Freedom EV is an open source hardware

Open source hardware

Open source hardware consists of physical artifacts of technology designed and offered in the same manner as free and open source software . Open source hardware is part of the open source culture movement and applies a like concept to a variety of components. The term usually means that...

 electric vehicle

Electric vehicle

An electric vehicle , also referred to as an electric drive vehicle, uses one or more electric motors or traction motors for propulsion...

 designed by the EVProduction club. It is a 3-wheeler "tadpole" EV with 2 steerable front wheels, 1 driven rear wheel, and 2 side-by-side seats.

Latest progress

• Oct 2007 - Body and chassis are mated together. Door and window openings are cut out. Suspension is being designed and fitted.
• Aug 2006 - Chassis mold finished, and prototype chassis produced from this mold.
• July 2005 - Jerry has finished the male mold and sent it to the glass shop to build the production tooling.
• Sept 2005 - The production molds, tooling have been finished and the first body is being started.

Business strategy

Start with 20 beta units to get processes correct and production running smoothly, then go full production with small factories around the U.S. and Canada as needed.

Dimensions

• height 55 in (1.40 m
• width 60 in (1.52 m)
• length 133 in (3.38 m)
• wheelbase 95 in (2.41 m)
• tread (front) 56 in (1.42 m)
• turning radius (?)
• ground clearance 7 (180 mm)

Weight

• empty 550 lb (250 kg)
• payload 500 lb (230 kg) max
• batteries 750 lb (340 kg) max
• GVWR 1800 lb (820 kg)

Estimated performance

• top speed 80 mph (130 km/h)
• acceleration 0-30 mph ?
• acceleration 0-60 mph ?
• time, 1/4-mile ?
• range at constant 30 mph (50 km/h) 125 miles (200 km)
• range at constant 60 mph (100 km/h) 90 miles (145 km)

Subsystems

These are not all decided yet; choices here are the current favorites. Links on each item go to pages with more options and information involved in the decision process.

Tires

• front 155/80R14 radial, 22.8" (579 mm) diameter
• rear 155/80R14 radial, 22.8" (579 mm) diameter

Motor

• type, series DC; quantity 2 D+D ES-22 6.7" motors

Suspension

• front double unequal length A arms, air adjustable shock absorbers
• rear trailing arm, Gates Polychain belt drive to motor

Batteries

• type (twelve 6 V flooded golf cart batteries, Trojan T-105 or equivalent?)
• battery box 36 in wide x 45 in long x 12 in high (0.91×1.14×0.30 m)

Interior and accessories

• seats 2, side-by-side buckets 48" wide cabin
• heater
• air conditioner, electric

External links

• EVProduction wiki.