joewaters
Well-known member
I am making a career change and need to transport my Leaf a great distance, more than a thousand miles.
I also need to transport my motorcycle, a cruiser with ~80 hp.
I have priced transport companies, freaked out, and have contemplated a low-cost solution that might work.
I have seen on diyelectriccar.com a member used a vw beetle rear section as a pusher for his (not a Leaf) electric. My situation presents a similar opportunity.
I could simply mount the motorcycle to the receiver and use the motorcycle to push the Leaf. I would connect with remote clutch, throttle, shifter and ignition. I would use solenoids for the clutch and shifter, and a relay for the ignition with a kill switch and breakaway for safety. Most likely I would only use top gear on the bike, and shut it off in town and approaching traffic control devices, for safety.I would use an arduino with bluetooth to an elm327 for throttle position input from car/output to the bike, and speed input to bottom threshold for clutch engagement and ignition on/off.
Travel speed would be 45mph average, my usual speed wherever I go.I average 210 miles on the bike for 5 gals gas, so I could project to drive <250 miles to empty on the bike with the Leaf's ~100 miles w/out bike and heavier weight making the combination run only an additional 150 miles gas power added. This might equate to 50mpg, but I am skeptical, since the car weighs 3800lbs and the bike pushes its own weight of ~650 for 48mpg.
Someone here talk me out of this.
I also need to transport my motorcycle, a cruiser with ~80 hp.
I have priced transport companies, freaked out, and have contemplated a low-cost solution that might work.
I have seen on diyelectriccar.com a member used a vw beetle rear section as a pusher for his (not a Leaf) electric. My situation presents a similar opportunity.
I could simply mount the motorcycle to the receiver and use the motorcycle to push the Leaf. I would connect with remote clutch, throttle, shifter and ignition. I would use solenoids for the clutch and shifter, and a relay for the ignition with a kill switch and breakaway for safety. Most likely I would only use top gear on the bike, and shut it off in town and approaching traffic control devices, for safety.I would use an arduino with bluetooth to an elm327 for throttle position input from car/output to the bike, and speed input to bottom threshold for clutch engagement and ignition on/off.
Travel speed would be 45mph average, my usual speed wherever I go.I average 210 miles on the bike for 5 gals gas, so I could project to drive <250 miles to empty on the bike with the Leaf's ~100 miles w/out bike and heavier weight making the combination run only an additional 150 miles gas power added. This might equate to 50mpg, but I am skeptical, since the car weighs 3800lbs and the bike pushes its own weight of ~650 for 48mpg.
Someone here talk me out of this.