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Discussion Starter · #1 ·

Found this while randomly scrolling through eBay looking for parts. Anyone seen or used one of these before? They seem way too cheap to be anything decent. I am finding used Nissan Leaf motors for almost that price.
 

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Well 5kw is only 7hp, so it's kinda useless for street use........
That's 5 kW @ 48 V, so it would be higher (possible as much as 10 kW) @ 96 V... but still not much for anything that would be called a "car" these days. In referring to automotive use, they're probably thinking of Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (quadricycles in Europe, such as the Renault Twizy)... like golf carts but for low-speed road use.
 

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a) It's enough for a motorcycle @96V if the rating is legit. To the Chinese, a golf cart is a "car", and many of them are lucky to bust 50kg in weight
b) It could be useful as, say, a pump motor
c) It's super expensive for its power output and considering it's likely rated in China-kilowatts, so if this was an ad attempt it's obviously faceplanted here
 

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Discussion Starter · #5 ·
That's 5 kW @ 48 V, so it would be higher (possible as much as 10 kW) @ 96 V... but still not much for anything that would be called a "car" these days. In referring to automotive use, they're probably thinking of Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (quadricycles in Europe, such as the Renault Twizy)... like golf carts but for low-speed road use.
It is made in Italy so it probably was originally for something like that. I wish there were more vehicles like that here, I literally drive 1 mile to work now and just need something small and economical. For the summer I have a 49cc bicycle conversion to ride.
 

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It is made in Italy so it probably was originally for something like that. I wish there were more vehicles like that here, I literally drive 1 mile to work now and just need something small and economical. For the summer I have a 49cc bicycle conversion to ride.
Not many people in North America only drive within their neighborhoods, so low-speed road vehicles are not very useful and thus not common... outside of some retirement communities and recreational vehicle parks. But they exist - the GEM mentioned above is a good example (and has even had a recent update - I didn't realize they were even still in production until searched for that link).

I literally walked a mile each way to and from school when I was in kindergarten, and now I walk my dog further than that at least twice a day, every day. North Americans unwilling to walk that distance generally prefer to use 400 horsepower all-wheel-drive three-ton vehicles. ;)
 

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Discussion Starter · #8 ·
Not many people in North America only drive within their neighborhoods, so low-speed road vehicles are not very useful and thus not common... outside of some retirement communities and recreational vehicle parks. But they exist - the GEM mentioned above is a good example (and has even had a recent update - I didn't realize they were even still in production until searched for that link).

I literally walked a mile each way to and from school when I was in kindergarten, and now I walk my dog further than that at least twice a day, every day. North Americans unwilling to walk that distance generally prefer to use 400 horsepower all-wheel-drive three-ton vehicles. ;)
Well walking at 5am on back roads with no shoulders or sidewalk doesn’t really feel too safe for me. That’s why my cycle stays at home after the days get short. Even with led lights on it I don’t trust drivers that early in the morning.

I didn’t realize Gem car was still a thing either. I’ll have to look at the prices of them.
 

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Cycling without a dedicated lane, no matter the time of day, is a lot more dangerous than walking while facing traffic. Happy hour drunks could be a midsummer's nightmare and a trailer puller doesn't need much lane correction to crack the whip into you with a trailer. But, I'm not your nanny and you seem to have somehow made it this far 😂
 

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Discussion Starter · #10 ·
I can clip about 40 on my motorized bike with mirrors and a brain bucket. At that speed at least I can keep up with traffic and should see anything coming up behind me. And a gallon of gas lasts me a month and a half.

maybe I’ll just build an e bike this winter…
 

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Not my place to comment as to purpose or function getting to work. A trike with a hub motor would work, two $20 junkyard bikes with a couple 3 strategic cross pipes welded in.... unless you need an enclosure to keep the weather outside. For free you could get an 6hp rated electric lawnmower with bad batteries.
 

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I didn’t realize Gem car was still a thing either. I’ll have to look at the prices of them.
Depending on specifically what "back roads" means, a GEM might not be legal. Details vary by jurisdiction (state), but generally low-speed vehicles are only legal for road use where the speed limit is 30 miles per hour or less, and a rural road typically has a higher limit. The same logic should apply to any homebuilt motor vehicle - if it can't safely keep up with traffic, it shouldn't be allowed on the road.
 

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In Oregon (as an example) rural (county) roads typically have no posted speed limits, and default to the state's 55MPH highway speed limit. It is legal for vehicles displaying "slow moving vehicle" triangle to travel on them below 30MPH - which a lot of tractors and similar vehicles do. Same is legal on the state highways. I believe it is the case in Washington as well. There are also LSV and MSV certifications that are intended for vehicles within city limits.

801.331 “Low-speed vehicle.” “Low-speed vehicle” means a four wheeled motor vehicle with a top speed of more than 20 miles per hour but not more than 25 miles per hour. [2001 c.293 §5]
801.341 “Medium-speed electric vehicle.” “Medium-speed electric vehicle” means an electric motor vehicle with four wheels that is equipped with a roll cage or a crushproof body design, can attain a maximum speed of 35 miles per hour on a paved, level surface, is fully enclosed and has at least one door for entry. [2009 c.865 §12]
ORS 815.110
Requirements for and use of slow-moving vehicle emblem
 

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Discussion Starter · #15 ·
Oregan seems to be a little better than Pennsylvania in that regard then. PA laws are rather crappy and very unclear on certain vehicles. Electric bikes are limited to 25 mph and something like 2.5 break hp here. Both of which I think are terribly limiting and boringly slow. You can ride a motorcycle with no helmet in PA that has terrible 1980 somethings brakes and technology with 80 hp, but you have to have a helmet and go no faster than 25 on an e bike. Pennsylvania is a totally backwards bunch of noodles.
 

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Discussion Starter · #17 ·
Because I like greasy fast speed, I want to eat lighting and crap thunder Mickey.

I don’t need it, I just want more.

Although 25 mph is plenty fast for my 4 stroke bicycle. The issue for my bike is more going up hill. Which I think an electric bike would do better with. I don’t have a crazy steep incline just about a half mile long incline.
 
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