[ygolo]

Why haven’t mainstream commercial solar bikes become readily available?

Solar Cars have been around a while.

A commercial version is out but very expensive.

Solar/Electric Bikes are incredibly cheap, but not mainstream due to low-speeds.

Consider all the young students/graduates in India and China who just needs something a little better than a normal bicycle to get to their IT/Manufacturing jobs?

For that matter, consider the rising gas prices in the U.S. too, and the fact that most people really just need something for daily commute and close-to-home errands.

Why hasn’t an affordable mainstream solar-bike (combining current solar-bike technology with solar car technology) be developed and marketed? (or has it?)

Is there a distribution or mass manufacturing problem? Is there really no market for such things? Somehow it seems too obvious for no-one to have tried to take this to market.

[Mega B]

I would have thought the main reason for the bikes not being built as you are into electronics is the solar panel size to charge to batteries,if you look at the experimental cars about they have panels totally cover the car just to get the thing to move so on a bike in theory it sounds possible but in practice no way.

[ygolo]

Originally Posted by Mega B

I would have thought the main reason for the bikes not being built as you are into electronics is the solar panel size to charge to batteries,if you look at the experimental cars about they have panels totally cover the car just to get the thing to move so on a bike in theory it sounds possible but in practice no way.

This copmany sells something

It also seems like you can make bikes with exoskeletons a lot like the high school kids in this competition do.

Like most of these things, it is not a matter of technical feasibility.

[Mega B]

Blimey just a 90-day warrantee i would pass on buying something like that just for that comment.Wish you well in your quest.

[ygolo]

Ah, maintenence. I didn't consider that.

Yes. I can see solar vehicles in general being higher maintanance, and offering a lifetime warranty can be difficult.

Wonder what it would take to make cheaply maintainable solar vehicles in general.

[warrensway]

Yes maintenance and cost.

[jasaunders]

Sounds good to me. You could always build a prototype of this for under $2000 and see how well it works.

[GuyBBY]

Originally Posted by jasaunders

Sounds good to me. You could always build a prototype of this for under $2000 and see how well it works.

I agree. I am a commuter by train in and out of Boston everyday, and see people on their vespas/regular bikes/and even Segways now, that they use to get from their home to the train, from the train to their office (they do not bring Vespas on the train, but the latter they do).

Most employers give large discounts on monthly commuter passes, so even if these people live a good distance from their station, they drive or ride there and then get into town and walk or make the rest of the commute.

If you could get these things designed and manufactured at a cost that rivaled the Segway, it may be something worth looking into. Or you could even go the ZipCar route in that people can get them at a per use rate in and around the city. If someone has these options:

A. Drive into town to work (Traffic, Gas, Wear/Tear on Car, Parking $$)
B. Drive/Bike to train station, take train (bring bike on if applies), get off and walk/ride their bike to work.
C. Take train to city, have a monthly pass to use solar bike, or some cheap payment system that rivals parking, commuting costs via train, etc.

C may be the most appealing.

Again this was off the top of my head so it may be the case that the maintenance and cost would exceed the potential net profit but you will know that if you decide it a valuable mock up to look into.

Guy

[tazman9r]

A solar bike? Maybe if you wanted to do a hybrid type thing with a moped, but a solar bike?

Sure, there are people who would buy them. There are people who insist on never using their dryer. Both would be doing it as a symbolic political gesture to "save the planet".

Oh, yes, the young students in India and China, they are moving into the cities and buying scooters and such. The demand for oil for those to countries is going through the roof as they improve their world status.

I've said it before and I will say it again, the answer is not a technology that requires a sacrifice from the buyer, it's a different substance to burn in current technology engines. Whether that be hydrogen or bat guano, but something that competes with oil.

[jasaunders]

Why do you think this technology would require a sacrafice from the buyer? It is a motorized bike powered from the sun. In fact, it's a benefit to bike riders who already do all the work pedaling themselves and would like some assistance.

[tazman9r]

Show me a solar powered bike that has similar capabilities and speed at a scooter or moped, and I'll agree that you have a viable product. But solar powered cars that I know of don't go very fast and can't carry an average size person. They also have very little power. The sacrifice on the part of a buyer becomes being willing to spend the money for a product they can't use to do anything but carry themselves and maybe a backpack.