Meyers Motors

I wish:

1. It had a longer range
2. They had a truck version
3. It was cheaper


LOL

I wonder why it's up on wood?? :huh:

 

Myers Motors is located close to where I live here in Ohio. Their parent company, SD Myers was (and still is) in the business of rebuilding electrical transformers. They processes and dispose of PCB waste.

 

I'd have seriously considered it if it had had two seats and a 40-mile range. With a 60-mile range (Coeur d'Alene and back with a margin of safety) I'd have given it serious consideration even with only one seat. However, I gather that the Sparrow had lots of problems, and even though Meyers has supposedly made big improvements, I'm not sure what the state of quality of it is.

The specs I've read are 20 miles at freeway speed, 30 miles on surface roads. That's nowhere near enough for me.

 

$25K ?!? It must be the batteries? Why's it so expensive? The speed is certainly good enough. Range is pretty short though. I like the 2 wheels up front. I wonder if that's more stable than the other way around? Daniel, did you look into that perchance?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tripp @ Jun 19 2007, 10:16 PM) [snapback]465009[/snapback]</div>

Here is the real kicker -- the battery life is estimated to be 1 to 4 years depending on adherence to recommendations...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tripp @ Jun 19 2007, 07:16 PM) [snapback]465009[/snapback]</div>

No I didn't. One seat and the short range was enough to eliminate it from my consideration. It actually looks less stable to me, but that's just my impression. Allan might have some thoughts on that, though, because he has trikes both ways. They don't go fast because they're human-powered, but maybe the stability issues are similar. I like the looks of it. I think it would be fun. But I would not even be able to get to Coeur d'Alene, much less there and back. Even downtown Spokane and back on the surface streets would be a squeak.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Jun 20 2007, 01:22 AM) [snapback]465094[/snapback]</div>

It doesn't matter if you have two wheels in the front of back but you need to have at least 70 percent of the weight on the axle with two wheels. Two wheels in the front will give better braking as well because the weight of the vehicle transfers forward as you increase braking.

The corbin version used optima batteries, I don't know what the Meyer's uses. To me the Gizmo is a much better execution of the same concept except it gives up freeway speed for a usable range of 40 miles

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jhinton @ Jun 20 2007, 11:36 AM) [snapback]465344[/snapback]</div>

Cloth sides with flexible plastic windows, wheels that look more like bicycle wheels, steering levers with accelerator and brakes on the levers, more like a motorcycle than a car. I don't like the looks of it. I wanted a car. I accept your explanation that two wheels in front is better. But the Xebra drives like a car and has a lot more space. Unless they give me the ability to drive to Coeur d'Alene on the freeway, I won't buy a one-seat vehicle.

One other thing: You say that most of the weight has to be on the axle with the two wheels. But the Gizmo is powered at the rear wheel only. This means your drive wheel has too little weight and may be subject to slippage and spinning. I test-drove (for a lark) a Zappy 3 (I think it was called). Basically a poor man's Segway. You stand up on it, like a Segway, but it has three wheels, so it does not need the complicated balance control of the Segway. But the front wheel, with insufficient weight, was driven, and it was always spinning when I accelerated.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Jun 20 2007, 05:36 PM) [snapback]465468[/snapback]</div>

I was comparing the Gizmo to Meyer's not the Zebra. The Zebra is in a completely different class in my mind.

Since I rode a motorcycle year round for 5 years until I bought the Prius I guess the side curtains aren't a big deal to me. The levers may be different but I would bet it would only take a couple hours to get used to the new controls. It wouldn't be much different than a zero turn lawn mower. The first generation Gizmo used trailer tires and wheels but the new one has motorcycle tires and wheels.

I don't see having only 30 to 40 percent of the weight on the drive wheel to be a problem. Yes, this will reduce traction is some cases but as long as the driver is smooth with the accelerator this should not be a problem unless you are on ice. Also, rear wheel slides, oversteer, is easy to compensate for by steering into the direction of the skid. The Meyer's is RWD as well, just like the Gizmo.

To me 40 miles at 45 mph makes more sense than 20 miles at 75 mph, especially when the Gizmo is $12K compared to the Meyer's $25K.