A DIY Trike Project!

Trikes can do some pretty neat things, but traveling around town with little to no effort using the power of the sun? Now that’s something we can all appreciate. And what’s more? You can build one in your own backyard with the simple instructions provided in this article. According to the article, the goal behind the solar powered trike was to develop a vehicle that –

“-Provides free, ‘green’ transportation for short distances (<10 miles), thus it must never plug into a wall socket, or emit any pollutants.
-Charges while at work
-Is cheap, simple, and low maintenance.
-Draws attention to the practical application of green energies, and promotes Fossil Fuel alternatives.
-Reduces excess automobile wear and pollution from cold driving / short, in town trips.”

It was initially a project for class, but this student took the time to outline the steps so anyone could reproduce this green (literally) trike, assuming you are ready to drop about $1,000 to build it.

The student goes on to describe the performance of the finished product (shown above) –

“This Solar Powered Trike does about 15-18 mph depending on the weight of the rider. The furthest I have gone is a little over 10 miles with small hills and little pedaling, and the battery meter still read full (green) at the end of the trips.