Electric Bicycles
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ELECTRIC BICYCLES A performance evaluation BY ANNETTE MUETZE & YING C. TAN LECTRIC-MOTOR-POWERED BICY- First, this article provides a systematic, comprehensive cles have been making their way into the classification of electric bicycles that includes an overview U.S. market for about two decades. In the of the state of the art of today’s commercially available E United States, such bicycles can be fully electric bicycles (e.g., [1]–[12]). The overview includes powered by a motor. In other countries such as Japan, less commonly considered topics, such as regulatory issues electric-motor-powered bicycles are required to operate in various countries, and different performance require- with 50% human pedal power for up to 12 mi/h, and an ments of electric bicycles. Using knowledge from the field even higher percentage of human power is required above of professional bicycling as a starting point, the findings that speed. Such bicycles are commonly known as “ped- are supported and theoretically expanded. The elecs” (pedal electric cycle). In this article, the term “elec- power requirements in different typi- tric bicycle” is used to describe “electric-motor-powered cal riding situations are also bicycles,” including both fully and partially motor-pow- identified. The results are ered bicycles. Electric bicycles can be used for a variety of confirmed by experi- purposes, for instance, as a vehicle for police or law mentally obtained enforcement in cities where parking and traffic are a problem, as a guide bicycle during bicycle races, as a park ranger vehicle, or for leisurely rides and commuting pur- poses. In the United States, electric bicycles are currently used most commonly for short trips to grocery stores or for leisurely rides. INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS MAGAZINE • JULY|AUG 2007 WWW.IEEE.ORG/IAS © EYEWIRE IEEE 12 1077-2618/07/$25.00©2007 IEEE TABLE 1. ASPECTS FAVORING THE USE OF ELECTRIC BICYCLES. Pedals Gears Energy Costs Averaging, costs* are • US$7.1/100 mi = US$4.4/100 km Rider Drive for going by car, but only Input Wheel • US$0.12/100 mi = US$0.7/100 km for going by electric bicycle. Motor Motor Control Other Costs Generally, no insurance, license, registration, and parking are needed. Battery Vehicle Traffic Flow Most states allow electric bicycles Battery Charger Accessories on bicycle paths; avoidance of traffic jams. 1 Environmental Zero-emission vehicle Parallel hybrid schematic diagram [9]. Friendliness Health Benefit Incorporation of exercise and longer-distance commuting data that have been collected in the context of real-life *Sample cost calculation for a 100-mi trip on a 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer: • Gas tank capacity: 28 mi/gal [13] applications. From the results, the key parameters, • Approximate gas rate as of November 2004: US$2/gal needs, and challenges involved in improving the perfor- • Costs for 100 mi: US$2/gal/(28 mi/gal)·100 mi = US$7.1 mance of electric bicycles are identified. The article then Sample cost calculation for a 100-mi trip on an electric bicycle: • Power to travel at 10 mi/h: 120 W (experimentally obtained, see Figure 4) gives a summary of the different results that can serve as • Duration: 100 mi/10 mi/h = 10 h • Energy usage: 1.2 kWh a roadmap for such improvements. This summary • Madison Gas & Electric rate as of November 2004: US$0.1/kWh includes both market trends and regulations and techni- • Costs for 100 mi: 1.2 kWh · 0.1 $/kWh = US$0.12 cal-science-related aspects. Different paths of further research to build on the presented work are outlined in the conclusion. law to be pedelec-type bicycles. Electric bicycles produced in Taiwan are mostly exported to Europe. Evaluation of the State of the Art In regard to the United States, electric bicycles are not IEEE INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS MAGAZINE • JULY|AUG 2007 WWW.IEEE.ORG/IAS as popular as in the other countries mentioned and most Basic Configuration of an Electric Bicycle System electric bicycles are imported. In some states, the federal The basic configuration of an electric bicycle drive con- law and the state law for electric bicycles differ. sists of a controller that controls the power flow from the battery to the electric motor. This power flow acts in Aspects Favoring the Use of Electric Bicycles parallel with the power delivered by the rider via the A number of aspects favor the use of electric bicycles in pedal of the bike (Figure 1). different situations. These include lower energy cost per The rider of an E-bike can choose to distance traveled (1–2% of going by car when going by ■ rely on the motor completely electric bicycle) for a single rider; savings in other costs ■ pedal and use the motor at the same time such as insurance, licenses, registration, parking, ■ pedal only (use as a conventional bicycle). improvement of the traffic flow; environmental friendli- ness; and the health benefit for the rider (Table 1). Overview of Electric Bicycles Worldwide Electric bicycles have been gaining increasing attention Performance Range of Commercially worldwide, especially in China, Europe, Japan, Taiwan, Available Electric Bicycles and the United States. In the following, the most distin- Table 2 gives a comparative overview of the perfor- guishing aspects of electric bicycles in these countries are mance ranges of today’s commercially available electric summarized, based on the authors’ own studies and bicycles according to the authors’ market research. It Frank Jamerson’s Electric Bikes Worldwide 2002 [1]. illustrates how widely the specifications of electric Today, China is the largest manufacturer of electric bicycles vary according to the bicycle design and the bicycles, exporting the majority of the electric bicycles riding conditions for which the electric bicycle is while also meeting a strong local demand. According to designed. The influence of several factors and parame- China’s Electric Bike General Technical Qualification ters on the different criteria and performance require- GB17761-1999 [9], Chinese electric bicycles may not ments are discussed in the “Investigation of Technical exceed 20 km/h and may not be heavier than 40 kg. Performance Requirements” section. In Europe, most electric bicycles are manufactured in Germany and the Netherlands, and pedelec-type electric Criteria for Classification of Electric Bicycles bicycles are more common. Criteria for classification of electric bicycles have been In Japan, most electric bicycles are produced by the determined such that they are independent of the automotive industry, and electric bicycles are required by country and the purpose of use. These are the bicycle 13 kit type, motor type, motor assembly, assist type, kit, motor, motor assembly, assist, throttle, motor throttle type, motor placement, and battery type placement, and battery types). In these tables, several (Table 3). The assets and drawbacks of these criteria aspects should be pointed out: In general, both are shown for each subcategory in Tables 4–10 (bicycle brushed and brushless dc motors are used by manufac- turers of electric bicycles, but, as far at the authors know, synchronous motors and induction motors are Anemometer Battery not being used. Even though technical aspects do Pack Power exist, both the assist and the throttle types depend Multimeter Tap CPU largely on the rider’s personal preference. The design Thumb Throttle of the assist type can be significantly influenced by the country’s regulation. Unless close attention is paid, both full- and half-assist types can look the same at first glance. TABLE 3. CRITERIA FOR CLASSIFICATION OF ELECTRIC BICYCLES. Controller Bicycle Kit Type • Custom built Table 4 • Add on Power Brushed Hub Motor Motor Type*** • Brushed dc machine Table 5 Tap Hub 2 • Brushless dc machine Electric bicycle test set-up used for the experimental Motor Assembly • Gear Table 6 investigation. • Hub • Friction Assist Type • Full-assist Table 7 TABLE 2. PERFORMANCE RANGE OF COMMERCIALLY • Half-assist AVAILABLE ELECTRIC BICYCLES. Throttle Type • Thumb throttle Table 8 • Twist throttle Speed • Push button Average speed 12 mi/h 19 km/h Motor Placement • Front wheel Table 9 Maximum speed** 20 mi/h 32 km/h • Rear wheel Travel range 10–50 mi 16–80 km Battery Type • Lead acid Table 10 (Full charge) • NiMH • Others Batteries ***At large, both brushed and brushless dc motors are used by most electric Charging time 2–6 h bicycle or electric bicycle kit manufacturers. To the authors’ knowledge, induction motors and synchronous motors are rarely used in commercially avail- Cycles of charge/discharge Up to 400 able electric bicycles and, thus, they are not discussed here. Power Power consumption 100–500 Wh (Each full charge) On-board power supply 12–36 V TABLE 4. ASSETS AND DRAWBACKS OF DIFFERENT BICYCLE KIT TYPES. Torque Bicycle Kit Type Hill climbing ability up to 6% slope Custom Built Add On Weight Electric bicycle kit 10–50 lbs 4.6–22.8 kg Assets: Assets: excluding original • High-end bicycles • Comparatively inexpensive bicycle weight • Good appearance • Mounting flexibility Price range • Safety features • Suitable for different Electric bicycle kit only US$250–US$800 • Little/no installation bicycle types Electric bicycle kit and US$800–US$2600 required • Bicycle can be recon- bicycle (Custom built verted to a conventional electric bicycles) bicycle Drawback: Drawbacks: **Sec. 2085 of the federal law [14] defines a “low-speed electric bicycle” as “a • Comparatively • Installation needed IEEE INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS MAGAZINE • JULY|AUG 2007 WWW.IEEE.ORG/IAS two- or three-wheeled vehicle with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 W, whose maximum speed on a paved level surface, when pow- high costs • Connections may not be ered solely by such a motor while ridden by an operator who weighs 170 pounds, robust 14 is less than 20 mi/h.” Performance Evaluation of Electric Bicycles Even though the technical maturity of electric bicycles Criteria have been defined to evaluate the performance of has been, and is still, improving, still more work needs to electric bicycles.