Motorcycles

iTank electrifies the tilting three-wheeler

iTank electrifies the tilting three-wheeler
The Doohan EV3 iTank is tilting three-wheeler designed to make commuting a bit easier
The Doohan EV3 iTank is tilting three-wheeler designed to make commuting a bit easier
View 24 Images
The Doohan EV3 uses tilting front wheels to avoid toppling over
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The Doohan EV3 uses tilting front wheels to avoid toppling over 
Doohan says its EV3 is able to go off-road, although we'd be sticking firmly to the blacktop
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Doohan says its EV3 is able to go off-road, although we'd be sticking firmly to the blacktop
The front wheels make this like a bike with a bit more stability
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The front wheels make this like a bike with a bit more stability
Doohan is offering a range of accessories for the bike on Kickstarter
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Doohan is offering a range of accessories for the bike on Kickstarter
Doohan is offering a range of accessories for the bike on Kickstarter
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Doohan is offering a range of accessories for the bike on Kickstarter
Doohan is offering a range of accessories for the bike on Kickstarter
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Doohan is offering a range of accessories for the bike on Kickstarter
Doohan is offering a range of accessories for the bike on Kickstarter
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Doohan is offering a range of accessories for the bike on Kickstarter
Doohan is offering a range of accessories for the bike on Kickstarter
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Doohan is offering a range of accessories for the bike on Kickstarter
The Doohan EV3 can be had in a range of colors
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The Doohan EV3 can be had in a range of colors
The battery sits in the middle of the bike's chassis
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The battery sits in the middle of the bike's chassis 
0-45 km/h takes 4.6 seconds
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0-45 km/h takes 4.6 seconds
Power comes from a Bosch rear-wheel motor
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Power comes from a Bosch rear-wheel motor
The EV3 is currently on Kickstarter
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The EV3 is currently on Kickstarter 
The key to the Doohan EV3
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The key to the Doohan EV3 
The trike is built around an aluminum frame for light weight
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The trike is built around an aluminum frame for light weight
There's room for one rider on the EV3
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There's room for one rider on the EV3
There's 128 Nm of torque from the rear wheel motor
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There's 128 Nm of torque from the rear wheel motor 
The EV3 is ready to go, deliveries are expected to start in October
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The EV3 is ready to go, deliveries are expected to start in October
The trike's frame in its bare glory
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The trike's frame in its bare glory
There's a mounting point for Doohan's rear luggage box
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There's a mounting point for Doohan's rear luggage box
The battery pack weighs 9 kg
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The battery pack weighs 9 kg 
The trike has been designed to look sportier than the average electric tricycle
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The trike has been designed to look sportier than the average electric tricycle
The EV3's battery takes 6 hours to charge
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The EV3's battery takes 6 hours to charge
The Doohan EV3 iTank is tilting three-wheeler designed to make commuting a bit easier
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The Doohan EV3 iTank is tilting three-wheeler designed to make commuting a bit easier
View gallery - 24 images

Although motorbikes are able to cut through traffic more easily than cars, they do have a few drawbacks. For one, they topple over more easily, making the daily commute a riskier proposition than it would be in a four-wheeled vehicle. The fully-electric EV3 iTank splits the difference, using a three-wheeled setup to offer a more stable, silent ride through traffic.

Trikes like the Piaggio MP3 and Yamaha Tricity have been taking on the trike market for years, but they still rely on old-fashioned gasoline power. For the iTank, however, Doohan has turned to battery electric power for silent, smooth city riding.

Power comes from a 2600 mAh lithium-ion battery pack, and range is pegged at around 100 km (62 mi). Recharging should take six hours, but the battery unit weighs in at just 9 kg (20 lb), and can also be easily swapped out for a spare. That will come in handy when the battery pack starts losing its efficiency, something Doohan says will happen after around 5 years or 600 charge cycles.

The trike's frame in its bare glory
The trike's frame in its bare glory

Hooked up to the rear wheel is a Bosch electric motor, pumping out 1.85 kW (2.5 hp) of power. Ignore the tiny power output though, because electric driving is all about torque. Thanks to the healthy 128 Nm (94 lb-ft) on offer, Doohan says the iTank will hit 45 km/h (28 mph) in a peppy 4.6 seconds. Unfortunately that's where the action stops, which means this isn't really at home on highways. Instead, it's more at home on tight city streets, where you're unlikely to top 40 km/h (25 mph) anyway.

It'll also scale gradients up to 15 percent with riders weighing up to 160 kg (353 lb) on board, while cutting the rider weight back to 80 kg (176 kg) lets it climb gradients of up to 25 percent.

Wrapped around the battery is a die-cast aluminum chassis, hooked up to a cross-mounted rear shock absorber for a lower center of gravity. Doohan says the trike's low center of gravity, combined with its 50/50 weight distribution and 99 kg (218 lb) kerb weight, make it a sharp handler that doesn't topple. The whole system is water and dust proof, so it'll also be able to run on gravel, although the road-going tires don't exactly suggest go-anywhere capability.

The Doohan EV3 uses tilting front wheels to avoid toppling over
The Doohan EV3 uses tilting front wheels to avoid toppling over 

At the moment, Doohan is seeking funding on Kickstarter, where the project hasn't yet made much of a dent in its US$7,998 goal with 23 days left. Pledges start at US$29 for a set of branded riding gloves, but the bike itself will cost at least $3,999. There's no word on how much individual battery packs will cost.

If all goes as planned, deliveries are expected to start in October this year.

Source: Doohan

View gallery - 24 images
7 comments
7 comments
Axel
Provided it is half the width of the average car, then many congratulations to the iTank, and the other trikes. They can achieve what every urban area requires twice a day, the doubling of the width of the road to accommodate all those cars carrying just one or two persons. Obviously all two-wheelers do that as well, but not with the same stability. The stability of trikes is the key, it could enable the missing essential requirement to persuade the persons in those cars to switch to narrow vehicles, namely a wind-proof and water-proof and heated cabin to provide the comfort and safety for all-year commuting. Come on iTank, give the world's cities what they need, the enclosed tandem two-seater.
Mzungu_Mkubwa
Watching the trike get some air time in the video clip, it sure looks like that suspension could use a lot more rebound damping. It was bouncing along like a rubber ball! Gotta be a rough ride, there! ☺
marv13
I am enamored by vehicles like the Auto Moto, Piaggio MP3, Adiva AD3, Quadro Parkour, Vestratis, Tricity and the likes. Sadly, it's like the world is unaware that such vehicles exist. The people behind these vehicles are doing piss poor job of selling their products. There are relatively very few exposures of these single trac vehicles in the Internet. Would it kill them to do some viral marketing like doing some stunts on the Quadro Parkour and post it on Youtube. Or imagine if movies like Skyfall or the last Mission Impossible used a Quadro Parkour or Piaggio MP3 instead of some garden variety superbikes. Do some product placement. Get the Green Arrow to fight crime on a Quadro Parkour.
BartyLobethal
Great concept. Needs the following improvements: 1) Increase in top speed to at least 80km/hr. The average speed during my daily commute may be a lousy 30km/hr, but peak speeds of 60 km/hr between stops is almost always reached, and it's nice to 'have a bit in reserve'; 2) Faired tailbox to close the airstream behind the rider. An optional 'full' front fairing would also be good.
Tom Lee Mullins
I think that is really cool. It looks like it would be a lot of fun to ride.
GillesSchaefer
Check also the very similar (but already available) Tri'Ode from the French Veleance : http://veleance.net/
KarlChwe
I have a pretty good bike. I don't need more speed or range. Everything I need is within five miles of where I live, and if the weather is bad, I can always walk. What I need is cargo capacity. The only reason I drive my car any more is to buy boxes of cat litter or cat food.