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Sinclair C5
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==Design== [[File:Sinclair C5 sectioned.jpg|right|thumb|C5 with the left side of the body shell removed, showing the pedals, chassis, drive chain, battery, and electric motor]] [[File:Sinclair C5 rear view.jpg|right|thumb|C5 seen from the rear, showing the driver's cockpit and the open luggage compartment at the rear]] The C5 is made predominantly of polypropylene, measuring {{convert|174.4|cm|in|abbr=on}} long, {{convert|74.4|cm|in|abbr=on}} wide, and {{convert|79.5|cm|in|abbr=on}} high. It weighs approximately {{convert|30|kg|abbr=on}} without a battery and {{convert|45|kg|abbr=on}} with one.<ref name="Brochure" /> The chassis consists of a single Y-shaped steel component with a cross-section of about {{convert|5.5|by|4|cm|abbr=on}}<ref name="NewScientist-17-Jan-85" /> The vehicle has three wheels, one of {{convert|317|mm|in|abbr=on}} diameter at the front and two of {{convert|406|mm|in|abbr=on}} at the rear.<ref name="Brochure" /> The driver sits in a recumbent position in an open cockpit, steering via a handlebar that is located under the knees. A power switch and front and rear brake levers are positioned on the handlebar. As a supplement to or replacement for electric power, the C5 can also be propelled via bicycle-style pedals located at the front of the cockpit. The maximum speed of an unmodified C5 is {{convert|15|mph}}. At the rear of the vehicle is a small luggage compartment with a capacity of 28 litres (1 cu ft).<ref name="Brochure">''Sinclair C5. A new power in personal transport.'' Sinclair Vehicles promotional brochure (January 1985)</ref> As the C5 does not have a reverse gear, reversing direction is done by getting out, picking up the front end and turning it around by hand.<ref name="GM-11-Jan-1985">{{cite news|title=Electric tricycle stirs complaints in U.K.|work=The Globe and Mail|location=Toronto, Canada|date=11 January 1985}}</ref> The C5 is powered by a 12-volt lead–acid electric battery driving a motor with a continuous rating of 250 watts and a maximum speed of 4,100 [[revolutions per minute]]. It is coupled with a two-stage gear-drive that increases [[torque]] by a factor of 13, without which the motor would not be able to move the vehicle when a person is on board. However, the motor is vulnerable to overheating. The torque increases as the load on the vehicle increases, for instance by going up too steep a gradient.<ref name="NewScientist-17-Jan-85" /> Sinclair's tests showed that it could cope under power with a maximum slope of 1 in 12 (8%) and could manage a 1 in 7 (14%) slope using the pedals.<ref name="Times-9-Feb-1985">{{cite news|title=Sinclair C5 goes into top gear|work=The Times|date=9 February 1985|page=3}}</ref> As the speed of the motor reduces, the current flow through its [[Electromagnetic coil|windings]] increases, drawing up to 140 [[Amperes|amp]]s at stall speed. This would very quickly burn the motor out if sustained, so the motor's load is constantly monitored by the C5's electronics. If it stalls under full load the electronics disable the motor after 4 seconds, while if it is under heavy load (around 80 or 90 amps) it trips after two or three minutes. A heat-sensitive [[resistor]] inside the motor warns the driver if the vehicle is beginning to overheat and disconnects the motor after a short time, and a third line of defence is provided by a metallic strip mounted on the motor. If an excessive temperature is reached the strip distorts and the power is disconnected.<ref name="NewScientist-17-Jan-85">{{cite news|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o3lsjRekUrcC&q=%22pedal+power+saves+sinclair%27s+motor%22&pg=PA23|title=Pedal power saves Sinclair's motor|last=Fox|first=Barry|work=New Scientist|page=23|date=17 January 1985}}</ref> Although it was usually billed as an electric vehicle, the C5 also depends significantly on pedal power. The vehicle's battery is designed to provide 35 amps for an hour when fully charged or half that for two hours, giving the C5 a claimed range of {{convert|20|mi}}.<ref name="NewScientist-17-Jan-85" /> A display in the cockpit uses green, amber, and red [[LED]]s to display the state of the battery charge. The segments are extinguished one after the other to indicate how much driving time is left. The last light indicates that only ten minutes of power are left, after which the motor is switched off and the driver is left to rely on the pedals. Another display indicates via green, amber, and red LEDs how much current is being used. The C5 is in its most economical running mode when a low amount of current, indicated by the green LEDs, is being used. When the lights are red, the motor is under a high load and the driver needs to use pedal power to avoid overheating and shutdown.<ref name="Dale159">{{cite book|title=The Sinclair Story|last=Dale|first=Rodney|year=1985|page=159|publisher=Duckworth|location=London|isbn=978-0-7156-1901-8}}</ref> The C5 was initially sold at a cost of £399, but to keep the cost under the £400 mark a number of components were sold as optional accessories.<ref name="Dale170">Dale, p. 170</ref> These included indicator lights, mirrors, mud flaps, a horn, and a "High-Vis Mast" consisting of a reflective strip on a pole, designed to make the C5 more visible in traffic. Sinclair's C5 accessories brochure noted that "the British climate isn't always ideal for wind-in-the-hair driving" and offered a range of waterproofs to keep C5 drivers dry in the vehicle's open cockpit. Other accessories included seat cushions and spare batteries.<ref>"Sinclair C5 Accessories". Sinclair Vehicles promotional brochure (1985)</ref>
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