Vancouver Electric Bikes & Scooters Today


April 2008: A new milestone! Something really exciting, especially for those who have not been biking due to our steep hills. New models (from one distributor only, though) have come out that surpass the speed and hill-climbing ability of the American-designed (Taiwan-built) Ego-II electric scooter. Yes, you heard that right: The "Ego Cycle 2" has been defeated by a 500-watt Chinese electric bike. This had never happened before! These new powerful scooters perform almost the same, in city streets, as a 50cc 4-stroke Vespa gas scooter. I used one of these new powerful scooters downtown for three days and kept up with the cars at all times. In addition, these electrics have several advantages over a Vespa or Honda: Ebikes don't need license, insurance, and can be parked legally on the sidewalk. Also, 2-stroke gasoline scooters need a motor overhaul or rebuild every 8-12,000 kilometers. The Yamaha 2-cycle scooters have a maintenance dealer schedule that costs up to $450, if postings at a scooter owners' forum is to be believed.

April 2008: The 15 April 2008 Globe & Mail states that there are only about 12 licensed electric cars in BC. There used be approximately 40 licensed electric cars in BC around 2003. Gas prices have risen, yet there are much fewer EV's. It doesn't take much to realize that (as I said at the Ed Bageley Jr. talk here in Vancouver, recently) that imo 80% of BC's EV's are rusting away, unused, due to BATTERY REPLACEMENT COST and ELECTRONIC PROBLEMS related to the ubiquitous Zivan NG3 battery charger and the Curtis controller -- that's my two cents. We DO have the fixes and workarounds to these weak spots. Just Google WORLD'S CHEAPEST VEHICLE TO OPERATE, a BC electric pickup truck that has had its Zivan charger and Curtis controller "patched". It works on a mix of AGM and Gel cost-free revived (ressurected) batteries from discarded piles. Google POOR MAN'S TESLA. Free batteries? Really? Yes! To see a video clip of free batteries handed out at Vancouver's Telus Science World, just google or: VANCOUVER REVIVED BATTERY GIVEAWAY.

March 2008: There seem to be fewer electric bikes on the bike routes. Could that be because of climate change and much wetter weather? Or, is it the unreliability, or costs of battery replacement. Please answer the polls in this blog.

March 2008: Tubeless tires finally appear on large electric scooters. The flat-tire issue was one of the biggest complaints about ebikes, and had cost retailers several lost sales (buyers returned the scooters) in the last three years. My own scooters use really thick, thorn-resistant tubes, from Canadian Tire.

March 2008: Several EVT-4000e electric scooters contacted me this year. At least two claim to have hit a 'dead end' due to hub motor and other issues. The EVT-168 retro electric scooter also received one or more negative opinions from owners. But other EVT owners are very happy, too.

February 2008: Previous reviews of electric bikes and scooters are now obsolete. In fact, ebike models change every three months. If an electric scooter review is older than that, consider it dated and obsolete. Those electric bikes that you may have seen at one of the electric bike shows years ago is a "dinosaur" imo.

November 2007: At least one made-in-China licensed electric "motorcycle" owner claimed that his electric cycle's batteries lasted only 600 kilometers. The cure for short battery life in electric vehicles exists: Revived Batteries. We've been doing this since 2003 or so. My red Ego-II has had several sets of revived batteries. The blue Ego-II is still running on its original 2002 batteries, having been revived several times. We've revived three Merida ebike batteries. My Montague-Currie folding mountain ebike runs on revived batteries, too. So does Ross & Judy's unique wheelchair-ebike.

September 2007: Pedal-powered electric-assisted pedicabs make the news in Vancouver. Pamela uses her ebike to deliver food in Vancouver.

August 2007: We saw a prototype electric-assisted pedicab outside ebikes.ca on Main Street. This one is going to work in Victoria, BC.

July 2007: Gifted kids in North Vancouver disassemble and reassemble an electric skateboard.

April 2007: A custom-made dual-motor electric scooter with great range proves able to go up the steepest hill (Oak Street) as fast as a Ford Mustang.

February 2007: We discover a way of making the plastic pulley on the Ego-2 scooter much more durable. This puts an end to the common premature wear on these pulleys.

July 2006: Currie ebikes are becoming worn-out. However, the replacement cost of the chains and sprockets (must be replaced simultaneously) is $500. We discover a work-around with only $15 expense. The Curries will now run another three years. These Curries got a lot of use, hauling bread to food banks, with the Angels On Ebikes charity runs. Those Callahan cargo bike trailers were great, and kept cars far away, too, just like an orange safety flag.

June 2006: A raincape on TV demonstrated that electric biking in "Raincouver" is practical and doable, if you have the right gear.




Cheers,
R o b M a t t h i e s
Electric Bike Consultant
6 0 4 - 5 1 2 - 9 5 6 7
matthiesr [at] yahoo [dot] ca


PHOTO SITES


RESOURCES

Consulting Service for buyers of electric bike, scooter or car
http://www.buysellcommunity.com/sale/ZMGKAFJX/

ELECTRIC scooter, bike, car, truck FULL POWER RESTORED
http://www.buysellcommunity.com/sale/RKACBHMU/

How to RAINPROOF an electric bicycle or electric scooter DVD
http://www.buysellcommunity.com/sale/CVWEOXHE/

EVT168 and EVT-4000e electric scooters work best with
http://www.buysellcommunity.com/sale/MCWETRVZ/

Make ELECTRIC BIKE SCOOTER BATTERY LAST MUCH LONGER
http://www.usedvancouver.com/classified-ad/4602530

BATTERY TESTING - Your Place or Mine
http://www.usedvancouver.com/classified-ad/4690593

Free Batteries for Electric Bicycle, Scooter, Bike
http://www.usedvancouver.com/classified-ad/5345574
Labels: , , , , , , , , ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)