ELF is back, 3 wheeled, electric bike with pedals, 28 mph, under $10k

Рет қаралды 963

Күн бұрын

ELF is back, Founder Rob Cotter back at the Reins
The ELF is a 3 wheeled electric bicycle that is enclosed and can go up to 28 mph. It has 2 seats and is a recumbent bike. They have 10 million miles of rode experience and no serious injuries or deaths in 25 times they have been hit by cars.
#Elfbike #organictransit #robcotter

Пікірлер: 38

@popeyegordon 6 ай бұрын

After a FB post of mine about the history and utility of the ELF went viral recently, I know there IS plenty of interest in this vehicle. 5,500 upvotes and 800 shares in just a couple days! There are still active dedicated Facebook groups for ELF owners.

@EVworldnews 6 ай бұрын

I think there is a lot of interest in seeing ELF make a comeback. The fact that the design is as aerodynamic as a person riding upright on a 2 wheel bike is quite fascinating, then add the solar and battery to it and you have quite the combo!

@DavidNeeseTennis-xb2iz 6 ай бұрын

ELF (Electric Light Fun) is reintroduced, a 3-wheeled electric bike with pedals. Capable of reaching speeds up to 28 mph, classified as a high-speed electric bike. Originally created in 2012, the ELF was acquired by ETA after facing financial challenges. The ELF features a covered recumbent design, making it both aerodynamic and efficient. Priced under $10,000, the ELF appeals to a diverse range of customers, including universities, police departments, and individuals looking for an environmentally friendly mode of transportation.

@popeyegordon 6 ай бұрын

The ELF version 1.5 was my only vehicle for 7 years. Very affordable and functional compared to a car. I couldn't really afford a car on my pension anyways and older people struggle with a simple bicycle. I felt safe in it, even on deadly Florida roads. After 7 whole years without all those car expenses I saved so much money I could pay cash for a new Arcimoto electric 77 HP autocycle but the ELF remains my backup and my preferred way to exercise. My Trylon body shell still shines like new with no wax needed! Several ELF owners broke records for long distance travel - one wrote a book about it, one made a movie and one is still going past 45,000 miles on a never ending journey! I am ready to trade in my original on a new model so save my place in line! Note that by the time you add tools and personal effects and a little customization the weight will be over 170 pounds. It handles my considerable weight and all the cargo I could cram in.

@EVworldnews 6 ай бұрын

I appreciate you sharing so much about these vehicles. I think both vehicles make you feel safer vs cars. I am fascinated by how one took a hit from a car going 55 and the driver wasn't seriously injured.

@popeyegordon 6 ай бұрын

@@EVworldnews Rob may exaggerate a bit but the concept is sound. 360 degree crumple zone protection is not offered by any other bike ever made in the US. I think the visibility is even more important.

@EVworldnews 6 ай бұрын

I consult on some EV projects for other companies and anything 2 wheel bike related needs more safety features. Rob really has a great concept here.

@JonBashamcrazymtnbiker88 6 ай бұрын

Really enjoyed mine, got it second hand long after OT ended the first time, it was old and needed a lot of work, solar never worked and batteries were shot. It was a blast in the snow, i hope the new one follows closer to the class 3 spec of current ebikes. That was the biggest draw back I had, my commutes were longer than my current ebike.

@EVworldnews 6 ай бұрын

It will be interesting to see what they bring to market.

@popeyegordon 6 ай бұрын

A larger 120 watt roof panel will put out about 100 watts under the ideal sun angle due to the curving roof. My 100 watt panel always topped off my battery well, wherever you go it is charging all day long and even if you ran out the battery you can still go in a low gear at 10mph indefinitely.

@EVworldnews 6 ай бұрын

That is pretty impressive that it can keep giving a bit of juice.

@popeyegordon 6 ай бұрын

@@EVworldnews In winter I roll it out from under my car port and place a box under a front wheel to give the panel a better sun angle, up to 85 watts with the 100 watt panel. The amp meter tells us how to aim it for maximum solar power. It tops off in a couple hours and of course continues to charge as we drive it. A newer battery design and larger panel will be even better.

@EVworldnews 6 ай бұрын

Think about how much better solar panels and battery tech is now compared to 7 years ago. I know they want to keep it under $10k but I think there are a lot of nice ideas for this.

@davidlane1248 6 ай бұрын

Really really happy to see Rob back on board and ready to move the company into new territories It was sad seeing someone so passionate about this project getting ousted from his dream. As a fan of electric recumbents and golf carts, I look forward to seeing what kind of products Organic Transit is gonna put out there. If the company ever goes public, you can bet I'll be investing

@EVworldnews 6 ай бұрын

He learned one of the harsh lessons from dealing in the VC world. I believe there is a really big market for what he created.

@bobandmaryann 6 ай бұрын

I own an elf. Over 6000 miles on it. So happy to see this happening. Rob, simplify the drive train. Two suggestions. Belt drive either gates system or more likely use Veer belt system. Secondarily, use a Bafang motor system that mounts at the chainring area. One owner has this in combination with a nuvinci 380 cvt. He says it works great. Best wishes Rob Cotter!

@EVworldnews 6 ай бұрын

I forwarded your suggestions to Rob. They have some work to do get set up manufacturing again.

@davidlane1248 6 ай бұрын

I actually would really prefer they use a bafang motor as well- even if it was a premium option. Having more "standard" parts for the ELF is better for everyone involved

@ThePCPitStopInc 6 ай бұрын

So Bob I am a e-bike tech who has helped built and repaired several ELFs. Sadly the Nuvinci N380 is no longer being produced and was not thought after well by the company due to how older units broke down from the nuvinci breaking its axles from the stress the motor put on the brake disk side of the CVT hub. Yes a Belt system would work well but is very expensive and would have to be designed in a way to remove the belts without fully dismanting the ELF. The best system to use for a ELF without a doubt would be a system from Grin Technologies as 2FR and later Solo units from 2017 til the end of production were equipped with their Cycle Analyst v3 system for solar charging monitoring and as a screen to monitor battery and power levels. If they were fully equipped with their e-bike motor ecosystem would allow options such as regenerative braking and be fully programmable so that the end user or a e-bike tech could be able to troubleshoot and adjust the system to how they would want their ELF to operate. I have installed several Grin systems on to different cargo bikes and tricycles and they are the best on the market.

@EVworldnews 6 ай бұрын

I suspect the solar panels have to have drastically improved in the past 6-8 years in terms of delivering power to the ELF.

@popeyegordon 6 ай бұрын

@@EVworldnews Not a lot. The kickstarter ELFs had 60 watt panels, marginal at best. 100 watts became the standard and the promised new model with 120 watts is better but a curved roof always devalues the rating a bit. Attempts to install a 160 watt flex panel look weird and don't really fit right.

@emoinuyasha3556 5 ай бұрын

I hope they’ll have options for a full floors so you don’t touch the ground, reverse, and door with window features when they return

@popeyegordon 6 ай бұрын

David said the Arcimoto is a "difficult concept". Not for me! It takes two in a racing harness and certified roll cage, up to 85mph! Note that the ELF could never carry a 55 gallon drum of water - way too heavy! But it will carry all the groceries you could pack in it or a passenger.

@EVworldnews 6 ай бұрын

I like the Arcimoto vehicle but I think it is overpriced to ever be a huge commercial success. It is also better suited to warm climates. They claim ELF would haul 500 lbs but I am not sure if that includes the driver or not.

@popeyegordon 6 ай бұрын

@@EVworldnews With 77 horsepower, car tires and wheels, it will carry more than that. With one driver it is real peppy and the twin motors sound like jet turbines as they wind up. Colder weather is hard for all EVs, even Teslas. But we have Arcimoto owners in the cold pacific northwest, Maine and in the Colorado mountains. In all cases the heated seats, wrap around windshield and roof make it far warmer than any motorcycle. A door option is bought by some owners. A snowmobile is not a failed design just because it is worthless in Florida.

@EVworldnews 6 ай бұрын

My problem with the Arcimoto 3 wheeler is that it costs more than many EV cars. I think it is a really cool design and looks really fun. At around $10k the ELF replaces cars and needs to be eligible for government incentives as it is definitely a path to carbon reduction that come from market driven forces.

@popeyegordon 6 ай бұрын

@@EVworldnews That is false. Why would you make such a claim about the $20K Arcimoto in a market where the average cost of a new EV is $60,000? In addition, autocycles get the very low motorcycle insurance rate, placing them in a class of their own. Mine is only $134/yr for a good Allstate policy, saving me at least $900 every year compared to insuring a car. And no gas to buy...duh! I was delighted to find that my FUV pays for itself in just 8 years, compared to perpetual never ending car costs of $3000/yr or more to own and operate. Cheapo 4 seater 4 wheeled EVs are not an option because statistics prove the average car trip is one or two people, an empty rear seat and an empty trunk with a vehicle that weights at least twice as much as the FUV and uses twice as much power for the same trips.

@EVworldnews 6 ай бұрын

The Aricomoto is clearly a fun vehicle but not practical for everyone. That is crazy cheap for insurance. I am sure its Total Cost of ownership is very low. I would like to interview Chris Dawson at some point. A base model Chevy Bolt after the Federal tax incentive is only $18500. Next year we will have the Vinfast VF3 which will be $20k without the tax credit. So I am definitely not trying to compare to a nicer EV. In a country where big SUVs and full size trucks are the normal transportation some ideas are just hard to develop in the market. I live in Nebraska and the Arcimoto might be usable 7-8 months per year.

@foreststewart1968 6 ай бұрын

I think what Rob almost certainly meant to say was that it's not unusual for an ELF to average 10 Watt-HOURS per mile... not 10 Watts per mile. There is 36.6 Kw hrs of energy in a gallon of gas. When an ELF averages 20 Watt hrs/mile (which I've achieved on many, many rides) then that would equal .02 Kw hrs/mile, of course. When you do the math, & divide the number of Kw hours of energy in a gallon of gas (36.6) by the the number of Kw hours/mile achieved (in this example .020) then that would be achieving the equivalent of 1830 mpg of gas. That's a number that's easily achieved on a typical ELF ride in the Midwest. Further South, or with some significant breaks during a ride you could get that average Watt hrs/mile considerably lower, of course, as the solar gain contributes more to replenishing the battery.

@EVworldnews 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for explaining this.