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Piaggio's MP3 Hybrid - Europe sooner, US Later |
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Written by Troy Rank
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Saturday, 21 February 2009 15:44 |
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Since Piaggio launched the gasoline version of the MP3 model scooter, it has certainly recieved alot of buzz around the technology of this unique 3 wheeled scooter. It is a solid built scooter with the added front end stability and stopping power thanks to the ground traction of 2 front wheels. Having ridden the scoot myself, I have to say that the chassis itself is very interesting to anyone 2 wheel inclined. In fact if you somehow managed to not pay any attention to the front wheels you might not even notice that there were two. It literally handles like a 2 wheel vehicle.  Cool, so whats it doing here? Well, as it turns out, a group of forward looking individuals at Piaggio have been working on a Hybrid drive system for a year or two. The first vehicle that is going to be offered to the public with such a system is (yup, you guessed it) the Piaggio MP3 HyS. The system is based on a gasoline-electric parallel hybrid design with 3 different efficiency modes. Under the seat (or thereabouts) are 12v 26Ah Lithium Ion battery pack which, if in the right mode, can power the bike for around 10 miles of electric only charge. If the rider needs a bit more range, than one of the other 2 modes can be selected which will offer a sizable range (~160mi). 
The first buyers for this encridble leap of technology, will be in europe in mid-2009. They will be paying around 10k euros for it which by my calculations (with shipping etc) means that we will likely see it in the US for about $14k. The MP3 HyS is suppose to be in the states within a year or two, making it the first lithium-ion plug-in hybrid vehicle to market. 
On top of that Piaggio dosn't intend to end there. Other Piaggio staples such as the LX line of Vespa scooters as well as the X8 have been rumored to be due to be released in hybrid versions in the not-too-far future. |
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 04 March 2009 13:03 |
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Written by Troy Rank
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Wednesday, 04 February 2009 16:49 |
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For 2010 Mission Motors announced they will be releasing an all electric superbike. It looks to be the sustainablemotorcycle.com reader's version of the Tesla. An overly-expensive but gorgeous and seemly very capable electric motorcycle. This is what I'm talking 'bout. The Mission One has some superbike performance specs no matter how the energy is stored Ohlins shocks, Brembo Breaks, and Machesini wheels clearly show that this bike is no cordless drill. Check out the full specs from the Mission one website after the break. It is very interesting to see a motor without a horsepower specification. A torque specification is a more appropriate specification from an engineering point of view and I am willing to be this will be the standard going forward, with possibly, a KW rating as well. Going along with the theme of Tesla and high torque, the Mission will have no gearbox. This likely is to increase efficiency and reliability, but I can't help but wonder if we'll eventually see some type of transmissions mated up to large torque electric motors, but that may be my left foot already getting a bit nostalgic. On top of the incredible drivetrain technology, the Mission One has some pretty serious electronic gizmos that are nothing short of fantasy for any bike/technology nerd. For starters, there is a real-time data acquisition system which I am sure can monitor all the electrical parameters and I would be there is an accelerometer in there as well. If thats not enough this bike is "Wireless Enabled" which the company claims will allow the rider to "take a computer more often than a wrench" The Lithium Ion chemistry used is not referred to by name. However, they do mention that the "highest energy density" lithium chemistry is used. This probobly means some type of polymer battery similar to those offered by A123 or possible Panasonic (but that is scrictly speculation). They do mention that they battery management is a bit more sophisticaed because of the use of more volitile cells. Everything in the specs really points to a company that knows what they're doing. For a mere $5000 you can reserve your Mission One, but your going to need anothe 60 Gs to have the bike delivered. A small price to pay for a piece of history, no doubt we'll be hearing more about these guys soon. Check out the website and specs after the break |
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 04 February 2009 17:35 |
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Written by Troy Rank
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Wednesday, 10 December 2008 23:09 |
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Welcome to Sustainable Motorcycle.com. We are looking to build a community around new and innovative transportation technology relating to motorcycles. Throughout history, motorcycles have consistently been a springboard of technology in all aspects of transportation. The simplicity of a motorcycle has allowed for new ideas to be implemented from the very first automobiles. Today, we are on the verge of a paradigm shift with respect to the way that we think about transportation as well as energy at large. Sustainable Motorcycles aims to be a central hub as well as a community for sharing information of all types of next generation motorcycle technology. From electric to hydrogen, from tire pressure monitoring automatic stability control, from weekend worries to diehard adventurers, we want to involve everyone who is interested in what the bike will become in the decades to come . The site is in the early devloment stages but we are interested in input from anyone interested. If you would like to help with content or have suggestions about what you would like to see, please forward them to troyrank AT Gmail.com. In the meantime check back frequently! Thanks, -Troy Rank Curator, SustainableMotorcycles |
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 10 December 2008 23:49 |
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Students Create Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bike |
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Written by Troy Rank
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Wednesday, 04 February 2009 12:19 |
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 Two engineering students from Swarthmore College in PA have created a bike that runs a Hydrogen/Electric Powerplant. Apparently about 2 years into the project, the who have created a really unique testbed which is born from a Buell chassis. In their preliminary report they go into detail about how they created the chassis, data aquisition system, and how they are working to fully integrate the fuel cell. The Fuel Cell itself is only about 1.2 KW which is only about 1.6 HP. However, with the steep 7000 price tag on the fuel cell alone, these guys aren't casual hobbyists. The latest update shows the bike taking a casual cruise around the parking lot. Though the latest update claims that the motor controller was limiting their performance, it will be very interesting to see how capable a 1.6HP perfectly sustainable motorcycle can perform. As far as Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology is concerned, there are some serious herdles to cross before we will see any type of fuel cell vehicles on the road. We hope these guys help get us a little bit closer! Check out their website and early-report paper and some youtube videos after the break! |
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 04 February 2009 12:55 |
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