expect that with my GPR-S, I fully expect to travel at or above speed in all of my average daily driving requirements and that was the deal maker for me in the decision.
I think it all comes down to your individual needs and choice...I personally in the long run didn't want to spend 45 minutes driving to work or home especially if I work late. However, I enjoy a nice long E-bike ride to wind down on the weekends when its a nice day out. I can see the appeal of both.
At the moment, I consider it for just pure commuting and not as a long outdoor riding session vehicle such as a ICE motorcycle would be. In the short run, its not going to pay for itself for me, (I had to install a separate meter at my condo), but like all these newer EV vehicles, we need more people buying them to bring the cost down to the masses, which isn't going to happen overnight.
BretA
I get almost every place by foot or bicycle. Occasionally I'll ride a bus or a train. I consider driving or even riding in a car a mark of shame. My wife is coming around, too. Our only car probably doesn't see pavement more than once a month. This has had a profound influence on my life style, but almost all the changes are for the better. Just this weekend we were talking about perhaps buying a Mitsubishi electric when it comes out. She asked me, "If we replaced the stinking gasser with an electric car do you think you'd use it more?" I had to think for a moment, but my honest reply was, "No. I really don't think I would."
"we must be the change we wish to see in the world"
I applaud Davew for his non-use of a stinking gasser...
Where I live the closest store is 9.5 miles away and my job is 20 miles away. The weather here in southern Illinois is nice enough during the summer months but it gets far too cold to use anything without an interior and a heater. I do use my ebike during the summer when ever possible and I have a Smart Car on order to decrease my carbon footprint but it has not arrived yet. I plan to drive it until the warranty is up then convert it to electric. Right now I am concentrating on my home, a 10 acre farm with lots of sun for solar panels and plenty of wind here on the hill. I have the batteries, inverters, and the entire farm has been rewired so I can control all the buildings from a room in the house I call The Power Room. Hopefully in the next 2 years I will be off the grid and supplying my own power then when I convert the Smart Car it will truly be green.
I am afraid I am unable to leave the gasser behind.
Here's hoping every has a great Halloween.
Grandpa Chas S.
I bike all year around and if I cannot /after snowfalls/ I use bus to work.
Bottom line is to live close to work.
I consider 7km trip in Winter in 6 cyl vehicle insanity.
The amount of condensation in ICE muffler is more than 1/2 litres, to evaporate this takes longer than 10km trip. You don`t remove water from muffler you got rust.
Driving ICE car on short trip in subzero= destruction of muffler.
I dream of living in the land with no freezing temp.
I casually ride in -10C but it is hard to avoid salty mist from passing cars so I ride on sidewalks, through 30cm/1 foot/ snow.
my ICE sits usually for 2 weeks not used.
What often people miss is absolute health benefit from riding bicycle, even if you don`t pedal a lot just being outdoors definitely makes you more healthy.
High torque of Ebike makes riding even in 1 foot snow no problem for me.
MC
MC
CM
I cannot even imagine riding regular bike in winter through snow drafts, banks,
CM