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ZEV Electric gets funding for range-extending electric motor

ZEV 10 LRCMorgantown, W. Va.-based ZEV Electric, the manufacturer of a wide line of electric motorbikes and high performance scooters, has received a grant from the State of West Virginia to prototype and develop a new motor for its high performance motor scooters, the 10 LRC and the T7100 and T-10, with the goal of increasing the range of the vehicles by 25 percent.

The ZEV bike motor is unique in that it is a hub motor, contained inside the rear wheel. There are no belts, chains or moving parts, except for the two bearings in the wheel. The stator or center of the motor on the shaft holds still in the bike while the permanent magnet outer part of the motor revolves around the stationary center. These self-contained systems radically free up space in the bike chassis for battery capacity and provide enormous leeway to the bike designer in the chassis design.

The LRC is the world’s fastest and longest-range electric motor scooter. It was designed as a long-range commuter vehicle capable of running 80 mph on the interstate. The range now is 80 miles at 75 mph, or 140 miles at 55 mph. Based on design calculations, the new design motor shows the promise of extending the range of the bike to over 100 miles at 75 mph and over 180 miles at 55 mph.

ZEV T-10The new motor is also planned to be fitted to the T-10 and T-7100 bikes, which now have ranges of 80 miles at 75 mph, and 60 miles at 75 mph, respectively, and will benefit from the new motor.

The motors will be made at the RCB Institute for WV manufacturing in Bridgeport, W. Va., which is equipped with the state of the art in CNC metal machining equipment for the use of WV manufacturing companies. The design and testing program is expected to be completed in the spring of 2015.

ZEV opened its factory in West Virginia in 2008 and sells in 16 countries around the world. ZEV is looking for dealers for its 17-model range of electric bikes and scooters priced from MSRP of $2,200 to $13,900. Dealer margins are 21 to 25 percent.

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