8th Grader Builds Solar-Powered Bike With GPS, iPod Dock
Eighth-grader David S. Dixon–along with his dad David G. Dixon–has built a street-legal quadricycle powered by a solar-charged electric motor. The bike not only carries his dog and three friends, but it has also has an iPod dock and GPS. Ya, it’s that cool!
Coined as the Solar Human Hybrid (SOHH), the vehicle was launched as part of David Jr.’s middle school project for the Novato Charter School.
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David Jr. told Gas2.org that “I watched my dad install solar panels at home, I have had an interest in them ever since. I have had electric remote controlled cars, boats and helicopters that I would always take apart – and usually getting them back together with some kind of improvement.” David Sr. confirmed that “even his pinewood derby car in cub scouts back when he was 8 or 9 had LED taillights and headlights and ended up getting exhibited at the Marin County Fair.”
The vehicle’s Scott 24-volt motor provides 1 horsepower and it has a top speed of 14 mph. First geared to 18 mph, but it was then re-geared to provide enough torque for making steeper hills.
The SOHH uses GreenSaver Silicone Gel Cell batteries. The batteries, iPod, and GPS are all fed by 20-watt solar panels. They used a small motor as to keep pedal-power the priority for the bike. By doing so, the battery remained light-weight and the solar panels a reasonable size.
The base vehicle used, and the priciest part of the project, was a Switzerland-built ZEM (Zero Emission Machine) 4cycle. It’s made out of an aluminum frame and each rider can pedal at their own pace. In fact, the 4cycle took 3rd place at the human powered vehicle world championships at Interlaken, Switzerland.
And while the ZEM 4cycle is no longer produced, they got one from a dealer in Maryland who purchased the last 3 from the US distributor. It cost them $3,900.
“[The SOHH] has replaced our cars for errands around town, and it has grown into more than we envisioned with a lot of interest from the community,” David Dixon Sr. told Wired.com.
And for the win, they documented the project on their website with all parts and schematics so that anyone can build one. They don’t plan to mass produce the vehicle but would love it if someone else does. Though David Sr. did express an interest in updating the bike with a lighter battery “such as lithium polymer, but no budget for it yet.”
Of course, we’d love to see that too. But I had to ask if the dog actually rides in the SOHH.
David Sr. told us “Not really, but she [Mimzy] would rather come along than be left behind.”
Source: Wired.com and The SOHH Project
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June 17th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
I think in 8th grade I made a baking soda volcano.
June 17th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
[...] 8th Grader Builds Solar-Powered Bike With GPS, iPod Dock : Gas 2.0 [...]
June 17th, 2009 at 11:29 pm
Wow, it’s pretty crazy how smart kids are now a-days. Soon they will flying into space for school trips.
June 17th, 2009 at 11:37 pm
[...] Grader Builds a Solar-Powered Bike 8th Grader Builds Solar-Powered Bike With GPS, iPod Dock : Gas 2.0 Daaaaaaaamn. __________________ [...]
June 17th, 2009 at 11:41 pm
Wow, that kid’s dad is pretty smart. Not sure why the story includes any mention of the kid. I can’t see that he was responsible for any part of it, except front man.
June 17th, 2009 at 11:44 pm
That’s an incredibly misleading title. Unless, by “8th Grader Builds Solar Powered Bike” you meant to type “kid and dad buy a bike and attach some solar panels and a box to it”. That’s a pretty easy typo…
June 18th, 2009 at 1:08 am
That’s 2 more wheels than usual for a bike… Oh, you mean its NOT a bike?!
June 18th, 2009 at 1:09 am
[...] 8th Grader Builds Solar-Powered Bike With GPS, iPod Dock : Gas 2.0 [...]
June 18th, 2009 at 1:13 am
Wow that’s very impressive.
June 18th, 2009 at 3:11 am
Uhhh… Let me see:
1.) Rich dad buys expensive quadricycle
2.) Spoiled kid asks dad to pimp said quadricycle
3.) Rich dad pimps the quadricycle, or at the very least, provides all necessary components and instructions
4.) Spoiled kid takes credit for rich dad’s toy
5.) Profit?
June 18th, 2009 at 3:59 am
this kid has no friends… its pretty obvious
June 18th, 2009 at 7:20 am
[...] Sometimes innovation requires ample funding and it appears that this Marin County, California family had some of that to put into this great little green vehicle. Not everyone can spend this kind of money on an experiment but it’s wonderful that they have shared so much information online so that others can follow with their own inventions. You can see all the details at the SOHH website but I first saw this at Gas2.0. [...]
June 18th, 2009 at 10:44 am
Wow, it’s pretty crazy how smart kids are now a-days. Soon they will flying into space for school trips..
June 19th, 2009 at 12:54 am
[...] 8th Grader Builds Solar-Powered Bike With GPS, iPod Dock : Gas 2.0 [...]
June 19th, 2009 at 12:58 am
[...] 8th Grader Builds Solar-Powered Bike With GPS, iPod Dock : Gas 2.0 [...]
June 19th, 2009 at 1:52 am
[...] 8th Grader Builds Solar-Powered Bike With GPS, iPod Dock : Gas 2.0 [...]
June 19th, 2009 at 2:12 am
[...] 8th Grader Builds Solar-Powered Bike With GPS, iPod Dock : Gas 2.0 [...]
June 19th, 2009 at 3:13 am
[...] 8th Grader Builds Solar-Powered Bike With GPS, iPod Dock : Gas 2.0 [...]
June 19th, 2009 at 5:41 am
[...] 8th Grader Builds Solar-Powered Bike With GPS, iPod Dock : Gas 2.0 [...]
June 19th, 2009 at 6:05 am
[...] 8th Grader Builds Solar-Powered Bike With GPS, iPod Dock [...]
June 19th, 2009 at 6:22 am
[...] Source(s) : Wired , Gas 2.0 [...]
June 19th, 2009 at 6:47 am
ok if the 8th grader can do it then why cant the gov…
bc its all about big business
June 19th, 2009 at 9:02 am
[...] 8th Grader Builds Solar-Powered Bike With GPS, iPod Dock : Gas 2.0 [...]
June 19th, 2009 at 9:42 am
[...] 8th Grader Builds Solar-Powered Bike With GPS, iPod Dock : Gas 2.0 [...]
June 20th, 2009 at 12:06 am
[...] 8th Grader Builds Solar-Powered Bike With GPS, iPod Dock : Gas 2.0 [...]
June 20th, 2009 at 9:59 am
[...] 8th Grader Builds Solar-Powered Bike With GPS, iPod Dock : Gas 2.0 [...]
June 20th, 2009 at 11:44 pm
[...] 8th Grader Builds Solar-Powered Bike With GPS, iPod Dock : Gas 2.0 [...]
June 21st, 2009 at 3:39 am
[...] A solar powered bike. Now that is cool! [...]
June 30th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
[...] Via Gas 2.0 [...]
July 2nd, 2009 at 7:49 am
This is the coolest invention ever! Thank you David for being a pioneer for your generation.
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August 20th, 2009 at 5:43 am
Stupid story. Waste of money.
Rich people’s cheap publicity stunt to gain media attention.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Grow up kids.
August 24th, 2009 at 12:42 am
That is great, I need to get one for my kid.
http://www.x5gps.com/gps_navigation_system.aspx
December 31st, 2009 at 9:20 am
Gee: The Wright Bro’s owned a bicycle Shop and built the first flying machine, We call aircraft now. They must have been rich kids too. Would it have been more amaizing if the Child was homeless and without a father, and lived in the Bronx. It is not how much money you have but what you do with your money. You and I would not be sending this message if it were not for another rich kid, Bill Gates. David Jr is my Grandson and I am Damn Proud of him and His father and Mother .