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It uses a Yanmar 400c diesel engine. Instead of diesel, it runs on biodiesel. It has a CVT transmission, so no gears to shift on this bike. Maximum speed is 96kmh. The high torque output is efficient with fuel economy of only 2.2 litres per 100 kilometres. As the design is further refined, BioBike’s creators expect this to drop below the 2 litres per 100km mark (around 107 miles per gallon),
A group of seven Mechanical Engineering students from the University of Adelaide in South Australia have assembled the BioBike. The students say that the biodiesel motorbike can be constructed at a cost equivalent to a conventional petrol powered motorcycle.
Since diesel engines run extra-high compression pistons, and their sparkless ignition produces much stronger power pulses, Gizmag explains1 that the engine casings need to be thicker and heavier to deal with the increased stresses. These design requirements make for heavier, more expensive vehicles. While at around 130kg, it is heavier than the donor bike, BioBike project leader Heidi McNamara points out that it still is very lightweight for a road-going bike.
Unfortunately, missing from BioBike coverage is any mention of how well it meets a low carbon fuel standard. The Adelaide team chose a stationary 10-horsepower Yanmar L100AE 400cc diesel generator to power the motorbike, Yanmar is a world renown maker of diesel engines, including diesel outboard motors in addition to portable diesel generators, so is familiar with the challenge of making engines as lightweight as possible yet capable of high compression.
Nonetheless, the most famous maker of motorbikes, Honda, also makes a portable diesel generator, and other Japanese companies make excellent portable diesel generators, e.g., Mitsubishi and Robin. Indeed, the global market is dense with choices, e.g., Cummins-Onan, Husqvarna, Kubota, Lombardini, etc. and there is further expectation that even more low cost choices from China and India will appear. Thus, there are a number of competitors ready to take on the challenge not only to make small, durable, compression ignition engines at lower cost and lighter in weight, but also capable of high compression and able to use biodiesel.
Between 1970 and 2000 Scania halved fuel consumption per tonne-kilometer for truck haulage. The company’s goal is to halve fuel consumption once again by 2020.
Furthermore, as previously noted, Scania has developed compression ignition engines that run on ethanol. Ethanol is cleaner burning than biodiesel and can be made from waste. Cellulosic ethanol, which critics say remains vaporware for the moment, promises to be an alternate fuel source with relatively good EROEI (Energy Return On Energy Invested).
Lastly, other development is underway to power engines with hydrogen, bio-gas, DME or butanol. Fuels that can be transported and stored as liquids, yet easily become a combustible gas, are preferred. With the double jeopardy of climate change and peak oil, the challenge is to find clean, efficient means of producing such fuels and ensuring that there combustion produces very low amounts of GHG emissions.
Since, as frequently noted by this blog, there increasingly will be a need for better range extenders in series hybrid drive trains, it is a good thing that there are a number of competitors ready to take on the challenge of making small, durable, compression ignition engines at lower cost and lighter in weight.
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