CityEl

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The CityEl is a 3-wheel light-weight electric car currently made in Germany by CityCom AG.

1992 Mini-El 'Basic' side view
1992 Mini-El 'Basic' side view

The CityEl was originally developed as the Mini-El by Danish company El Trans As in Randers and was first brought onto the market by them in 1987. After El Trans As had to give up production in 1988 and two subsequent manufacturers (Eltrans1 A/S in 1991 and Eltrans89 A/S in 1995), Citycom Denmark A/S, a German investor, took over and moved the company to Aub. The production is now in Aub-Baldersheim.

The vehicle is for one person, seated centrally. Rather than conventional doors, the whole top-half of the vehicle hinges upwards on gas-struts allowing access to the cockpit.

1997 City El 'Targa' (or 'fun')
1997 City El 'Targa' (or 'fun')

An optional child seat allows the car to carry a child (up to 8 years), sitting behind the front seat on the engine compartment, facing backwards. The driver operates car-like controls (steering wheel, brake and throttle pedals) although the vehicle is classed as an electric motorcycle in some countries.

There have been three body styles since production started. The 'Basic' version has a completely solid roof. Some versions have plexiglass side-windows. The Convertible was a fully open version no-longer made by CityCom. In its place the 'Targa' version was constructed, with a removable centre soft top but solid rear windows. In America the City El was sold with a different roof, made out of fibreglass. [1] This roof is slightly different from the factory-built City El roof.

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[edit] Technical specifications

The older version had three lead acid batteries with a 40 (Series1) to 55 km/h (Series2 and up) top speed and a range from 40 to 50 km (Series1 up to 70km). The consumption from Series2 and up was 7 to 9 kW·h/100 km. However, the new version FactFour has four lead acid batteries, a much better electric motor that provides a 63 km/h top speed and 70 to 90 km range. The consumption is 3.5 to 5 kW·h/100 km. The City El is regularly modified by enthusiasts and it is common to see City Els powered by alternative batteries, such as the Nickel-cadmium battery or Lithium-ion battery.

43V 100AH Lithium Ion upgraded City El
43V 100AH Lithium Ion upgraded City El

The improved performance and range given to the City El by using such batteries make them a viable town commuting vehicle with enough acceleration to keep up with city traffic.

A City El weighs only 280 Kilograms and the front end can be lifted quite easily. When the batteries are removed it is possible for three people to lift a City El clean off the ground. When a City El is retrofitted with 100 AH Thunder-sky Lithium Ion batteries the car becomes approximately 70 kilograms lighter, bringing the weight of the City El well under that of some motorbikes. At this point the driver has to take extreme care driving at 30mph or more in moderate cross-winds to prevent the City El from being blown about.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • Hans-Ulrich von Mende, Matthias Dietz & Benedikt Taschen (Sep 1994), Kleinwagen, Small Cars, Petites Voitures, Taschen, ISBN 3-8228-8910-5
  • Coverage on CityEl in the TV show "Das! mobil", July 27, 2005, on German TV channel NDR Fernsehen
  • Coverage in magazine Solarmobil, issues 55/56, 57, and 59, ISSN 0941-102X (in German)

[edit] External links

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