Solar E-Trike A Zero Emissions Ride
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Solar E-Trike A Zero Emissions Ride New York metal sculptor Josh Hadar has created a solar electric trike that's got some kick to it. According to the artist, "The first test ride was a virtual wheelie-fest that left its rider sprawled on the ground." Four 12-volt lead-acid batteries power the 15 horsepower Mars Electric motor which tops out at 45 miles per hour. The batteries are charged by six 125 watt solar panels mounted on the roof of Hadar's studio. A single charge gives the E-Trike a 30-mile range, but Hadar thinks that using a lithium nano-phosphate battery pack could double that distance.
Also quite impressive is that the bike was built completely off the grid. Hadar shaped the carbon steel tubing used in this functional work of art by hand. Additionally, all electric tools used in production were powered with solar energy from the studio's solar rooftop array. The challenge of creating the trike using only sustainable energy seems a natural path for Hadar, whose early works used reclaimed building materials and discarded bicycles found in the streets of New York. See more of the artist's work at his website.
[Source: Wired | Image: Peter Reitzfeld]
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