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Hacksmith Industries: Gas-powered One Wheel or Rad Roach

2024-04-05 | By The Hacksmith

License: See Original Project

It’s fun to be able to ride around on an electric bicycle or skateboard, enjoying the thrill of adventure without the effort of physical exertion (although that’s still acceptable every now and then). The only problem with electric mobility is the limited range of batteries and the need for recharging.

But what if you didn’t need to worry about that?

Hacksmith engineered a battery-powered Onewheel roller to be driven by the energy output of a small gas engine, much like the engine from a 2-stroke chainsaw or an R/C car. Using this strategy, the electric motor drive and circuit protection of the Onewheel and its design factor are preserved, but the range is greatly increased.

The open road calls!

Check out how the Hacksmith team reimagined the Onewheel power experience.

 

How Does it Work?

To accomplish this conversion, the small 3 HP engine output shaft was attached to a brushless DC motor with an output controller to generate 48 volts. A relatively large fuel tank was chosen to provide an estimated 50+ hours of riding time before refueling, and as a nice bonus, you can refill a gas tank much faster than the time it takes to recharge a battery!

The motor on the Onewheel isn’t directly driven by the 48 volts, but is instead still powered by the onboard battery. This means that the gas engine is powering the battery charge circuit to maintain around 60% charge. That charge circuit requires closer to 60 volts, so a boost converter was employed to step up the voltage for the charger. A quick test of the input and output power of the boost converter connected to a dummy load ensured that the board was able to handle the conversion.

A quick hardware attachment of the motor, fuel tank, and electronics all bolted to a custom metal fender over the wheel, and we’re ready to be the coolest and loudest long-distance commuter.

 

 

 

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