WHAT IS THE

SMARTEST WAY FROM

A TO B?
Sustainable Tricycle Conversions
Presented by Scott Dickason

The views expressed in this paper are the views of the author(s) and do not
necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), or its
Board of Directors or the governments they represent. ADB does not guarantee the
source, originality, accuracy, completeness or reliability of any statement,
information, data, finding, interpretation, advice, opinion, or view presented, nor does
it make any representation concerning the same.
1.5+ MILLION TRICYCLES
WHAT IS THE ISSUE?

Tricycles consume over 4.8 billion litres per year fuel

consumer ( Mostly imported)

Tricycles emit over around 5 tons per unit per year= 7.5
million tons of CO2 emissions

Tricycles consume over $5 billion in fuel and oil per year to

operate

ironically an alternative exists and is available now!!

 CURRENT ELECTRIC
VEHICLE PENETRATION
Aeroplanes

Electric Heavy vehicles

Pure Electric cars

Hybrid Cars Cost

LEV’s

E-Bikes

Current Volume In use today

 ELECTRIC VEHICLE
RANGE PER CHARGE
Efective Range KM Electric only

300

225

150

75

0
ElectricBicycle E-Bike E-Tricycle LEVGolfcart HybridCar Tesla E-Bus
AIRPLANES

Mainly Hobby sized

No commercial examples

Many years from

commercial reality

Some new attempts by

enthusiasts and billionaires
HEAVY VEHICLE

Buses are most common

due to high public exposure
and strong eco message

Beijing olympics launch

pad

Still Hybrid is the most

viable or tram style electric

Very costly to produce

PURE ELECTRIC CARS
Many hobby examples

Top end Telsa is

outstanding EV example.
0-100km/h 3.9 seconds.
Google E-Bay Investors

320 miles battery life and

range per charge still an
issue
"Because a car crash is fundamentally
huge investment in R&D different than a software crash"Martin Eberhard founder of
Tesla Motors
HYBRID ELECTRIC
CARS
Prius a global sales success

Poor press unrelated to

Hybrid function

Safe option for makers

Camry Hybrid now made

in Australia
"Without plug-in capability, a hybrid is just a
Lexus, Honda are next gasoline-powered car with some fancy
largest producers hardware"Martin Eberhard founder of Tesla Motors
LEV’S (LIGHT
ELECTRIC VEHICLES)
Existed for over 50 years

Forklifts, goods equipment,

cleaning, golf carts etc

Now moving into

motorcycles, small car
applications, ATV’s, indoor
transport

The next significant trend

in low cost transport.
E-BIKES AND HUMAN
HYBRIDS
Fastest growing EV
category

Outsells cars in China

Globally accepted

Highly refined and low cost

due to high volumes

Major benefactor to new

lithium batter technology
ELECTRIC BIKE GROWTH
IN CHINA
PROVEN TECHNOLOGY
EXIST’S TODAY
2003 China had 10,000,000 e-bikes it now has over 120,000,000

11+ Billion dollar industry

Fastest growing electric transport category

Netherlands 1/3 of all money spent on bikes is for electric. Germany, France and
Italy closely follow

India had almost NO e-bikes until 2 years ago but will eclipse all of Europe
within one year!

E-bikes cost about 50cents per day to travel up to 50km!!!!!!

E-bikes are the fastest personal transport growth category worldwide

Philippines has very few e-bikes

IS EXISTING TECHNOLOGY
AVAILABLE TO CONVERT
TRICYCLES TO ELECTRIC?

Yes and has been for at least 10 years!!!!!!

Battery technology has driven exponential change in the Electric Vehicle

Industry

Personal Electric Transport is the current electric vehicle success story world
wide. Far ahead of Car’s and Heavy vehicle applications

Low weight human-hybrid and light electric vehicles (LEV’s) exist today and are
an integral part of most developed nations

From electric bicycles to golf carts, boats, fork lifts, motorcycles and more
EXAMPLES OF ELECTRIC
VEHICLES USING PRESCRIBED
COMPONENTS
 TRICYCLE CONVERSION
COMPONENTS
Controller Motor
Throttle

Cable Battery
Charger
TRICYCLE FUEL
CONSUMPTION
Tricycle Daily Fuel Consumption: approx. 7 litres per day

Fuel Cost @ USD$1 per litre = $7 per day

1.5 Million tricycles (Conservative estimate) x 7 Litres/day =

10.5million litres of fuel or $10.5 million dollars per day

Annually a staggering: 3.8 Billion $’s/litres of fuel

Add Oil replacements estimate: 12 million litres oil @ 4

changes per year per tricycle. (Conservative)
ELECTRIC TRICYCLE ELECTRICITY
CONSUMPTION
Assume 1.5 million tricycles are fitted with 3kw electric motor
and a 48v 100aH Lithium Phosphate Battery (5 kWh)

Range Up to 80km per day

Estimate a tricycle would use 5 kWh per day of electricity

Electricity cost est @ 20c per kWh = $1 per day/tricycle v’s $7 in

petrol

7.5 gWh of electricity = $1.5million per day

Annually Tricycles may use 2.7 tWh = $547 Million that can be
supplied via partially renewable sources that compliment other
ADB and renewable energy projects.

Energy cost: Saving of $3.3 Billion

ELECTRIFICATION
COSTINGS
Estimates of costing based on bulk tricycle (motor bike
component) would be $2.5-3500 USD per tricycle

Annual Battery replacement cost in bulk format would be

approximately $1500 - 2000 usd.

Current gasoline fuel costs are $2500 per year per tricycle.
Note: Gasoline will go up, Battery prices will reduce.

Saving up to $1500 that could be allocated towards charging

stations, training and infrastructure
MOTORCYCLE
REPLACEMENT
Hi quality electric motor cycles exist
today

Search Zero Electric Motor Cycles

for a demo

Tricycle side car variations can still

be added

Refine the platform for a highly

robust low cost functional version

Volume purchasing will

achieve this outcome
OUR PROPOSAL
Conduct small scale a trial of e-tricycles (6) using best
available components to validate technology

Monitor in field performance

Adjust components to suite data outcomes

Develop and model mass roll out costings and

implementation plan

Large scale modelling and project plan Up to 100,000 units

Model plan to other additional Asian country opportunities

for Gasoline to LEV’s conversion or replacement
HOW DO WE DO IT?
Use the best available quality components

Recruit quality local assembly resources and maintenance

support

Monitor in field data

Adjust component specification to suite data results

Recommend a bulk specification for Motorcycle drive unit

Model charging station and logistics support

 TRICYCLE CONVERSION
COMPONENTS
Controller Motor
Throttle

Cable Battery
Charger
PROCESS MAP - OVERVIEW

Phase Trikes What When

1 1 Field evaluation April to May 2010

2 1 Component procurement May to July 2010

1 1st Trike preparation July - September

5 additional trike September - October

3 6
preparation 2010

6 Evaluation of results September - Jan 2011

Bulk tricycle
4 1000
Implementation
Feb-July 2011

5 100000 MASS ROLE OUT 3-5YEARS

+
PROCESS MAP - PHASE 1-3
Phase When What How Who
1
Visit Manila and review tricycle
April 12-17 Tricycle in field visit function review size,use and weight, SD and SMEC
dimension, performance, running
times
Select from best etc components
available
April 20-27 Selection of components based on field visit SD EVS and Supplier
to fulfil requirement

April 20-27 Order Components for 1st trike Battery, Motor, Controller, Cables, SD EVS and Supplier
Throttle,

Selection of engineering and service support people of Qualify people and organisations that
April/May can provide engineering and electrical SMEC
organisations, Charging station/location and logistics
engineering support
Component Component Testing In Australian arrival,
Bench Testing and labelling of
May/June Note Some components such as batteries may have SD EVS and Supplier
components
long lead time up to 60days
Remover all petrol motor related parts
First Tricycle deconstruction SD and SMEC and local
May/June from the selected Tricycle
and Motor and controller installation service support
Prepare tricycle and install motor

May 21-23 Attend ADB Sustainable Transport Forum presentation Present our plan for tricycles at this SD and SMEC
forum
June July Ship tested components to SMEC/ADB SD to attend the first installation on SD EVS and Supplier
tricycle
Comprehensive feedback on SD and SMEC and local
July/August 1st in field test runs and usage procedures
component performance service support
Critically analyse performance of
Adjustments to spec based on infield testing and trials Tricycle and make recommended SD and SMEC and local
August/September
if required component,process, or configuration service support
recommendations

2
Selection of components based on
September Order Components for 2nd Phase of 5 trikes SD EVS and Supplier
infield testing of Phase 1 Trike

Deconstruction and installation of

October Installation of 5 remaining tricycles SMEC
tricycles

3 November to Jan Infield monitoring of 6 Trikes

Comprehensive feedback on
component performance
SD and SMEC and local
service support
KEY ISSUES
Initial Pilot Cost of components (Especially Battery Cost) and R&D Support - High

EVS team and consultant (Scott Dickason) time and cost in Australia and travel on
Project etc.

Local engineering support to install components onto trikes-Need quality

committed local partners

Local Logistics for service and maintenance-Need local partners

Communication of performance and data - Local Partners required

Recording of data- Local Partners to collect data

Training of users. Buy In of users.