Kona Africa bike - how might you add a rugged simple low cost electric drive system

[BrianP]

The Kona Africa Bike project has Kona giving one to Africa for every two bike sold, 4000 so far have been given away.

If you were to add electric power, how would you do it, bearing in mind it would have to be in keeping with the simple rugged nature of the design. Perhaps front wheel drive, battery in the basket and a simple control there as well. Perhaps this would mean the unit and wheel could be easily fitted and removed.

Rugged, realiable, low cost?

Brian

 

[neptune]

If you mean adding an electric power system for the bikes that are going to Africa , then that is not perhaps the best idea . Many African countries have a great scarcity of resources , and that includes mains electricity . Such small amounts of power as can be generated by solar and wind are in great demand for lighting , radio , and mobile phones .Africa needs appropriate technology . A village would benefit more from having 2 pedal bikes , rather than one ebike , and the cost would be about the same . I read a book a while back about a guy in africa who built a wind generator based on an old bike rim dynamo , to operate LED lighting and charge a phone . He became a national hero . That tells us much about the availability of electricity in Africa . Incidentally , on the photo , notice the steering centring spring , which is being discussed in another thread . If you was suggesting electrifying the bike for use in first world countries , it might be a good donor bike .

 

[BrianP]

Perhaps two ways of looking at it. For us, a low cost start price plus simple rugged add on electric pack might make the bike popular in the UK. That would lead to more bikes going free to Africa.

Perhaps in Africa the bike could also generate electricity for the home somehow. Perhaps you could ride it and rather than take power out of the battery, put power into it. Then when home, the battery could drive the LED lighting and a radio. I remember that Nissan have a system in Japan where the electric car charges on low off peak electricity then drives the house lights etc during expensive peak times.

A mobile generator!

Brian

 

[oigoi]

I like your thinking Brian, especially the idea about the bike also being a generator. I had a hienzmann hub motor with a brushed dc motor that when turned backwards worked as a generator so it is certainly possible. Myself I have made a generator using a alternator from a scrap car as part of a rowing machine, but a bicycle could turn it also.

What I would do if I had to electrify the africabike in a way that could also be used as a generator would be to have a rear hub motor that could be turned around or switched electrically so it then functioned as a generator

 

[flecc]

Generation by pedalling has been done few times, but it's surprisingly hard work, most systems being very inefficient in that mode. And there's no point anyway, since there has to be mains or some other supply to recharge the e-bike battery, that can supply radio and LED lights.

This bike seems ideal for the new SRAM electric system due next year. That has a rear hub motor which has it's own automatic 2 speed system for the motor and it's controller internally. The rider has just the single gear just as the bike has at present. The only other part of the SRAM system is the battery with it's on switch and the cable that connects to the motor.

So just two parts and it's completely automatic, press the on switch and pedal off with assistance.

 

[vectra]

Hi.
If I understand this project then it means Kona is ripping its customers off. They have to be in order to give 1 bike away for every 2 sold!

Did I miss something?

 

[neptune]

There are several things I like about the basic bike design , and some that I don`t . It is basically a utlity design , and the rear carrier is an integral part of the frame . That is good because in an African village ,It would be used to carry heavy loads including children [or adults!] The mudguards , being plastic will not corrode , but are a bit flimsy and close to the tyres for dirt trails . The front basket would be better replaced by a carrier , similar to the one at the rear . Let them make their own baskets from local materials to their own requirements . Fit a large hub dynamo at the rear [50 watts ? ] and a rear stand that raises the rear wheel off the ground .Make it sturdy , to last . There are no local bike shops .A simple cheap transformer with various output voltage tappings and voltage stabiliser circuit would make it more versatile .

 

[BrianP]

Thanks flecc for the pointer to the new SRAM system. Sounds great as a simple to use, simple to add on, electric power system. Just right for my wife to use around the village and back up the hill coming home from work.

In Africa perhaps a solar panel on the rear rack, could also charge the battery, so power would be available for the home led lighting. Probably getting too complex, but perhaps someone as large as Bionix might also join Kona in the program.

Brian

 

[catsnapper]

I picked one cheap in an end of year sale, just as well it was cheap! I know the brief the design team worked to and the reasons for choosing the parts that are on it, BUT it is seriously heavy.
I chucked everything except the frame, forks, rear hub and chainguard. The frame is decent chromo and the forks are P2s, everything else was heavy 2nd rate steel.

The centring springs are available from the Hebie brand.

Alan

 

[andyh2]

In the less developed parts of Africa I imagine they'd be better off with a bike as a bike with no assist. Solar panels or small wind turbine might be helpful in some areas to power electrical 'stuff', but not for charging up e-bike batteries.

I imagine there are all sorts of small ICE vehicles that would make more practical powered vehicles.

I have no idea, but I expect the buy one / donate one scheme from Kona is funded by taking a slice off all their bike sales and donating it. If that slice comes from taking less profit pro-rata then it's a genuine corporate donation. If they cover the cost by adding it to the cost of their bikes and maintaining the same profit level then they're not donating anything, but making a collection for Africa from customers. Maybe it's a mixture.