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[home > projects > ev3]
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The EV3 project is an ambitious project to create a completely new electic commuter car. I am primarily designing and having the vehicle built for personal
use, secondarily I am exploring the possibility of actually creating an EV car business. The time may be right for such a business, just now on Fox news
they announced the possibility that due to hurricanes Katrina and Rita that the price of gasoline may rise over $4 per gallon; certainly not a worry for
my family, but an incentive for many to find better transportation options.
Current Status
As of mid-September 2005 I have begun designing the vehicle body (using Caligari Truespace). Research
is well underway on electrical components, design criteria, safety considerations (as well as the related insurance and licensing).
I have also spoken with many people skilled in areas of design/construction that I know little about (frames, body molds, painting, etc) to
get an idea of the final cost range on the vehicle and even if some things are possible.
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EV3 is being designed so that it uses as many off-the-shelf components as possible. The vehicle must be reliable and easy to work on when required.
Cost is not the biggest concern, getting the best current technology is more important as long as the cost is not too unreasonable for the added
performance/range/life expectancy of a better component.
General Criteria
* 3-wheeled, 2 seater with some cargo space
* as close to an 80-100 mile range as possible (my maximum daily trips are currently 70 miles)
* safe! no fiberglass on foam-core construction for the body, this sucker needs a frame, built out of carbon-moly or other appropriate material.
* use off-the-shelf components in constuction. for example find a commonly available small windshield to avoid composites or custom safety glass.
* it has to look extremely cool, or as my friend Mark put it 'Sleek. A real chick magnet.'
* should be designed with an optional liquid-fuel (gas, ethanol, etc) engine in mind
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During the design process I have collected some images of other 3 and 4 wheeled vehicles that had some element(s) that
really caught my attention. These images are copyright by their owners and I have linked to the source page when I
know it - they are really just here to portray what I am thinking of the vehicle design. The vehicle I am designing, while perhaps
inspired by these images, is not a copy of any one of them.
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The Campagna T-Rex... an awesome performance 3-wheel motorbike. If I lived So-Cal or Arizona I'd buy one, but in PuddleTown a vehicle with no windshield just doesn't work.
I am not thrilled with the front end of this vehicle but I like the aggressive stance and some of the hard edges and flares along the side.
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Some random custom 3-wheeler. The builder put a page and some images on the web, unfortunately I can't find the site anymore. Anyway, while plain in body style I kinda like this one. Reminds me of something out of Ark ][ or Logan's Run. :) |
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Found this one on some concept car fan site. This is the type of car that, if it were in production, I would not mind paying $15 per gallon for gas to drive it. :) While it's more rounded that I usually prefer the paint and design elements are well done.
I have been thinking that a two-tone paint job would be best for the vehicle I am visualizing in grey-matter (thinking black/royal blue combination).
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The Hyundai SR4 concept. Designed as a Euro-only car this one will probably never make it to market in the US. I like the blue lights and monochrome color scheme
on this vehicle. Some of the lines on the front-end, ground effects, and hood are pretty cool.
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The one on the left is a Tri-Magnum, I bought Doran plans from the TM's designer back in 1999 when I first thought about building a custom EV. Alas the Doran has a pathetic frame and fiber-glass on foam core construction.
The car on the right is some whacky 4-wheeled concept. I liked the almost totally enclosed wheels, not much else. ;)
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Finally a couple of random designs I found on the internet, I think these were on some 3d rendering tool site gallery.
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Copyright 2001-2005, Andrew S. Rielly all rights reserved.
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