Having watched the recent rise of electric power with interest, we have decided to get involved in battery vehicle project to see what all the fuss is about. Local engineer Fred Spaven is building an all-electric Royal Enfield Bullet to ride from Land’s End to John O’Groat’s next summer and we are helping sponsor the build.
Fred Spaven, of Spaven Engineering, has been restoring classic cars and bikes locally for some years now but, after graduating from Cambridge University, initially went into a career in superconductivity research – the perfect background for an electric vehicle project! After looking at the electric bikes on the market he decided none had quite enough vintage style and a half-completed Royal Enfield restoration was commandeered for the conversion.
To retain as much character as possible the bike’s frame will remain unaltered, with a new subframe fabricated and bolted up in place of the original engine and gearbox. This will hold a dozen Nissan Leaf battery modules to provide power for a British-built Saietta motor capable of 22hp at 48V. The resulting bike will have a similar balance, weight and power to the original Enfield except with no maintenance, fuel costs or oil drips: the ideal commuter bike!
With a few road miles of testing under the tyres, the bike will then be ridden from Land’s End to John O’Groats; charging along the way at public charging stations, campsites & hostels and they might even pop in here for a top up! For more details and regular updates on progress, check out the project website: charging-bullet.co.uk
We’re hoping that the lessons we learn working with Fred on this project will help us understand this new world of battery vehicles, including Morgan’s eagerly anticipated EV3 electric three wheeler.