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Erik Buell Gets Hybrid Scooter Patent; A Hybrid Hero Bike On The Cards
While hybrid and electric technology has made significant progress in the world of four wheelers, the green technology is surprisingly under developed when it comes to two wheelers. This mostly has to do with challenges faced keeping the weight of the two wheeler manageable.
While we might expect some of the big names from the two wheeler world to make hybrid bikes and scooters popular, that does not necessarily has to be the case. Proof of fact is Erik Buell Racing. The small company which is headed by the talented Erik Buell, who now has the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer, Hero MotoCorp as a partner. Erik Buell Racing recently won a patent for a hybrid scooter/motorcycle. Hero Leap electric hybrid scooter concept is the first thing that is coming to our mind.
A side view of a ridden vehicle, being a scooter
Here is what the patent describes: The hybrid system will consist of a petrol engine, which will only run a generator to charge the battery. The battery will inturn power a motor to drive the two wheeler.
A partial perspective view of a ridden vehicle, being a scooter
Furthermore, the patent describes a motor which will be able to draw power from both the battery and the generator. This would mean, the motor will draw variable amount of energy, depending on the demand, which will be possible by increasing or decreasing the engine's RPM.
A perspective view of a frame for a ridden vehicle, being a scooter
Another important part of the patent is the fuel-in-frame design. By integrating the fuel tank with the frame of the two wheeler, it will be possible to achieve significant significant weight saving. The integrated fuel tanks will be able to hold anywhere from 2 liter (scooters) to 15 liters (motorcycles) of fuel.
A side view of another embodiment of a ridden vehicle, being a motorcycle
A few other interesting facts detailed in the patent as as follows. The electric motor, combined with the petrol engine will result in 200 HP two wheelers. Future manifestations of the design could also achieve 400 HP bikes.
Since Hero now owns nearly half of EBR the possibility of a hybrid scooter for India is a real possibility.
This is the Hero Leap electric hybrid scooter concept that was revealed at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo. We strongly sense a production hybrid scooter in the near future.
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