Luca Bar is back with a new, but very vintage, design, this time for an electric scrambler. He designed the Electro Scrambler to look like a retro off roader, something you might have seen forty years ago with a name like Triumph or BSA on the tank. This one has the advantage of 2 wheel drive, something easy to do with an electric since hub motors need no mechanical drive, just the wires to the motors.
If you’re like me, you might think some of the electric designs that show up are a bit cold. Zero, for instance, makes an electric off road bike that looks sort of industrial, very functional in many ways, but no matter how well it works, it’s not something that attracts your eye.
I much prefer something retro like this to the radical, some electric bikes look a bit too Star Trek for my taste, but that may be a reflection of my age, there’s probably a strong contingent of younger riders who see the newer designs as what they would expect for an electric. Now, if we can just get some long range batteries …
Link: Luca Bar
Marvin says
That is pretty while I like the more radical stuff like his e-carver, its nice to see a project rendering with lights and indicators, if performance is limited by battery technology maybe pretty is better this is still going to long good when you are limping it home at 40mph with range anxiety. I think some of the zero stuff is a nice mix between radical and familiar. As ever cost/performance remains crucial in these things in the UK wagons are limited to 56mph so any electric bike I use would need to maintain at least 57mph for my full commute including up hills and into head winds. I can get this with a 125 scooter but this is so much better looking.
B50 Jim says
Excellent design, at least to my old eyes. And this one won’t lose its spark or throw a rod halfway up a wicked hill, as those old Beezas and Trumpets were prone to do.
No mention of range, charging time, kilowatt hours, etc. but that battery pack looks like it could hold a pretty hefty charge. Have a spare replaceable unit and a small, quiet Honda generator (or even a good-sized solar array), and you could ride most of an afternoon.
About Paul’s wish for longer-range batteries: they are coming, albeit at their own pace. The bulk of R&D is aimed at faster charging times and higher capacity; the company that develops a battery that can compete with gasoline in terms of dimensions and range will nearly own the world, especially considering how little the electrical power for recharging will cost. Have patience, folks. It might be next year, it might be five years, but, barring any physical/chemical impossibilities, it will happen. And not a moment too soon.
Greenman says
This is pretty nice. Some e-bikes seem to be moving in a good direction (eg the Brammo and Mission sportbikes). In the long run I expect that we’ll stop worrying about making e-bikes look like ICE-bikes. Just like we stopped making autos look like horseless carriages after a while, although I think GM was still influenced by the carriage into the 1980s. My ’79 Monte Carlo was a “Landau” (even the name hints), with lines just like an old carriage. Nice car in its own way, but with ancient design roots.
leston says
I dont see why this is on here? An industrial designer took a 20-30 year old dirt bike drawing, added in a grey box with lines in place of the engine. Then relabled old parts to fit his application?
I’m lost at where the skill and creativity is on this one.
John Tangerås says
When I read about electric vehicles, the range is always a limiting factor. Recharging every 100 kms or so is not very practical. But what if we take the replaceable battery on this bike, a bit further. Imagine you had “electric fuelling” stations just like todays petrol stations. But instead of plugging in, you just swap the battery and leave the empty one behind for recharging, and another guy picks up your fresh battery the next day. The batteries must of course be standarised, but that should’t be too difficult.
MTGR says
A little better shade of lipstick but still the same old pig.
randy says
This is a doodle, who cares? It’s a thousand lightyears from a doodle to a real working object
todd says
I’ve done some work for an electric car company and worked with hub motors. Motors that size would be about 10-40 HP (weighing around 25+ pounds each) depending on voltage and current. Being out in the wheel will allow more room for batteries which is nice for a long-range commuter. An off-roader should have a motor in the chassis where it can be geared down for more efficiency and power and keep the wheels much lighter.
It’s an interesting juxtaposition to say the least, a classic styled “future tech” bike.
I’ve always toyed with the idea of doing a series hybrid motorcycle; install a tiny, electric start scooter engine with the belt drive powering an alternator supplying current to a battery pack that powers hub motors. The engine would only start up on-demand when there’s low voltage and spin at its most efficient RPM for the best mileage. Depending on how hard I rode it would be a great range extender at least – and cost much less than a large pack of LiPO batteries.
http://www.enertrac.net/product.php#b
-todd
fast eddie says
randy your right this is doodle every wanna be m/c builder is taking the easy way out .
kinda like being in the fourth grade in the sixties with a pencil. now we sit at a keyboard
and dream up future machines with a mouse and photo shop , sad as it is we need something to do while where looking for a job until the unemployment checks stop.
Paul , I don’t think this one should make your “popular picks” eddie
Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" says
This isn’t a finished design ready for fabrication, it’s exploring ideas and asking, “What if we made an electric that looked retro?” It gives people something to look at and think about. Where do you think the finished designs that get built come from? You toss around ideas and refine the ones that get a positive response or look promising for any number of reasons.
Eddie, instead of waiting for unemployment checks to stop, why not download some free 3D design software and try doing something better. You could learn a highly valuable skill and you might turn out some nice work. Show us what you can do. Just a thought.
nero says
that’s a good looking design even if the tech isn’t quite there yet.
in fact, this is the only design I’ve seen able to pull off that ugly closed battery pack with any sense of style. the only other electric I found visually appealing was the brammo empulse and that one went completely the other way around the problem.
Byrd says
I only have one question, and on the answer, this thing flies or sinks; How long is the ride time before the battery dies?
I went to a website that makes “electric dirt bikes”, and the time you get before it’s dead, is TWENTY SIX MINUTES of trail riding.
Can you imagine loading up your bike, driving out to some place to ride, and only getting in 26 minutes?
If this is the case, It’s not even worth going riding.
Luca Bar says
Thank you all for spending time complaining my project. As Paul wrote it’s a concept, made to reflect some thoughts on a draw. Agree with Todd, hub motors are not good for real off road, that’s why I decided to represent a retro scrambler. The question is not has fast you can go, it’s about where you can go. So let’s have more room for batteries. About power and range I would be happy with 15kw, (10 on back and 5 on front) and something like 100km on white roads with two passengers. Enough to enjoy the country with no noise and no pollution.
Chanson says
I think it would make a little more sense for the faux tank/controller to be the permanent battery. You’re replacing IC with electricity, so shouldn’t you replace the fuel container with the batteries? And that’s just aesthetic intent, of course it will have the effect of sharpening steering by moving the COG.
What I want to see with electric bikes is a new design. If you want to sell bikes, you have to give people something they are familiar with and used to seeing, so I understand needing to make it look like a conventional bike. But with an Ebike you don’t need a fuel tank; I’d like to see someone imagine what should go here instead of the familiar shape. I know we are so accustomed to seeing this round, bulbous design that in our eye, nothing else really fits, but I hope someone has the courage to see it another way. Especially for a concept sketch. See a similar bike without the standard tank:
http://foreignfamily.com/2010/12/14/1859/chopatrick44/
nero says
weight distribution dictates the battery placement as low as possible.
as for removing the gas tank altogether, with the batteries and engine taking all the place below the rider, where else can all the electronic controllers go ?
Chanson says
Weight distribution dictates that you put the weight where you want to change the character of the bike. Low makes it stable, high makes it agile. It’s like wearing lead boots versus carrying them, think of how differently you move in each situation. Electronics could go under the seat, in front of the rear tire, in the frame, alongside the batteries, underneath the batteries . . .
Dr Robert Harms says
I would have to agree that the depiction is just a concept but its a limited one like those great 1930’s Popular Science art covers with the sled with the airplane motor with propeller. Looks good but begs the question “how you gonna do it ?”…. wow 2 wheel drive with hub mounted motors (but HOW ???? etc etc). I don’t agree on the styling/design questions. Electro bikes are fundimentally different rides and (IMHO) should look different and can look both “different” and “good”. While Brammo’s Enertia is ugly different, the Empulse is a beautiful design (I know, I ordered one). While the debate is good, what is really needed is real running purchasable product and I doubt this will happen until the large Asian manufacturers enter the market with electreo bikes,.
Azzy says
Another thing that can go in the gas tank is water for a cooling system, electronics and batteries both get hot.
Phoebe says
I like this a lot. It’s still taking my brain a bit to getting used to seeing this monolith where the engine is normally supposed to go, but I’m warming up to it quickly. I could definitely see myself riding an e-bike like this. I still really want to take an e-bike for a ride sometime. I just haven’t had my chance yet.