In article ,=20
says...
On Sun, 07 Dec 2003 21:43:10 +0000, Richard Schumacher wrote:
=20
My searches have not turned up anyone selling a bicycle with a
continuously variable electric transmission. I don't mean an electric
scooter: I mean one in which the crank turns a generator/alternator, wh=
ose
output through an electronic controller then drives an electric motor o=
n
the wheel rim(s) or in the hub(s). =20
snippage
=A0Efficiency
would not be as good as with a conventional drive, but that's not reall=
y a
concern for commuters or pleasure riders.
=20
Efficiency would indeed be a concern for commuters and pleasure riders if
the efficiency is low enough, as I would presume would be the case. You
have three separate sources of energy loss: the inefficiency of the
generator, the power transmission to the motors, and the motors
themselves. Do you ever notice an electric motor getting hot? That's
wasted energy, and that gets worse as load increases.
=20
The engineers can give reasonable estimates on the energy losses.

In those small sizes, you would be very lucky to beat 50% to 60%=20
efficiency.

--=20
Dave Kerber
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