Mike leroy
Active Member
Understanding the Ford Smart Mobility electric bicycle project is the motivation behind this posting. Ford designed a special purpose car eBike to fit inside every Ford vehicle. The two eBikes are a result of an internal Ford competition consisting of more than 100 bike designs, over a one year time period.
The eBike conceptually resembles a BMX bicycle, crossed with DOT motorcycle safety features and a computer video game controller in the handle bars.
Ford created a low-cost, international standard eBike. The single most important step towards an international standard is overcoming the legal obstacle of motor power rating. Ford choose an elegant solution to circumvent the silly and naive "watts" motor power rating used by politicians. Ford choose a 200 watt power rating, which masks the motor's true physical power.
To achieve the same speed or hill-climbing ability as conventional eBikes rated in "watts",
Ford choose smaller wheels -- to exploit so-called mechanical advantage. Acceleration or instantaneous bursts of power are not compromised because voltage is raised from conventional 36 to 48 volts. The measure of acceleration for eBikes is from zero to twenty mph in a matter of a seconds. My guess is Ford targets 0-20mph in 8-12 seconds. The eBike will excite riders with thrilling acceleration, without running afoul of international laws.
The significance of an international standard is profound. Incredible economies of scale can be achieved with an international standard. Ford eBikes can realistically sell over ten million eBikes annually for under $500 -- five billion dollars in annual revenue. The Ford Model T -- déjà vu, all over again!
Do you remember the George Jetson cartoons of a folding flying saucer? The Ford eBike is like the Jetson flying pods that eject passengers to their final destination.
The most unique feature is ultrasonic, rear-facing sensors to detect traffic. The technolgy helps blind people detect objects by putting an ultrasonic sensor in walking canes. Like car airbags, ultrasonic technology is a safety feature that should be standard on all bicycles. After all, if ultrasonic sensors park cars, should they also save the lives of bicyclists? What is wrong with this picture, or do you need a walking cane?
eBike features that complement car transportation are explored. The following Star Plot presents costs and benefits in a graphical format. Please note how highly functional and low cost the eBike appears.
Software, roadworthiness, accessories and low cost components are some of the major design objectives. Important accessories are cell phone integration,
racks to carry compartmentalized luggage, lights and turn signals -- roadworthy features.
Conspicuously missing are expensive conventional eBike features. Euro terminology like "Pedelec", "S-Pedelec" or "R-Pedelec" are refreshingly absent. components such as gears, suspension, and high capacity batteries are omitted. The eBike may not be suitable above 5% grades. A hilly city like San Francisco is probably poorly suited to Ford bikes.
Both eBikes recharge inside the vehicle, facilitating endless short bike trips on inexpensive, durable equipment. The bike design exploits minimum capacity to reduce costs. However, the electrical system is super-charged 48 Volts for best acceleration and power. At 200W, the motor only draws 5 amps. If 350W, 36V, 10 amp European motors are elevators, then the Ford motor is an escalator. The tiny 5A motor compacts well, is very inexpensive and thrives in stop-and-go traffic, rather than blasting the autobahn. The small wheels will spin very quickly.
The eBike conceptually resembles a BMX bicycle, crossed with DOT motorcycle safety features and a computer video game controller in the handle bars.
Ford created a low-cost, international standard eBike. The single most important step towards an international standard is overcoming the legal obstacle of motor power rating. Ford choose an elegant solution to circumvent the silly and naive "watts" motor power rating used by politicians. Ford choose a 200 watt power rating, which masks the motor's true physical power.
To achieve the same speed or hill-climbing ability as conventional eBikes rated in "watts",
Ford choose smaller wheels -- to exploit so-called mechanical advantage. Acceleration or instantaneous bursts of power are not compromised because voltage is raised from conventional 36 to 48 volts. The measure of acceleration for eBikes is from zero to twenty mph in a matter of a seconds. My guess is Ford targets 0-20mph in 8-12 seconds. The eBike will excite riders with thrilling acceleration, without running afoul of international laws.
The significance of an international standard is profound. Incredible economies of scale can be achieved with an international standard. Ford eBikes can realistically sell over ten million eBikes annually for under $500 -- five billion dollars in annual revenue. The Ford Model T -- déjà vu, all over again!
Do you remember the George Jetson cartoons of a folding flying saucer? The Ford eBike is like the Jetson flying pods that eject passengers to their final destination.
The most unique feature is ultrasonic, rear-facing sensors to detect traffic. The technolgy helps blind people detect objects by putting an ultrasonic sensor in walking canes. Like car airbags, ultrasonic technology is a safety feature that should be standard on all bicycles. After all, if ultrasonic sensors park cars, should they also save the lives of bicyclists? What is wrong with this picture, or do you need a walking cane?
eBike features that complement car transportation are explored. The following Star Plot presents costs and benefits in a graphical format. Please note how highly functional and low cost the eBike appears.
(Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
Software, roadworthiness, accessories and low cost components are some of the major design objectives. Important accessories are cell phone integration,
racks to carry compartmentalized luggage, lights and turn signals -- roadworthy features.
Conspicuously missing are expensive conventional eBike features. Euro terminology like "Pedelec", "S-Pedelec" or "R-Pedelec" are refreshingly absent. components such as gears, suspension, and high capacity batteries are omitted. The eBike may not be suitable above 5% grades. A hilly city like San Francisco is probably poorly suited to Ford bikes.
Both eBikes recharge inside the vehicle, facilitating endless short bike trips on inexpensive, durable equipment. The bike design exploits minimum capacity to reduce costs. However, the electrical system is super-charged 48 Volts for best acceleration and power. At 200W, the motor only draws 5 amps. If 350W, 36V, 10 amp European motors are elevators, then the Ford motor is an escalator. The tiny 5A motor compacts well, is very inexpensive and thrives in stop-and-go traffic, rather than blasting the autobahn. The small wheels will spin very quickly.
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