ETRIKE BY MILLS EXTREME VEHICLES LTD

Do you own or use a EV. Then this is a good place to discuss things.
stuart mills
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Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2007 2:03 pm
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ETRIKE BY MILLS EXTREME VEHICLES LTD

Postby stuart mills » Thu Mar 04, 2010 9:01 pm

We have made various versions now and our latest does 65mph. That feels like 165 due to you being so low to the ground. Fantastic though. All we need now is a few more like minded folk to knock one up and we can start a race series. Our track is just right for such an event. You can find more details on www.mevltd.co.uk and also try clicking the link to our electric vehicle part of the site. Click this
http://www.youtube.com/user/millecar?feature=mhw4
and you will see a very short clip of this crazy machine in action. Come to Santa pod on the 23rd April if you can and say hi. Regards Stuart

duxuk
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Joined: Tue Jun 23, 2009 5:34 am
Location: Chorley, Lancashire

Re: ETRIKE BY MILLS EXTREME VEHICLES LTD

Postby duxuk » Sat Mar 06, 2010 7:12 am

Stuart,
I have built a self designed trike which is similar in many ways to yours. I'm hoping for 60mph (I did 43mph up a steepish hill) and 40 mile range (I only need to do 27 miles). I failed MSVA last week because a trike with 2 wheels at the front must have a single foot operated brake pedal acting on all three wheels. I spoke to the DOT technical guy and he said there was no chance of any appeal. Have you managed to get your E Trike through with the hand controlled brake levers? I have already fabricated a brake pedal but not fitted it yet. Space in the footwell is tight and if there was any way I could get it through as it is I would prefer it, I think it would be safer. Incidently, I wouldn't be setting up as a rival to you! This is a one off but I think you may be impressed. I am using it as a test bed for a clever cross linked anti roll front suspension which is working very well and offers adjustment of the level of anti roll on the fly, if you need it. 329 Kg of which 151Kg is the LA pack at 72V/110Ah.

I'd appreciate any advice.

Andrew.

stuart mills
Posts: 80
Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2007 2:03 pm
Location: Mansfield
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Re: ETRIKE BY MILLS EXTREME VEHICLES LTD

Postby stuart mills » Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:17 am

Have you read the rules re brakes for MSVA? Open to interpretation. Moped rules differ but you need to be under 4kw. I have passed one with dual brakes. You must ask the inspector to refer you to the relavant section wording in the manual if your they are failing it. They can' just make rules on the fly. Does the fail point refer to a section in the manual? Just look at all the motor cycle derived trikes with dual brakes. You have a hand brake I assume. Please send a couple of pics to info@mevltd.co.uk and your fail list and I will consult the manual.

stuart mills
Posts: 80
Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2007 2:03 pm
Location: Mansfield
Contact:

Re: ETRIKE BY MILLS EXTREME VEHICLES LTD

Postby stuart mills » Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:19 am

Thinking about it, I passed my Missile on MSVA and the rear brakes were poor as a caliper was sticking but they do not do a balance test and cannot fail on rear brakes, just front.

duxuk
Posts: 33
Joined: Tue Jun 23, 2009 5:34 am
Location: Chorley, Lancashire

Re: ETRIKE BY MILLS EXTREME VEHICLES LTD

Postby duxuk » Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:11 am

Stuart,
they gave me a copy of page 16 of the manual. (I have a download of the origional draft, anything for free!) Section 3 refers to "motorcycle tricycle or motorcycle quadricycle" which can have either 2 independant service brakes or a single line service brakes acting on all wheels. Section 4, meanwhile, says "Check that every other tricycle is equipped with a) a foot controlled service brake, that operates on all wheels. b) a secondary (emergency) brake device (that may be the parking brake) and c) a parking brake device, that operates on the wheels of at least one axle. They told me that the term "motorcycle tricycle" only refers to a single front wheel type of trike. I rang Christopher Corker at the DOT,(01489 786162) he is the resident expert on trike rules. He said that the Eupopeans had allowed the 2 brakes rule as a concession and that in Europe all trikes must have a single foot operated control. He said that there is no mechanism to appeal the rules. Of course a disabled vehicle can have any brake controls that you want. I would say that my trike would be safer with hand controls. I will try to send some photos to you tonight. Hope it works, I've been too busy building trikes to get any good at this computer stuff!

stuart mills
Posts: 80
Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2007 2:03 pm
Location: Mansfield
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Re: ETRIKE BY MILLS EXTREME VEHICLES LTD

Postby stuart mills » Mon Mar 08, 2010 12:02 pm

Easiest thing to do is turn your controller down so it only goes 28mph and has only 4kw. At under 270kgs (excluding batteries) it would then be classed as a 3 wheeled moped. Then you can have handle bar brakes. On mine we have 2 rear wheels that are more than 460mm (centres) apart so it is classed as a quad. What motor/controller/pack have you fitted?
For £50 I sell a build guide for E-trikes, all this MSVA information is included and explained in layman terms. It is 76 pages long and includes EVERYTHING you need to know regarding building and registering the machines. It also includes vital information about steering and suspension geometry, ackerman, camber/castor/bump steer and so on. Essential if it's going to handle well and be safe. Plus it tells you where to buy all the bits at the right price. It always pays for itself.

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EV_dub
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Location: Dorset/Devon

Re: ETRIKE BY MILLS EXTREME VEHICLES LTD

Postby EV_dub » Tue Mar 23, 2010 5:18 pm

Hey stuart,

I have just been reading the feature on your E-trike in Kitcar magazine, looks great by the way.

Can you realy build one for £1500 all included? Could you break down the cost to give a better idea of the different componets cost.

Are you using the D127 lynch motor on your build?

I have a D135RAG lynch motor sat on the shelf. Its almost the same as D127 but a little more power + torque. Hopefully I'll be at Santa pod in April. I can bring the motor with me if you wana try it?

Dave
1993 Veedub Golf, 156v, 1200A, 150ah's

stuart mills
Posts: 80
Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2007 2:03 pm
Location: Mansfield
Contact:

Re: ETRIKE BY MILLS EXTREME VEHICLES LTD

Postby stuart mills » Tue Mar 23, 2010 6:33 pm

Hi, we do use the LEMCO motors most of the time.
Build costs are roughly;
£1000 motor/contoller/contactor
6x£50 batteries
£100 second hand quad bits
£50 second hand bike bits
£50 steel etc.
I will be at Santa pod too, it would be intersting to compare motors.


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