Custom/Hybrid When will it begin?

NJrider

NJrider

Huck it!
Location
South Jersey
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/51770...to/2010-KTM-Freeride-Electric-Motorcycle.aspx


Honestly, this is where I want skis to go soon because im a earth loving hippie. It may not make it in freestyle but i know freeriding it would get the job done.

I really dont want skis to get bigger just cause im selfish and dont want my main spot to blow up and people start fighting over surf. But if/when skis blow up I think a lot more people will have respect for going green.

Can you tech guys chime in on this and let us know what you think it would take to make this happen..
 
Snivilous

Snivilous

Location
SW UT
I was thinking of an electric jet ski over the summer. Doesn't work though, primarily since you could get electrocuted so easily with all those hundreds of watts flowing. It's possible, but you'd have to find a way to charge the batteries, which destroys your hull integrity (because you would optimally want it to be completely sealed so you couldn't get electrocuted, of course you need like water cooling or something). Water + electric power = bad (especially for something that spends half the time getting sprayed or submerged).
 
227

227

Its all about the surf!
Location
Oceanside, CA
The problem with an electric ski is the battery technology to make them compatible with a internal combustion powered ski is still not available. Like Zach said, Ross and Steve have a running proto type, however Ross told me a full charge lasts only about 10 minutes, and to get that required the entire hull to be packed with very heavy batteries. That wouldn't even get me out of Oceanside harbor, while with a internal combustion powered ski 5 gallons of fuel gets you 1-1/2 hrs of reliable power. If anything I would think an electric flat water freestyle ski would be a better option. Electric motors produce way more torque than a internal combustion motor. Unfortunately to get that power the hull must be packed with those pesky heavy ass batteries which is the opposite direction for a sport which is based on building lighter and lighter stuff.
 
Billybo455

Billybo455

Location
Central FL
i'll tell you why that won't happen for a long time. i've been on dirt bikes for 20 years now. watching the video of the e model. while cool is basically a 14k back yard toy with a short battery life. it doesn't have the power to compete. i'm assuming that since those videos were a promo of some sort that they would be riding somewhat close to what the bike can do. it just looks really weak compared to the 350. this may sound bad, but they have to find a way to duplicate the power and at least some of the ride time of a modern bike before it's even considered.

as for the jet ski. isn't carbon conductive??? might make things a little more difficult if you planned on cutting weight with a hull. right now a 2 stroke is the best balance of power to weight. if someone would come out with a Direct Injection setup for it that would be the ticket.

If there was a DI ktm 250 two smoker i'd burn my 450xcf down on youtube.
 
Snivilous

Snivilous

Location
SW UT
That's why there's hybrids and diesel-electrics, continuously charging the batteries. Brushless DC motors can put out huge torque and speed depending on how the speed controller is set up and timing of the magnetic fields, but as everyone said, you just can't sustain a charge that long. I used to fly RC airplanes a lot, it'd take a hour to an hour and a half for a safe charge (not increased amperage charge) and that would give you 10 minutes of flight time if you were lucky and being conservative for throttle. Same proportion applies.
 
L

LeftysRule22

Location
Austin, Tx
Theres one major thing wrong with electric power nobody ever talks about.

The US gets almost all of its power from where? Coal. You could argue that it is actually LESS green of you to own an electric vehicle. If your batteries are being charged from the wall, whats the point. Now throw the multitude of other problems with electric power on top of that.

That being said Id love to see some advancement in battery technology, or capacitor technology - charge up in a couple minutes? that'd be cool.
 
eeerieski

eeerieski

Location
NW PA
I don't know about you guys but I might be out riding(and launching) all day miles from a grid power supply, I can carry extra gas but not extra electrons in any form of economical manner. There are 2 viable solutions for our skis given current and near-future technology: Hydrogen fuel cell and Capacitor power assist.
Hydrogen fuel cell would have all of the same current problems as a car so I'm not gonna hit those points.
Capacitor Power Assist though, Take an electric motor and stick it between the engine and impeller, hook that motor up to a bank of caps with a controller and when you are in-between tricks it is charging but when you need a burst of power you dump the cap's energy into the motor to help out the engine. This isn't really a green idea but it has some performance merit.

Electricity and water isn't a problem, just keep them separate from each-other with waterproof connections, etc. The cable connections on your battery aren't waterproofed are they?
Battery tech in skis won't work for another 10 years, people need to quit bringing this up.
 
WFO Speedracer

WFO Speedracer

A lifetime ban is like a lifetime warranty !
Location
Alabama
My solution is a compressed air driven ski, the motor is already being built, an Australian company holds the patent on it. The problem is this company wants to sell rights to the engine and have you make it under their patents. That is going to require deep , deep pockets.

Here is my sales spill, there is no exhaust, intake, carb or electrical system as its not needed, there is no need for venting or air intakes in the hood as the engine is self cooling like an air ratchet. This means the hood can have an airtight seal, no bilge system needed. There are no holes going through the hull except for the driveshaft and steering cables. There is no fuel tank, fuel lines etc. There is no need for flotation as the area under the tray and parts of the engine bay are now a compressed air tank. There is no pollution from the use of the ski nor any sources of ignition in the ski. There are no electrical components in the ski. The air gauge is mechanical and simply reads the pressure in the tank. The throttle cable operates a mechanical air valve to vary the throttle settings.The hull is built from Carbon fiber, partially for light weight but also because carbon fiber will hold an enormous amount of air pressure if the tank is made properly. The carbon fiber tank will not explode if ruptured it simply releases air pressure, no harm no foul. The downside will of course be run time, if you can get 30 min run time though you have the same run time as most high HP skis. The ski should be crazy light since you have eliminated all the sub systems required to run a gasoline powered engine. Power to weigh ratio replaces HP, end user product is still very fast and very light, the engine weights 25lbs and starts rotation at 1psi.


This is not a dream the engine is already being produced.
 
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Bobert540

Bobert540

Site Supporter
Location
Rockford,MI
WFO Speedracer said:
My solution is a compressed air driven ski, the motor is already being built, an Australian company holds the patent on it. The problem is this company wants to sell rights to the engine and have you make it under their patents. That is going to require deep , deep pockets.

Here is my sales spill, there is no exhaust, intake, carb or electrical system as its not needed, there is no need for venting or air intakes in the hood as the engine is self cooling like an air ratchet. This means the hood can have an airtight seal, no bilge system needed. There are no holes going through the hull except for the driveshaft and steering cables. There is no fuel tank, fuel lines etc. There is no need for flotation as the area under the tray and parts of the engine bay are now a compressed air tank. There is no pollution from the use of the ski nor any sources of ignition in the ski. There are no electrical components in the ski. The air gauge is mechanical and simply reads the pressure in the tank. The throttle cable operates a mechanical air valve to vary the throttle settings.The hull is built from Carbon fiber, partially for light weight but also because carbon fiber will hold an enormous amount of air pressure if the tank is made properly. The carbon fiber tank will not explode if ruptured it simply releases air pressure, no harm no foul. The downside will of course be run time, if you can get 30 min run time though you have the same run time as most high HP skis. The ski should be crazy light since you have eliminated all the sub systems required to run a gasoline powered engine. Power to weigh ratio replaces HP, end user product is still very fast and very light, the engine weights 25lbs and starts rotation at 1psi.


This is not a dream the engine is already being produced.
Click to expand...

I'm intrigued, do you have any more info on this type of ski/motor?
 
sportfish258

sportfish258

Electric this electric that ......... maybe we should ban all the huggers ?

Neat technology , but these ASS HATS will never be satisfied . Electric or not , trail riding causes erosion . They just closed down a MTB trail that was there for 25 plus years ( perfectly ridable have been riding it on and off for 20yrs ) In addition they closed the Tellico ORV area . The federal GUBMENT owns 30 % of all the land in the country and the huggers gunning for every ORV area on grounds of erosion . Electric skis will disturb nesting birds , fish migrations , bank erosion any thing they can come up with to restrict access .


Please refrain from posting any more trail riding electric or not . Every time I see roost coming off the rear wheel , I can only think of how our mother earth must be screaming in pain........ please STOP the violence against our mother . I think I'll take the day off to get stoned and find some sort of environmental anti something to support.
 
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Berky

Berky

Location
Fl
Thank you Terry !! very cool idea. It would be interesting to see how many CFM it takes to = 1 hp.

The batteries that would make the E thing work as a direct petrol replacement are here in prototype form, they are getting 2000 cycles now but are looking for 5000 to make it viable .

The current jet ski set up is about the most energy sucking fun thing out there pound for pound, planing ,subplaning, planing, subplaning it takes a lot of energy. A dirt bike is easy compared to a ski power wise, look how long you can rip on a 450 MX bike on 1 gallon of fuel.
 
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