Parking the Electrom
A short video of the Electrom exercising the right of a bicycle to roll up onto the sidewalk and park. It’s very handy to be able to park right in front of your destination.
Electrom1 Sample Frame Complete
Great news, the Electrom1 Production Sample frame is complete. The machining and welding was completed this week and the results look fantastic. The assembly took place in Vancouver, with the welding services of Toby Schillinger at Toby’s Cycle Works. The laser cut frame parts came together perfectly thanks to the fantastic CAD work of Robin Coope, who also handled the bulk of the other fabrication work, which ranged from water-jet cutting, milling, and lathe work.
Robin working on the rear swing-arm.
Toby welding the main frame
I am waiting for a couple of parts to arrive for the steering assembly, at which point the sub frame and components will be ready for road testing.
Updates
Dec 20th update: Electrom Aluminum Frame Finalized
Hi Electrom Backers,
I’m happy to report that the Electrom frame design is complete. We have sent the schematics out to several aluminum fabrication outfits in Vancouver for quotes on the cost to produce the first sample frame. Here’s a rendering of the stripped down frame.
A number of sample parts are in and waiting to go on the Electrom. Especially exciting is the Zzipper fairing from Zzip Designs. This heat-formed poly-carbonate bubble will make up part of the front fairing system on the complete Electrom kit.
November 21 Update
Hello Electrom Backers,
It has been busy month, parts for the production sample continue to be ordered and arrive. So for we have:
- Wheels: Golden Motors Magic Pie External Controller version
- Tires: Heidenau 2.75″
- Brakes: Shimano M355 Hydraulic Brake Levers Ebrake Sensor
- Controller: Grin Phase Runner
- Display: Grin Cycle Analyst V3
- Battery: 72 Volt, 20.3 AH pack with Panasonic PF cells and 60 amp BMS.
…and many more small parts such as signals, headlight, throttle, etc.
It has taken a little longer than expected to work out the CAD plans for the Aluminum fuselage. We are still finalizing the steering details. At this time the plan is to use hydraulic actuators for steering control. The hope is that this will allow for a sealed, maintenance free steering system.
Thanks for your support,
Fabrizio Cross
Electrom Update October 17, 2018
Electrom Aluminum Fuselage
I have engaged the help of a Professional Engineer based in Vancouver to help design the aluminum frame for the Electrom 1. It has been an extremely rewarding process. One of the highlights has been learning about the manufacturing processes that are available to us in Vancouver. The main frame (we’re calling at a fuselage now) will be constructed from a combination of bent 6061 aluminum sheet and extruded 6061 rectangular tubing. The completed fuselage will be heat treated and either painted or powder-coated.
Progress is also being made on the steering assembly, wheels, seat and other elements of the completed vehicle.
We have been work-shopping the design via email and SolidWorks CAD files. These are exports of the working drawings so some elements have not been drawn in their final positions.
Fabrizio Cross
Electrom Update September 16, 2018
Things are moving with the Electrom. A number of the parts for the production sample have arrived, The Golden Motors hub motors are here, as are the Heidenau moped tires.
I’m really exited to try these tires, they’re 16 X 2.75 (16 inch moped is the same size as 20 inch bicycle) They have a good all-condition tread pattern and are DOT rated to 90 KPH so should easily handle the Electrom’s top speeds. I’ve mounted them to the Golden wheels and they go on easily and look perfect. I believe that these tires will provide a nice balance between weight, handling and durability. The outer diameter of the complete wheel is 21.75 inches, so will meet the California minimum wheel-size requirements for a bicycle.
We are also working to produce CAD drawings of the Electrom1 frame, it will be an aluminum monocoque main frame with some square tubing at the front end. I have been working with a highly skilled engineer and fabrication specialist in order to craft a design that will be both robust and easily manufactured. Stay tuned for some renderings.
Fabrizio
Electrom Update August 23rd 2018
Hi Electrom Supporters
As most of you probably know, we’ve surpassed our funding target and then some. This will allow the Electrom project to move forward and soon we will be able to present the Electrom 1 Production Sample.
There’s a lot to do in the creation of a new vehicle type, but we are well on our way. Over the past two weeks we’ve been busy researching and placing orders for component samples.
One of the selections made recently was the choice of hub motor. A sample set of Golden Motor Compny Magic Pie II 20 inch wheel-motors (front and rear) has been ordered and will arrive shortly. The Magic Pie II motors met the criteria for weight, torque per Watt, and dependability. One of the best reasons for picking this motor is that the supplier is Canadian based, and has a great track record. Check them out here. The Magic Pie uses a 273 mm stator motor, designed to offer a high torque-per-Watt ration in a direct drive motor.
Over the next few weeks we’ll bolt these motors onto the test bike and thoroughly explore their performance and reliability.
Stay tuned for many updates to follow.
Fabrizio Cross
Electrom LEV
Golden Motors Magic Pie II test
A Trimble X140 set up as a test bike for the proposed Electrom LEV Motor, a Golden Motors Magic Pie II external controller, 20″ wheel with high quality moped tire.
Electrom Update August 22, 2018
Hi Electrom Supporters
As most of you probably know, we’ve surpassed our funding target and then some. This will allow the Electrom project to move forward and soon we will be able to present the Electrom 1 Production Sample.
There’s a lot to do in the creation of a new vehicle type, but we are well on our way. Over the past two weeks we have been busy researching and placing orders for component samples.
One of the selections made recently was the choice of hub motor. A sample set of Golden Motor Compny Magic Pie II 20 inch wheel-motors (front and rear) has been ordered and will arrive shortly. The Magic Pie II motors met the criteria for weight, torque per Watt, and dependability. One of the best reasons for picking this motor is that the supplier is Canadian based, and has a great track record. Check them out here. The Magic Pie uses a 273 mm stator motor, designed to offer a high torque-per-Watt ration in a direct drive motor.
Over the next few weeks we’ll bolt these motors onto the test bike and thoroughly explore their performance and reliability.
Stay tuned for many updates to follow.
Fabrizio Cross
Electrom LEV
New Body Style
We’ve spent the last couple of months showing the Electrom drawings around, and one of the most consistent requests has been that we update the body style to something more current. After much drawing and re-drawing we are please to present the new Electrom Stealth Body Style.
All of the body panels and tail box options are easily removable for maintenance and can be mix-and-matched.
Hornby Sunset
I stopped in at Phipps Point on Hornby Island to catch the sunset and encountered my friend Karl, who was keen to see how the Electrom felt to sit in. He liked it a lot, so much that I think he might have spent the night there if I had let him.
The MT. bike is on the back because I was dropping the Electrom with a Beta backer for an extended test ride, and I needed a way to get home. I have also found it to be handy to have a spare bike along when I am teaching someone to ride the Electrom as it allows me to keep up with them to offer advice and answer questions.
Electrom in Capital Magazine
The Electrom has been been featured in an article in Capital Magazine. It’s a print magazine here in Victoria BC. Below is a link to the digital edition, look for the Electrom on page 63.
https://issuu.com/timescolonist/docs/binder1_221b8cd138d6f0
Electrom at Latitude Geographics
I was delighted to be invited to make a presentation about the Electrom at Latitude Geographics last week. They have a Brown Bag Speaker program where they provide lunch for their employees and invite a speaker in give a talk about something current and usually tech-related. It was my first such presentation so I hope I didn’t drag it out too much. Many thanks to Steven Myhill-Jones and the team at Latitude for having me.
http://www.latitudegeo.com/
Recent Comments