Abstract: In an electric vehicle provided with an electric motor (M), a motor drive circuit (17) and a control circuit section (15) for outputting an operation command to the motor drive circuit, a variable speed drive unit for electric vehicles has a transmission apparatus (20) which engages or disengages a drive shaft (7a) which receives the drive force from a propelling motor and a driven shaft (5a) which is interconnected with propelling wheels by an electromagnetic engagement clutch (30), the transmission apparatus has the electromagnetic clutch comprised of a first clutch (22) interconnected with the drive shaft, a second clutch (25) having a rotational speed different from the first clutch, and an output side clutch (21) interconnected with the driven shaft; and the output side clutch and the first clutch or the second clutch are alternatively connected to selectively change the motor output.

Abstract: An alarm device is provided in an electric vehicle for indicating an insufficient remaining charge in a storage battery. The operation of both a remaining capacity meter and insufficient capacity alarm are continuously operated for a predetermined amount of time after a turn-off of a main power switch by means of a timer that is activated by the turn-off of the main switch when the storage battery suffers an insufficient capacity. The capacity of the storage battery is determined after the surface charge of the storage battery is eliminated when a charging operation is complete.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a suspension device for a bicycle comprising a center frame for supporting a saddle; a front frame for supporting a front wheel at a first end of the front frame, the front frame being secured to the center frame at a second end of the front frame so as to pivot about a first pivot axis; a rear frame for supporting a rear wheel at a first end of the rear frame, the rear frame being secured to the center frame at a second end of the rear frame so as to pivot about a second pivot axis different from and spaced from the first pivot axis; and a plate spring which is secured to the front frame at a first end of the plate spring, is secured to the rear frame at a second end of the plate spring, and is fixed to the center frame at an intermediate portion of the plate spring, whereby the front and rear frames are resiliently supported relative to the center frame by means of the plate spring.

Abstract: A control apparatus by which a duty ratio in consideration of how energy stored in storage cells is consumed is set to ensure a steady traveling feeling, a regeneration brake which can produce stable braking forces regardless of how storage cells are consumed, and a protective device by which a plurality of operation stop levels are set to be able to cancel the stop operation effected for the first time and to ensure reliable alarming, are provided. In the first and second embodiments, a chopper duty ratio is compensated depending on how storage cells are consumed, to provide a steady agreeable traveling feeling. In the third embodiment, regenerated electric power is consumed by a motor driving circuit to stabilize operation of a regeneration brake regardless of how storage cells are consumed, and improve performance thereof.

Abstract: An electromotive scooter comprises an electric drive motor and a power source indicator that provides a visual indication when the electric drive motor is in the on condition. An electric circuit supplies electric current to an acoustic device, causing it to emit an acoustical warning, when the electric drive motor is in the on condition and a seat load sensor does not sense a load on the rider's seat.

Abstract: For an electromotive scooter which gets its driving force from an electric motor driven by batteries mounted thereon, and which has a power source unit for an electromotive scooter which supplies power of nominal value of 48V to the electric motor that requires high voltage to exert high driving performance and also supplies power of nominal value of 12V via an auxiliary power source to the other electric devices in such a manner that even in a case of large fluctuation of voltage in the main power source, a stable power is assured for the electric devices, a control unit, for example, making it possible to employ as these devices those products for common use on the market.

Abstract: An electromotive scooter body is a hollow construction made of fiber reinforced plastics, so that the body is strong and light to reduce load on a traveling motive power source. The body can be separated into upper and bottom parts and the hollow of the bottom part accepts many batteries, so that a center of gravity of the scooter can be low.

Abstract: An electric vehicle which has motor wheels of the direct-drive outer-rotor type which permit simplification and compaction of the motor wheels. Current regulating covers introduce ambient air for cooling the motors and reduce air resistance, and batteries and control devices are disposed symmetrically relative to the axial line of the vehicle body and to axial lines of the axles so as to reduce and uniformly distribute the weight of the vehicle. All these devices contribute jointly to increasing the range of the electric vehicle.