Stunning geometry, an atypical position if I may say so, here’s an electric single-wheel motorcycle designed by a team of American engineering students to reach speeds
over 70 mph / 112 km/h.
The developers
To be more precise, the team is composed of Fran Romano, documentary filmmaker , Kristine Stanners, responsible for event organization, logistics and publicity, and four students in mechanical engineering: Ahmed Ahmed-Fouad, Carlo Lindner, Jolán von Plutzner, Anuj Thakkar. The team was founded by Anuj Thakkar and Logan Fettes.
It is above all a group of friends, with no garage, financial resources or specialized tools like most mechanical research and development teams. This vehicle was built from scratch, from a simple visual of a similar concept seen on a college computer screen, which spontaneously led the main interested parties to develop it.
The objective is not to be put on the market, it is a project. The associated effect is that these engineering students are already in the scope of flagships like Tesla or SpaceX!
The concept EV360 motorwheel
EV360 is designed for speed, not for distance. All vehicle components, engine and transmission, as well as the driver, are housed inside the wheel. When the engine starts and drives this large wheel, the centre of gravity is projected forward and drives the vehicle forward.
Technical data :
– Lithium polymer battery of 72V 22Ah – 1.58 kWh which should allow a range of 14.5 km at 32 km/h.
– Electric motor reaching 14.75 HP continuously and 31 HP at peak, with the objective of exceeding 112 km/h.
Getting Started
As you can see in the video below, the balance is quite precarious under 50 km/h, and the pilot has to use his feet to keep the course. Beyond that, the behaviour is healthier, but in any case, a time to get used to it is necessary.
Soon at Guiness?
The team has received approval from the Guinness Book of Records to try and beat the target speed record. The target speed record has already been achieved by a similar petrol-powered vehicle, but it still has to be conquered electrically. The event has of course been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and is scheduled to take place soon.
Text: Isabelle Maillet
Pictures: Anuj Thakkar, Duke University
