Twike
| Twike | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Twike 3 | |
| Production period: | since 1996 |
| Class : | Light vehicle |
| Body versions : | Coupe |
| Engines: |
Electric motor : 5.0 kW |
| Length: | 2650 mm |
| Width: | 1200 mm |
| Height: | 1200 mm |
| Wheelbase : | 1870 mm |
| Empty weight : | 250 kg |
| successor | Twike 5 |
The Twike (spelling "TWIKE") is a three-wheeled light electric vehicle for two people. It was one of the best-selling electric vehicles in Europe after the CityEL and was overtaken by Renault ZOE from 2013 .
The Twike emerged from a study by students from, among others, the ETH Zurich . Originally it was designed as a fully disguised bicycle ( muscle motor vehicle). In 1986 it won a prize for ergonomics at the World Exhibition in Vancouver on the occasion of the Innovative Vehicle Design Competition (IVDC) and first prize in the everyday vehicle category during the Human Powered Vehicle World Championships .
history
The original producer of the Twike, Twike AG, based in Gelterkinden, Switzerland, and the S-Lem company merged in 1999 to form SwissLEM, based in Hochdorf (Switzerland). SwissLEM went bankrupt in the summer of 2002. The Twike.you, now called Twike 3, was bought by the German FINE Mobile GmbH (now Twike GmbH), which now continues to produce the Twike in Rosenthal . The further development of SwissLEM called Twike.Me did not go into production.
The Twike 3 has been approved for road traffic since 1995 . A little over 1,000 vehicles have now been sold, with around 450 each being delivered to Switzerland and Germany (as of February 2013). The remaining vehicles are spread across other countries such as the Netherlands, Korea, China, Denmark, Austria, Great Britain, Australia, Belgium, Norway, Italy, Spain, France, Morocco and the USA.
In order to develop a successor model, the Twike 4 has been developed and tested as a prototype since 2009 . The Twike 5 has been developed as a successor model since 2015 ; priority can be given by participating in fundraising . Non-binding reservations without a down payment are treated as subordinate. The Twike5 model was presented for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show in 2019 .
Twike 3
drive
For the propulsion of the TWIKE 3 a provides three-phase - electric motor with a rated output of 3 kW (peak power of 7 kW, with "Racing Software" and 25 A driving current up to 8 kW) and optionally a pedal drive for driver and passenger. This enables the Twike to reach a speed of 85 km / h on the flat. The Twike is made up of a tubular aluminum frame that is covered with a plastic cover ( Luran S ).
The drive of the Twike 5 , which is currently in development, will come onto the market in a version up to 15 kW and possibly also in a version with more than 15 kW due to driving license classes . With the drive up to 15 kW and three batteries, speeds of up to 190 km / h can be achieved. Driving is supported by a pedal generator (300 watts, standard on the driver's side, optional on the passenger side) and, optionally, a roof solar module.
The Twike is steered by a joystick located between the two drivers, which accelerates and brakes at the same time. A recuperation brake feeds electricity back into the batteries when braking . Entry is made possible by opening the hood, which is supported by a gas spring. The hood carries the laminated glass pane , which is necessary for car registration in Germany, or a lighter plexiglass pane and the removable convertible or targa top .
power supply
Since the model year 2008, the energy has been stored in Li-ion batteries with a nominal voltage of 353 volts . Currently (2014) the manufacturer offers batteries with 9.0 Ah (two to seven of which are selectable). The smallest configuration, with only one 9 Ah battery, offers a range of 40–80 km, at least 2 such batteries are recommended, the maximum configuration with 7 9 Ah batteries offers a range of> 500 km. These 7 modules weigh a total of 133 kg. The full driving current of 25A is only achieved from 4 modules. 3 modules offer only 20A and 1–2 modules only 16A - the latter is not sufficient for steep mountain drives.
Before that, NiCd batteries with a nominal voltage of 336 volts and a capacity of 3 to 5 Ah per battery set were used, in which 280 round cells were installed. A maximum of two battery packs with a total of 6 to 10 Ah are possible with the NiCd version, which means a range of max. 50–70 km corresponds.
As an alternative, NiMH batteries with twice the capacity (18 Ah) of nickel-cadmium batteries were tested on the occasion of the Twike Challenge 05 to the Black Sea in 2005 . With these cells, stages of up to 130 km without charge were achieved. However, the German manufacturer of the Twike, FINE Mobile, has not been delivering them since mid-2007 due to technical problems (too short service life) with the cells.
Consumption and range
The range is - depending on the battery - between 40 and 500 km with a consumption of around 4 to 8 kWh / 100 km. This corresponds to 14.4–28.8 megajoules / 100 km.
An economical combustion car with a fuel consumption of 5 liters of petrol or 4.33 L diesel / 100 km (x 32.5 MJ / L petrol or 37.4 MJ / L diesel =) corresponding to 162 MJ / 100 km therefore consumes well 5.5 to 11 times as much energy.
Such low energy consumption is due to the much higher efficiency of the electric drive, the aerodynamically favorable shape with a small cross-sectional area and the lightweight construction (aluminum, plastic). The moderate top speed as well as the braking energy recovery (depending on the altitude profile of the route) have a positive effect on consumption.
costs
The purchase price is high because it is a small series product. Even in the simplest basic configuration, it reaches 26,000 euros and can rise to over 55,000 euros. Apart from the battery wear and tear, this is offset by low maintenance costs and a high resale value. In addition, the energy costs are very low. For an annual output of 10,000 km, a Twike needs around 600 kWh of electricity, which for the example at 0.30 € / kWh would result in electricity costs of 180 € per year.
FINE Mobile states the operating costs at around 8 cents / km (including 1.5 cents / km for energy; furthermore tire wear, maintenance, insurance, taxes at 10,000 km / year). For battery wear, you can also calculate 0.08 to 0.15 cents per kilometer, depending on your driving style.
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Driver list of the Twikeklub sorted by country. Retrieved February 12, 2013
- ^ History. Retrieved March 2, 2020 .
- ↑ FAQ. Section 8 - Costs. FINE Mobile GmbH, archived from the original on May 14, 2011 ; Retrieved January 19, 2012 .