Nanotechnology Now - News Story: "Electric scooter hoping to spark eco two-wheelers"

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April 20th, 2009

Electric scooter hoping to spark eco two-wheelers

Abstract:
Rather than looking at making batteries more efficient, KLD have improved the performance of the engine itself, building an engine using nano-crystalline composite materials, which the company believe makes it ten times more efficient than traditional iron core motors, and giving it an output of 2500 hertz.

Together with a computerized motor control, the KLD engine is compatible with any type of battery. Top speed of the KLD scooter is about 55 mph, which is almost double that of many electric scooters and delivers twice as much torque, accelerating from 0 to 50 mph in ten seconds. The engine also doesn't require a transmission.

"The nano-crystalline material was developed 20 years ago, but it was incredibly expensive and people couldn't figure out how to use it in a motor. Even 10 years ago a computer to run this kind of high frequency engine would have been more like the size of a desk top computer. The magnets we use today that costs 20 cents, 10 years ago would have cost $4 to $5," said Okonsky.

Source:
cnn.com

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