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Makes And Models => Alta Motorcycles => Topic started by: EVfan on April 20, 2014, 12:33:47 AM

Title: BRD, Logos Technologies Win DARPA Grant
Post by: EVfan on April 20, 2014, 12:33:47 AM
BRD, Logos Technologies Win DARPA Grant to Develop Stealthy Hybrid-Electric Motorcycle.

http://evworld.com/news.cfm?rssid=32824 (http://evworld.com/news.cfm?rssid=32824)

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2014/04/17/military-developing-stealth-motorcycle-to-let-forces-travel-fast-and-silent/?intcmp=features (http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2014/04/17/military-developing-stealth-motorcycle-to-let-forces-travel-fast-and-silent/?intcmp=features)
Title: Re: BRD, Logos Technologies Win DARPA Grant
Post by: protomech on April 20, 2014, 01:07:47 AM
Pretty cool.

Serial hybridization, battery-backed mobile electrical generation (decouples load from demand, engine can be run at a higher load for a shorter duration if demand is small), tactical operation including short-term silent electrical supply.

I'd love to see them bring a compact modular range extender to market for consumer applications as well.
Title: Re: BRD, Logos Technologies Win DARPA Grant
Post by: NoiseBoy on April 20, 2014, 04:33:02 AM
Seems like a cool concept. It will be interesting to see if they actually manage to produce anything usable though. Certainly a complex machine. Have you ever heard the phrase "DARPA hard"? Their remit is to pursue projects that are high risk so unlikely to succeed.
Title: Re: BRD, Logos Technologies Win DARPA Grant
Post by: EVfan on April 20, 2014, 04:55:43 AM
Here's the press release from Logos.

http://www.logos-technologies.com/news/04-10-2014.html (http://www.logos-technologies.com/news/04-10-2014.html)
Title: Re: BRD, Logos Technologies Win DARPA Grant
Post by: Richard230 on April 20, 2014, 06:38:13 AM
I want to see how they deal with IC and electric component packaging on an off-road motorcycle chassis.  You would think that finding room for an IC engine of sufficient power to be useful in combat situations, plus a large enough fuel tank to have decent range, plus an electric motor, batteries, transmission, drive-train and other odds and ends would be really challenging.  You might be able to stick all of that stuff into a large scooter, but I don't know how it would be done on a dual-sport motorcycle.   ???

BTW, I wonder how Zero's special forces model is doing in the field?
Title: Re: BRD, Logos Technologies Win DARPA Grant
Post by: Richard230 on April 22, 2014, 08:59:38 PM
Here is another article about this concept:  http://motorbikewriter.com/hybrid-power-next-motorcycles%E2%80%A8/ (http://motorbikewriter.com/hybrid-power-next-motorcycles%E2%80%A8/)

One thing that is not mentioned is that all military IC vehicles and equipment now use diesel engines only and typically gasoline is not available in front line theaters. (Note that the current military motorcycle being produced is a Kawasaki DR650 with its engine having been heavily modified as a diesel by a private American company.) So I would imagine that any production version of the hybrid-electric BRD would likely need to be powered by a diesel engine, which would reduce IC performance, increase weight, but also increase fuel efficiency.
Title: Re: BRD, Logos Technologies Win DARPA Grant
Post by: protomech on April 23, 2014, 07:07:31 AM
Yes. The Logos engine will be capable of being powered by either diesel or JP8, the military's standard fuel.
Title: Re: BRD, Logos Technologies Win DARPA Grant
Post by: Richard230 on January 10, 2015, 04:30:15 AM
Here is the latest article regarding the Alta Motors SilentHawk hybrid motorcycle DARPA project: 

http://www.autoblog.com/2015/01/09/silenthawk-hybrid-electric-motorcycle-darpa/ (http://www.autoblog.com/2015/01/09/silenthawk-hybrid-electric-motorcycle-darpa/)
Title: Re: BRD, Logos Technologies Win DARPA Grant
Post by: tyskmoped on January 10, 2015, 01:17:24 PM
2WD with front hub motor and rear wheel driven be redshift drivetrain?
Title: Re: BRD, Logos Technologies Win DARPA Grant
Post by: Richard230 on January 10, 2015, 09:25:10 PM
I still want to see how all of that stuff is going to be packed into a motorcycle chassis (unless they use a sidecar or tow a trailer  ;)  ).
Title: Re: BRD, Logos Technologies Win DARPA Grant
Post by: protomech on January 10, 2015, 09:36:52 PM
The genset and fuel may be stored in one or both of the saddlebags. I'm curious how they'll balance the bike. That also gives them the option of leaving the genset off for higher performance / lower weight as needed.
Title: Re: BRD, Logos Technologies Win DARPA Grant
Post by: Richard230 on January 16, 2015, 04:33:42 AM
Things are getting silly now   ::) : 

https://rideapart.com/articles/silent-hawk-motorcycle-u-s-special-forces?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+HellForLeather+%28Hell+For+Leather%29

When silly movie clips have to be inserted into the story, you know that the facts are getting hard to come by.