Solar Motorcycles - Current Development

Solar motorcycles... The next thing after solar cars. Read about the development here.

With the development of solar cars, comes the evolution of solar motorcycles. The first discovery was electric motorcycles. But as the time passes by, there was a problem encountered with electric motorcycles, they consume their batteries too fast. Researchers then experiemted with solar panels installed on the motorcycle to charge up the batteries while in motion. However, with the limited surface of an electric motorcycle it is a challenge to install the necessary quantity of solar panels to charge up the batteries.

There are a few examples of solar motorcycles that have been produced, but none that can be mass produced and certainly non that you can walk in to a dealer and find.

Below you'll find a few examples of efforts to develop solar motorcycles, including a video of a man who created his own.

Solar Powered Motorcycles - What's Up

• SunRed
• Donald Dunklee
• E-V Sunny Bicycle
• Solar Motorcycle Video

SunRed

In the initial stage of development a motorcycle named "Urban Solar Motorcycle" or "Motor Solar Urban" is still in an early initial stage of the design. The concept is to design a 3.1 meter squared surface that will cater an electric engine to power the motorcycle at a 50kph speed over a distance of approximately 20 kilometers.

The overall picture of the motorcycle is a giant snail because the large surface comprises the solar panels and once you are on it, these solar panel units are closed around you.

A disadvantage with this design is the difficulty of putting the feet on the ground. Once you are inside the motorcycle, the units will then be closed around your body, forming a large area of solar panels. And, placing these solar cells all the way around his body had been purposeless according to the critics.

It's a motorcycle, and it can be parked with any side facing the sun and can absorb photons coming from the sun.

Donald Dunklee

Solar panels made by Atlantic Solar with the dimension of 6" x 25" 30 was set up on the both sides and assembled as an orbiting satellite that provided a broad collector plate to catch the photons coming from the sun's energy.

The solar scoot was designed that the solar panels automatically unfold during charging and fold up when used in the ride. It is very broad while unfolded, though, so I wonder ow he manages to not get squashed when driving around.

E-V Sunny Bicycle

Another unique invention, E-V Sunny Bicycle was not strictly a motorcycle, but it has a motor and it's a two wheeled cycle.

It was designed in Toronto based Therapy Products and highly features its light absorbing solar panels that are bonded on the bicycle's wheels and is required to maintain a constant charging of 17 AH batteries that is needed to feed up a 500 watt hub motor on the front of the bicycle.

The concept of this invention is that the wheels are designed to be perpendicular to the ground. In effect, it can collect enough solar energy at the times when the sun is low in sky such as during sunset, sunrise and during winter season.

Solar Motorcycle Video