Hi, what are you looking for?
Egypt Has Opportunity To Gain Green Infrastructure While Hydrogen Hype Persists
How Solar Power Works | Can PV Cells Run Out of Electrons?
Algeria’s Hydrogen Export Hopes Will Be Crushed By Economics
Solar That Works Better In The Shade
CleanTechnica Tested: FlexSolar 200 Watt Briefcase Solar Panel Kit
Egypt Has Opportunity To Gain Green Infrastructure While Hydrogen Hype Persists
Algeria’s Hydrogen Export Hopes Will Be Crushed By Economics
Experts Forecast Wind Power Plant of the Future — Taller, Cheaper
Powering Australia Under New Leadership
Morocco Is A Green Leader & Might Get EU Hydrogen Balance Right
DOE Launches $84 Million Enhanced Geothermal Energy Systems (Video)
Renewable Generation Surpassed Nuclear in the U.S. Electric Power Sector in 2021
Betting A Billion Dollars On Low-Carbon Grid Transformation Tech
Mexico’s Clean Energy Ambitions Realistic With These Renewable Energy Resources
One of the Largest Climate-Tech Workforce Partnerships in US History, + More EV & Battery News
Jeff Dahn & The 100-Year Battery
Battery Policies & Incentives Database Helps U.S. Efforts to Build a Secure Electric Vehicle Battery Supply Chain
CleanTechnica Review: Fanttik X8 Air Compressor
Capturing Light From Heat At Record 40% Efficiency, NREL Makes Big Strides In Thermophotovoltaics
Gridspertise — Advanced Digital Solutions For A Smart, Resilient Grid
Betting A Billion Dollars On Low-Carbon Grid Transformation Tech
“Home of the Future” — Solar Power Home with Electric Ford F-150 Lightning Backup Power (Video)
Buzz Solutions Takes Out 50% Of Grid Inspection Image Effort & Duration
Bill Nussey of Freeing Energy Talks About His Chart-Topping New Book on Local Energy
Hyundai Built A Really Cool Efficient Camper Van
Automating The Secret Life Of Buildings: Interview With PassiveLogic CEO Part 1
Solar That Works Better In The Shade
Production F-150 Lightning Has More Power, Capacity, & Range Than Ford Promised
Carbureted V8 From the 1970s Gets 40+ MPG. Did Big Oil Really Rob Us For Decades?
Dutch BEV Sales Up 98%, Tailpipe Vehicles Down 19% In April 2022
Tesla FSD Training — The Rules-Based Automation That’s Needed
Electric Trucks Are Viable Today
Free Charging in New Zealand — Is Home Charging Even Needed?
Live Webinar: Ensuring A High Quality EV Charging Experience With NEVI
CleanTechnica Tested: FlexSolar 200 Watt Briefcase Solar Panel Kit
CleanTechnica Review: Fanttik X8 Air Compressor
CleanTechnica Review: Hiboy VE1 Pro Electric Scooter
Electric Bike Maintenance: What I’ve Learned In 8 Years (Avoid The Mistakes I’ve Made)
Does the Tesla Full Self Driving Approach Have a See-saw Problem?
Dutch BEV Sales Up 98%, Tailpipe Vehicles Down 19% In April 2022
Tesla FSD Training — Garbage In, Garbage Out
China Electric Car Market — 29% Market Share In April!
Mitsubishi Tops EV Sales In Germany In April — Yes, Mitsubishi!
Fiat 500e Shines in 21% Plugin Share Market of France
CleanTechnica Tested: FlexSolar 200 Watt Briefcase Solar Panel Kit
CleanTechnica Review: Fanttik X8 Air Compressor
CleanTechnica Review: Hiboy VE1 Pro Electric Scooter
Electric Bike Maintenance: What I’ve Learned In 8 Years (Avoid The Mistakes I’ve Made)
Does the Tesla Full Self Driving Approach Have a See-saw Problem?
Tesla Q4 Shareholder Conference Call — Watch & Listen Here
Volkswagen Group — In-Depth Conference Call Highlights Company’s Focus On Transition
Bill McKibben On Unions, Tesla, & Elon Musk — CleanTechnica Interview
How To Watch & Listen To Tesla Q3 Earnings Call — Most Useful Livestream
Tesla Sales & Future of Tesla Discussion with Ride the Lightning, Starman, & EVANNEX
This could be the best thing you can do with your Nissan LEAF.
We don’t cover too many custom-built electric motorcycles here on CleanTechnica — but that doesn’t mean they’re not out there. Case in point: the nearly ground-up, all-electric Suzuki Leafy Savage build, by Night Shift Bikes.
Why “Leafy”? This one-time Suzuki Savage (S40) frame is packed with the incredibly sturdy cells that Nissan uses in their LEAF electric cars. “This new pack is more durable, dumps more current for quicker acceleration,” writes Matt Candler, who runs Night Shift Bikes. “(The Nissan battery) floats in the frame in a more interesting way than the [other batteries we tried].” The LEAF packs wired here in series for a total of 116 volts. There are four flat-pack Lithium Manganese Oxide (LiMn2O4) batteries in each of the 14 cells on the bike.
As for the what the bike is now, Matt replaced the Suzuki-built, 650cc “thumper” single-cylinder engine, 5-speed transmission, and other related internal-combustion parts for what he’d spent on the entire bike. At that point, he was $0 into the build (note: all choppers, hot rods, and classic Italian cars have an automatic labor rate of $0/hr.). Matt then sent the rear swing arm off to the team at Enertrac, where they laced an 18-inch rim into one of their brushless DC motors. So equipped, the Leafy Savage makes 13 continuous HP 40 peak HP. More than enough, in other words, to blast the relative small frame through modern-day traffic.
Both the Enertrac motor and Nissan LEAF batteries are connected to a Kelly controller under the seat that’s rated for 250 amps. City range is estimated to be about 100 miles, but the energy discharge can be adjusted for more range or more power, depending on what the day holds. An Eltek charger sits in the traditional “tank” position, and provides up to 3000 watts at 220 volts for easy connections to any household dryer outlet. The battery can fully charge in less than three hours.
Other custom upgrades to0 the Night Shift-built Suzuki include a LED headlight, new shocks, charge and data ports, toggle switches, an m-lock wireless key, and front fork drop hardware for a properly stanced look that I, for one, love … but this isn’t about me. What do you guys think?
Take a look at the Night Shift-provided specs, below, then look at the gallery on your way to the comments section to tell us how you feel about what may be the best use for that old Nissan LEAF you’ve been eyeballing at the local dealer, yet. Enjoy!
2003 Suzuki Savage (Suzuki S40) Rolling Chassis/Frame
96 Volt battery pack (32s2p Headway 15 amp cells)
Custom Enertrac 602 Hub motor in 18″ rear wheel
Eltek Valere 3,000 Watt on-board charger
RYCA motors CS-1 mod components
fork inserts to drop front end
Source | More Photos: Night Shift Bikes, via Gessato.
I've been involved in motorsports and tuning since 1997, and have been a part of the Important Media Network since 2008. You can find me here, working on my Volvo fansite, riding a motorcycle around Chicago, or chasing my kids around Oak Park.
#1 most loved electric vehicle, solar energy, and battery news & analysis site in the world. Support our work today!
Advertise with CleanTechnica to get your company in front of millions of monthly readers.
Could Zimbabwe’s Public Transport Chaos Catalyze The Adoption Of Electric Scooters For Personal Mobility?
Prosecutors in Europe are investigating alleged diesel cheating by Suzuki and Stellantis.
This electric Indian keeps the Four, and changes everything.
Not quite a rat rod, but not quite clean, either. Matt's electric Jag is one of a kind!
Copyright © 2021 CleanTechnica. The content produced by this site is for entertainment purposes only. Opinions and comments published on this site may not be sanctioned by and do not necessarily represent the views of CleanTechnica, its owners, sponsors, affiliates, or subsidiaries.