I dropped by Green Vehicles (http://greenvehicles.com/) this afternoon hoping to take a look at a Zapino. Turns out they don't have Zapino's but they do have a real interesting three wheeler queue'd up to go on sale in a couple months. Green Vehicles is located in Los Gatos CA, and I walk by the store occasionally (I only go to L.G. twice a month). I had thought they were a pure ZAP dealership but it turns out they carry quite a bit besides ZAP products.
They have a range of the 48v scooters of the EVT-4000 ilk except that the bikes do not have a two speed selector. The prices are interesting, being marked at $1795 .. but that the web site lists two models the more powerful said to cost $1995. However the store and the web site do not agree with the product line, as there are products in the store that aren't on the web site. Such as the chopper-style bicycles with a beefy rear hub motor, that cost $795.
But I started out wanting to talk about the three wheeler.
On the wall they have four posters describing cars that aren't even in the shop. One looked to be the Chinese Smart Car clone which I'd seen pictures of recently. It has NEV specs, and I don't remember the prices.
The three wheel motorcycle is named 'Triac'.. it seats two people in tandem. It is an enclosed vehicle, that is it has a spiffy looking aerodynamic cabin. It is arranged in the reverse-trike configuration (2F1R). It is supposed to be powered with a 144 volt battery pack. They claim.. get this.. 70 miles/hr and a 120 mile range. On lead-acid batteries.
Uh huh.. right. I can believe 70 miles/hr because that's the speed the Sparrow could go. However 120 mile range? Mebbe if you kept the speed real slow and were on flat ground with a tailwind. I suggested 120 mile range meant Lithium batteries, and he said no, lead-acid and mumbled something about the Sparrow being a different vehicle. Well, the Sparrow had a 156 volt pack with optima yellow top batteries, so what size batteries is the Triac gonna have? Maybe the 104AH Discover batteries? Because the Triac is so nicely streamlined with proper aerodynamics it should have great efficiency, but the Sparrow was also very nicely streamlined.
We'll see soon enough.. the guy claimed that it would be officially announced and made available starting in ?March? this year. He said that rather than announce a vehicle years ahead of time (cough cough, ZAP Alias?) they're waiting until they are truly ready before making a big splash of it.
Price: $19,995 (?)
Think I'd rather have an Aptera. I somehow trust the numbers they quote a bit more. Unfortunately, I don't live in California or have "new car money" lying around.
Looks like the Triac is rearing it's head finally.
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/04/26/video-new-triac-highway-speed-electric-car-available-now/
I'm kinda liking it now. Lithium ion makes all the difference.
Yes,this Triac will come from China.
But they still use low efficiency series motors.70m/h speed and 170mile range at lead acid battery is just a dream.
I am trying to develop it into 2x13" wheel motor drive.Expect its speed could reach 60mph at 60V LFP battery.
Hi Mountain, and you're working directly with Green Vehicles? Maybe I should try going to their new location and see what they're displaying. As the autobloggreen posting said, they have vacated their Los Gatos location.
- David Herron, The Long Tail Pipe, davidherron.com, 7gen.com, What is Reiki
No,I have no contact with Green Vehicles..... I just know the source of this vehicle in China.
The article has been updated to reflect that the seating is side-by-side and not tandem.
Chen, is there a place on the net where more pics or info about this car can be found? Also, they are claiming 70mph top speed and 120 mile range with 144V with a "powerful" AC motor. They may be adding some of the mechanicals here in the U.S.
I don't know more details of their USA buyers,because most of buyer just buy frame and shell from them and add electric Kits by themself.
But basically,I don't believe Lead acid BIG AH batteries could be 144V.
Okay, you have one of those frames in your shop and know how it's laid out.. but.. the Sparrow is a smaller vehicle of the same sort and carried a 156v battery pack. So it's certainly possible to have a 144v pack made of "big" SLA batteries. Again it depends on how the frame is laid out and whether the battery box is big enough.
- David Herron, The Long Tail Pipe, davidherron.com, 7gen.com, What is Reiki
I just bought a shell and they are deliver to me recently...very slow supplier.We will design frame myself ...match the BLDC hub motor.
Anyway,Sparrow has a big head full of batteries. I don't think Triac has such space.
It looks to me like they are trying to pull a Vectrix in terms of support: http://www.greenvehicles.com/
That kind of justifies the price.
Mountain, do you have any preliminary plans for when you can bring such a vehicle to market? I see why a vehicle design like this is crucial for bringing an EV to market quick in the USA to get around crash testing which is both a very good and potentially very bad thing.
[url=/forum-topic/motorcycles-and-large-scooters/587-my-kz750-electric-motorcycle-project]KZ750 Motorcycle Conversion[/url]
[url=/forum-topic/motorcycles-and-large-scooters/588-fixing-my-chinese-scooter]900 watt scooter[/url]
Pic from http://www.electri
I think it would obey motorcycle rule in USA,like Xebra,no need Crash testing.
I will try my quicker,it takes time to push a new vehicle into market.
Sorry, forgot to mention earlier that it has lithium ion batteries, not lead. According to the little information box on the YouTube video page.
Chinese supplier provided Lead acid battery only..... Greenvehicle changed them into Lithium themself.
I don't think 120AH144V whole EV could be less than 20000dollars.
would it be possible to buy one with no batteries or drive system?