Definitions:
Bike Lane Legal: Bike Lane Legal is pretty
much what it implies: you follow the same rules as a standard human powered bike
or scooter. You use the bike lane when it is present, and you stay as
close to the curb when it is not. You use the same hand signals for
indicating your intentions in traffic. And you are free from a lot of
misery created by the need to regulate high powered combustion devices (cars).
No insurance, no registration, no drivers license (although a minor cravat says
that you must be licensable). You have an electric motor at your
service for replacing or reducing the amount of human muscle provided, and isn't
that just super!?
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Brushed Motor: is a DC motor (two pronged connection to the motor) that
has to transfer the current through to the spinning center via 'brushes', that
continually rub against the side of the inner turning part, like a pencil
against paper. A spring continuously feeds the 'brush' outwards as it
wears down. Eventually the brush wears down to a nubbin and must be
replaced. Also requires periodic adjustments. Relatively easy to
make and is less expensive.
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Brushless Motor: is an DC motor, or AC with inverter, (three pronged
connection to the motor) that has the 'coils' on the outside and the permanent
magnets on the inside, so the power does not need to be transferred via any
moving parts. With no brushes to wear out, they last much longer and
operate more efficiently. The down side is cost. There's more of it.
For more on electric motors, please refer to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_motor
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Controller: The "brains" of the system. It
translates the signal from the throttle and directs the motor and provides for
the other functions of the system, such as indicators, lights, etc.
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LEV: Light Electric Vehicles. As opposed to full size
street legal electric motorcycles or automobiles, or smaller toy scooters for
children. Light Electrics are a defined class of electric vehicles in most
states and the rules for them can usually be found on your states legal code.
Generally you do NOT need a license, registration, or insurance to operate and
LEV in a bike lane of on the street and following the same rules of the road as
a bicycle or push scooter. Try doing a search for your state and the words
"legislature" or "attorney general" to track down your states specific
regulations. LEVs are normally treated as Bike
Lane Legal.
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Li-Ion: Lithium Ion battery technology. This is the
latest and lightest of battery technologies. There are many variations on
this technology, and our current advise is to stick with the SLAs for now, and
when your initial pack is ready to be replaced, the dust will have settled on
the Lithium technology. The newer technologies are safer (early packs
where prone to "venting", a polite term for exploding) while retaining the
incredible lightness of the Lithium batteries. The weight savings with
these batteries are enormous. With these packs, many packs can be stacked
for into the hundred(s) of miles per charge without having to lug around massive
amounts of mass.
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NEV: Neighborhood Electric Vehicles. As opposed to
Light Electric Vehicles, full size electric automobiles, or private property use
only children's scooters. NEVs are usually suited for non-highway, city
street use, and is street legal.
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Ni-MH: Nickel Metal Hydride. The "in between"
battery technology. Lighter (not quite half) than SLA, but still nowhere
near Li-Ion (or Lithium variations). Roughly two thousand recharges to the
pack, making their longer useful lifetime and lighter weight a real option when
time comes to replace those batteries. More expensive, but far more cost
effective than SLAs.
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SLA(s): Sealed Lead Acid Batteries. Essentially the same
as your car battery, but with gelatin inside instead of water so they can seal
them up and avoid any spilling or leaking of gases. These are the least
expensive of the battery technologies, but has a shorter life and is very heavy.
Sealed Lead Acid Battery (SLA Battery) commonly refers to a Valve Regulated Lead
Acid (VRLA) Battery. The term VRLA was specifically intended to refer to a
battery that does not require water addition but does periodically vent gasses.
A Sealed Lead Acid battery can be an Absorbent Glass Mat battery (AGM) which
utilizes a non-woven separator made from spun-glass micro fibers saturated with
acid electrolyte, or a Gel Cell battery in which the electrolyte is gelled
mixing sulfuric acid with silica.
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Street Legal: The meaning of street legal is a
bit misunderstood. Some think it means you can take it on the street (like
a bike, as opposed to an off-road - usually gas powered - vehicle).
Actually, Street Legal means that you are legal to drive in the street with the
flow of other vehicles - in other words, in traffic. And to do that, you
need registration, insurance, and a valid license. Light electric
vehicles, like the bikes and scooters, are referred to as "Bike Lane Legal"
because they follow the same rules, and have the same level of freedom from
regulation, and other expenses, that street legal vehicles are associated with.
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