VELOMOBILE: redefined

Abstract

Greenhouse gas emissions from production and use of personal motorized transport must be kept to a minimum to avoid dangerous climate change. More sustainable options must be found. Bicycles can be used for most local trips within cities and give additional health benefits. Adding electric assist to bicycles improve the range but lack the creature comfort offered by even the least attractive car. The described electric assisted velomobile construction bridges the gap between cars and electric assisted bicycles while maintaining exercise benefits, reasonable safety, low maintenance, high sustainability and very low cradle-to-grave energy consumption compared to cars. This documentation describes new solutions for velomobiles and it is the intention of the author to put on the market a vehicle with most if not all of the novel design elements described herewith. The Veloquad described has a unique set of qualities making it a truly revolutionary vehicle, not only evolutionary: - The use of a series hybrid drive with two motors not only benefits a simpler drive train for a four wheeled vehicle. It also enables the use of low cost mass produced motors for pedelecs, a clean and uncluttered platform chassis, and easy adjustment of the pedals position relative to the cyclist. The suggested implementation contains enabling solutions on how to adopt to legislative rules within the European Union on electric assisted cycles (EPAC/PEDELEC). - The adoption of high tech battery control system with active balancing and wide operating temperature is an enabling technology for the series hybrid electronic transmission. - The suggested use of PET based self-reinforced thermoplastic composite for aerodynamic vehicle body parts being light, energy absorbing and recyclable is not new, but the use of such materials in velomobiles has not been described in available sources. This also enable shipping of partially assembled vehicles at low cost and with large environmental benefits. - Nevertheless, the most important contribution is the hydro-pneumatic suspension system. This is in the view of the author the most important enhancement of the velomobile. It enables space efficient parking, low air drag and a smooth and comfortable suspension necessary for ‘creature comfort’ when riding. It makes the vehicle both practical and hopefully adds ‘awesomeness’. If successfully performed, it will transform the velomobile from a rare oddity to “I really want one” class of vehicle.