Re: Electric bike I don't like.
 

Thank you very much - I try.
And you won't be alone, I've spent my whole life around, (and a good chunk of it with my hands inside), stuff that makes petrol go pop. I'm going to miss it, and I don't want it to happen, but I know that things will change, and for all the enjoyment I've had from the world of bikes I've known I'm genuinely looking forward to the next step.

Well possibly, but so am I and despite that I work quite well. Also I would respectfully suggest that that's not the important thing about it.
With the way technology is moving at the moment I doubt this, the risks of pressurised hydrogen systems are a big hurdle to overcome, but that may well be solved - who knows what the future holds?

Re: Electric bike I don't like.
 

Exactly so.You pull in to a "petrol station"and a little fork lift swaps your battery over and away you go.It need take no longer than filling up like we do now.Its just a case of getting the infrastructure sorted.

Re: Electric bike I don't like.
 

Except you'd have to have a spare bike for when you want to do something proper?
Or a car sat at home, which is probably more resource intensive to have sat there than to actually drive.

I suppose you could have a battery swap scheme, but human nature makes that even less workable than even the most outlandish of "green" ideas.

Ideally the future would lay in some way to convert clean energy into liquid fuel. Like bio ethanol but without the non viable space requirement.

Re: Electric bike I don't like.
 

I shall also mourn the passing of super explosive, and accept its gonna happen/
Batteries are good, if the swapping thing would be possible (i.e standardised package) and an alternative to Lithium is found.

I see the future being Hydrogen, Honda's proved the concept (I think Suzuki have also built a viable scooter) we all just need the infrastructure (or Nat gas to run out) to supply and pump hydrogen*


* Definitely no smoking at the pumps please

Re: Electric bike I don't like.
 

Battery swap has to be the way to go - apart from anything else, if you're leasing the battery then future technology upgrades that give you more range on a charge become available. It neatly gets around the time to being able to get moving as well, almost to the level that combustion engines currently give us.

From what I've read, the only alternative that is being pursued is hydrogen fuel cells.

Re: Electric bike I don't like.
 

Which assumes the desire to use a bike as you do, which isn't everyone and is clearly not you. There are, whether you would find that range acceptable or not, people for which its range would work just fine, that's not in question, the only question is are there enough people to make it a viable production article?

Some people only use a bike to go to work and back, they also have a car tying up money outside their hovel most of the time - just exactly the same as the circumstance you describe.

Re: Electric bike I don't like.
 

I really like how this thread has turned out. Yes the bike looks ugly but Sid Squid is correct its not about looks here is it?

The debate around the much illusive question of what happens when conventional petrol/diesel fuel is no longer economical or available for us to use. Do we all believe that it will happen in our lifetime or will it be a 100 years from now, who knows.

Its interesting to see the new technologies coming through battery/hydrogen etc but which one will prevail or will it be something totally new in the future!

The recycling of batteries at each station is one solution to the range problem and could well be just as easy as filling up at the pump is. But surely this will not be a free service. There will be a charge for this service (after all the government have to make some money if there is no fuel duty) so £40 for a replacement battery (based on my mobile phone battery is £35) that has a range of only 100 miles or so. Even then thats not guarenteed. The faster you go the more juice you'll use. Therfore the less mileage you are able to do. Then its another garage and another £40. Is that any cheaper than what we are paying now??? Yes we are saving the Planet which is great but untill batteries get better there has to be a more economical solution!

Re: Electric bike I don't like.
 

With a battery exchange system you will be paying for the leccy stored in the battery and the overheads of the "petrol stations"and their infrastructure costs.And no doubt the governments cut.Electricity wont be cheap in future either.We either get it from coal and oil(carbon tax)nuclear(clean up costs)wind hydro/tidal(huge set up costs)or solar(who knows what costs)but it will cost loads either way.Theres no free lunches awaiting.

Re: Electric bike I don't like.
 

Interestingly the "swap" idea goes back to the days of the mail coaches. The team of horses pulling it would be left at an inn and a rested team hitched up to carry on. The innkeeper would be paid for the feed and livery in the same way the charging station would be paid for the electrickery. Don't see why I cannot work again

Re: Electric bike I don't like.
 

what about each panel on the bile being solar panels or incorporating solar panels ? this would increase mileage available & reduce charge time,
( ok not here in "sunny fife" )