Crowdfunding push for EZ-EV open source electric kit car
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Described as a battery box on wheels, Gary Krysztopik's ZW2C electric trike is little more than a long battery box containing 24 deep cycle lead-acid batteries
Builder of the ZW2C electric trike (shown) Gary Krysztopik is preparing to release the EZ-EV car as open source plans, build-it-yourself kits and complete vehicles
Gary Krysztopik has been driving his huge electric trike on the roads and highways of San Antonio (TX) for over three years now
The original Z Wheelz 2-seat Custom features a MES-DEA 200-250 AC induction electric motor driving a belt to the rear wheel and a built-in computer with GPS functionality that displays system status information
The idea for the ZW2C was to get away from the golf cart image of urban electric vehicles
The ZW2C has a Honda Fit windshield, a shifter for park/reverse/drive/economy mode, a parking brake, and a composite rear fender
The ZW2C has a maximum range of 100 miles and is capable of speeds of over 60 mph
Gary Krysztopik has spent the last few years refining and tweaking the design for his "battery box on wheels" to create a vehicle that can be assembled by one person in a garage with standard tools in just one week
Gary Krysztopik's new design retains the central battery box but the frame of the two-seater EZ-EV is to be made from advanced honeycombed composites (fiber glass) instead of steel
The EZ-EV electric trike will be a full-size, highway-capable two-seater
Precision machined components fit together to form the center bulkhead
The 32 kWh battery pack will consist of 96 lithium batteries and the vehicle will have power steering, disc brakes and modern suspension
The frame of the EZ-EV will be made from advanced honeycombed composites
CAD drawing showing the batteries in place, and the position of the center bulkhead
CNC-machined components fit together to make more complex sub-assemblies, such as the center bulkhead
The necessary components for quarter-scale models will be produced using a combination of 3D printing and a desktop CNC machine
Article Summary
Electrical engineer Gary Krysztopik has been driving his self-built, open-framed, three-wheeled electric "hotrod" on the roads and highways of San Antonio (TX) for over three years now, but folks still can't help staring as he zooms past. While also working on gas-to-electric conversions (including a VW Bug and a Porsche Carrera), he's been busy refining and tweaking the design for his "battery box on wheels" and is now preparing to release the EZ-EV car as open source plans, build-it-yourself kits and complete vehicles.
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