Solar E-Trike
- November 2010
We created the Solar E-Trike system out of a desire to build a 100% off-grid, solar-electric commuter vehicle, capable of multiple trips to the outer NYC boroughs on a single charge. Oh, and of course it had to have jaw-dropping style. The 15hp Mars Electric motor is powered by four 12 volt lead acid batteries. The batteries are charged using six 125 watt solar panels, mounted on the roof of the shop. The panels charge two separate 12 volt, 15 amp-hour sealed lead acid batteries, housed inside the shop during daylight hours, then transfers the charge to the bike at night. The goal here was to build a totally off-grid electric vehicle system using readily available technology on a budget. If you ask me, I think we nailed it… The Solar E-Trike is hand made using carbon steel tubing coated with midnight black powder. All the electric hand tools used in creating the Trike were run using off-grid solar energy.
