PV Electric Tricycle for Under $550
Here is a nice find for anybody searching for PV-powered bikes or trikes that can be built on the cheap.
A young man from Pakistan, Farrukh Khan, has built an interesting homemade solar-powered electric tricycle for a price tag that comes well under $600. Khan even provides detailed photo and a design template on the Instructables website for a small monthly subscription fee ($1.95 – 3.95).
Khan claims he created his green three-wheel machine, named the Solaron, in less than three weeks at the University of Engineering and Technology Lahore in Pakistan. The device is some seven feel long, weighs 132 pounds, and sits very low to the ground.
The unit’s battery powers a 24-volt electric motor that drives the rear wheel using a chain and sprockets. Khan reports his Solaron can travel at a top speed of around 20 mph with a rage of some 43 miles before having to recharge – not a bad deal for inner city errands.
Unlike a traditional tricycle, featuring one front wheel, the Solaron has two front wheels and one rear wheel. A T-shaped aluminum framework makes up the front of the vehicle, with the back constructed from an old bicycle frame.
The price for building the PV trike totaled $540 (PKR 46,670). Khan has posted detailed build instructions online for those who want to try and create their own variation. A video is provided to demonstrate how the Solaron rides and turns.
Khan’s Instructables website provides this information below for making a modified trike:
Here are the trike’s components:
- Chassis Solar Panel
- Motor Battery
- Steering Mechanism
- Chain and sprocket mechanism
- Charging circuit
Here is its configuration:
- Length: 7 feet
- Width: 3.5 feet
- Height: 4.5 feet
- Weight: 132 pounds or 60 kilograms
- Motor: 24 Volts DC, 17 Amps
- Battery: 12 Volts, 80 AH
- Materials: Aluminum, Steel and Cast Iron
The vehicle is not yet commercially available, although it may be in the near future, Kahn says, indicating he will keep people informed about any pertinent developments with the product.
Photo: Instructables
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