Who sells, or builds tricycles with rear drive motors?

[tomjasz]

I've been stumbling around the internet trying to compare trikes with rear drive. I understand there are models using hub motors as rear drive power.
I'm interested in knowing which models are available and which manufacturers' motors are being used. I've seen dozens of low-priced trikes with components that are typically unobtanium! That's another discussion. It saddens me to see those $1000 ebikes destined for the recycler.

 

[PCeBiker]

You can convert a hub motor into a mid drive motor and add it to a trike.

You remove the spokes and rim from the hub motor and replace the brake rotor with a sprocket/chain wheel.

Mount the motor between the BB and the rear differential then feed the chain from the pedals to the freewheel (if you use a derailleur) or single sprocket (if there's already a derailleur on the differential)

Then connect the output drive sprocket (that used to be the brake rotor) to the differential (or derailleur) on the rear axle(s)

The pedals should work as normal and you can use the motor like a gearbox with different sized input and output sprocket sizes.

 

[tomjasz]

You can convert a hub motor into a mid drive motor and add it to a trike.

You remove the spokes and rim from the hub motor and replace the brake rotor with a sprocket/chain wheel.

Mount the motor between the BB and the rear differential then feed the chain from the pedals to the freewheel (if you use a derailleur) or single sprocket (if there's already a derailleur on the differential)

Then connect the output drive sprocket (that used to be the brake rotor) to the differential (or derailleur) on the rear axle(s)

The pedals should work as normal and you can use the motor like a gearbox with different sized input and output sprocket sizes.

Nah.
After 12 years and more than a dozen personal builds, I probably have enough parts and motors to achieve that.
But, as the Cruzian says, "Nuttin tall be so."

 

[PCeBiker]

Chair living.
I like it !!

 

[ArtemGeres]

You can convert a hub motor into a mid drive motor and add it to a trike.

You remove the spokes and rim from the hub motor and replace the brake rotor with a sprocket/chain wheel.

Mount the motor between the BB and the rear differential then feed the chain from the pedals to the freewheel (if you use a derailleur) or single sprocket (if there's already a derailleur on the differential)

Then connect the output drive sprocket (that used to be the brake rotor) to the differential (or derailleur) on the rear axle(s)

The pedals should work as normal and you can use the motor like a gearbox with different sized input and output sprocket sizes.


i’ve had the same trouble finding off-the-shelf rear-drive trikes that don’t look sketchy on parts quality, and most of what i see is front hub or mid-drive conversions. the hub-to-mid conversion idea is clever, but packaging it cleanly around a diff and keeping the chainline happy is where most builds get ugly fast. also, weirdly, i got hit with spam about https://lucky-jet-game.club/ while digging through trike listings and it made me trust the sellers even less. if you find a real rear-hub trike that uses a known motor and decent controller, i’d love to hear which one and how it handles under load.

Few pre-built adult electric tricycles use true single rear-wheel hub drive—most use front hub, mid-drive, or central differential hub powering both rear wheels (e.g., Lectric XP Trike 500W rear hub/diff, Addmotor models).
For single rear drive: Custom builds common—add Bafang or generic rear hub kit to delta trike frame. Conversion threads suggest it's doable but rare stock.
Check Lectric, Addmotor, or eBay for "rear drive e-trike" options. Mid-drives (Bafang BBS) more popular for trikes anyway.