Author Archives: Annick Roetynck

About Annick Roetynck

Annick is the Manager of LEVA-EU, with decades of experience in two-wheeled and light electric mobility.

• Podbike November Update

  09/11/2020 12:03 Comments Off on Podbike November Update

  The newsletter of Podbike is out, with an update on the FRIKAR and its future developments. There is further information on new cooperations between Podbike and partners and on the delivery of pre-ordered Frikar’s. Podbike has also been selected for Entepreneurial Marketing New York.

  Adjusting weight goal
  LEVA-EU Member Podbike’s target has always been to keep FRIKAR light enough to be used without electric assist, if necessary. Their aim is to make sustainable and cost-efficient products, avoiding using energy-intensive materials that are not reusable (for instance epoxy and carbon fibre composites).
  It is challenging to keep their covered e-bike slim, although the long-term goal is to keep it under 70kg. Unfortunately, due to cost, the first generation of Podbike FRIKAR will have to use heavier versions of many parts. The current prototypes weigh around 90 kg and Podbike assume the first series-produced FRIKAR e-bikes will be that weight as well. 

  Assembly partner
  It has always been Podbike’s plan to outsource their large scale series production. They have now signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with a preferred vehicle assembly partner in the EU. More information about this partner is to follow later. Many vital parts will be made in Scandinavia, including the driveline and the chassis.
  
  Delivery
  Delivery of FRIKAR to their patient pre-order customers will start early 2021. A total of 2,500 are now preordered, with around 1,000 of these in Europe. As a result, new pre-orders will get delivered in 2022. Podbike hopes to scale up production faster but, it is better to under-promise than to over-promise.
  
  PODBIKE selected to participate in EMNY
  Entrepreneurial Marketing New York (EMNY) is a special program by Innovation Norway. They only invite a few start-ups which they believe have international potential. During an eight months program, Podbike will get advice on how to scale their business. The mentors are international experts and at Podbike, they are very excited.
  Learn more about EMNY here!

• Bafang Website Revamped

  12:01 Comments Off on Bafang Website Revamped

  A major overhaul of the Bafang website delivers an enhanced experience for visitors, allowing in-depth exploration of the entire Bafang product range, discovery of partner e-bike brands, and providing a wealth of information for anyone curious about e-bikes.

  Suzhou, PRC, November 2020: E-drive systems manufacturer and LEVA-EU Member Bafang has announced the relaunch of its website at www.bafang-e.com, with a refreshed look, enhanced functionality and detailed information on the complete product range, from the wide variety of e-drive systems through to batteries and displays.

  The revived site provides visitors with a wealth of options to discover everything they need to know about Bafang and its products. A 3D bike model on the home page aids with decision-making for selecting the ideal e-drive system, battery or display, while a dedicated area of the site covers all product application scenarios; eMTB, eRoad, eTour, eCity and eCargo. E-drive systems can be quickly and easily filtered by rated power, weight or maximum torque, with clear graphics allowing visitors to browse all options at a glance.

  Additional valuable information for the visitor is available in the site’s extensive FAQ section and in the blog, where articles provide riding and maintenance tips, latest Bafang news and more. Partner e-bike brands are also listed, giving visitors the opportunity to explore the many options offered by trusted, tried-and-tested reputable bike brands which incorporate Bafang products into their ranges. The entire site is available in both English and German, highlighting Bafang’s commitment to fully serving its existing and future customer base in Germany. The relaunch of the site closely follows the October move of Bafang’s German operation to much larger premises in Hövelhof, positioning Bafang Electric GmbH as a key asset to Germany’s thriving pedelec market.

  Bafang’s goal is to be the leading e-drive systems brand for electric bicycles, delivering innovation in sustainable transport systems alongside top-level customer service. Chairman and Managing Director, Mr. Qinghua Wang says: “Bafang’s goal is to produce innovative and high-quality products for our customers that make a tangible contribution to their riding comfort. Our employees are dedicated to this aim. We embrace every challenge and strive to develop new, ground-breaking products that set new standards.”

• Vivium provides home care by QWIC e-bikes

  02/11/2020 15:17 Comments Off on Vivium provides home care by QWIC e-bikes

  2 November QWIC – Care staff of Vivium Zorggroep in the Dutch Gooi en Vechtstreek region recently received 45 QWIC e-bikes with which they will provide care at home. This mobility solution was created when it became apparent that healthcare staff needed transport on an e-bike, because of its convenience, speed and sustainable character. With its care lease concept, Riemersma Leasing offers the total solution for all of Vivium’s mobility needs.

  Vivium: “Carefree travel is part of the Vivium Mobility Arrangement and means that we support employees as much as possible when traveling to and for work. The Vivium Teams that provide care at home work in the neighborhood, in a limited area with short distances. Often also in the center, where parking a car is difficult. The e-bike is then a perfect means of transport.”

  

  

  The employees of the Weesp Centrum team (photo right), among others, received their electric bicycles. “The bikes are really great!! We are very happy with these beautiful bikes, the old ones were really finished and we continued to spend money on them. So thank you very much again for providing beautiful and safe bicycles. We also find the panniers with Vivium on them very beautiful and practical. ”

  Dirk-Jan Hilboesen, Sales & Marketing QWIC: “We are extremely proud that the Vivium care staff provide care at home with our QWIC e-bikes. The healthcare personnel do important work and we are happy to contribute to make their work more comfortable, efficient and faster. ”

  Collaborating parties
  The mobility solution for Vivium was developed in collaboration with Riemersma Leasing. QWIC supplies the white e-bikes that Vivium leases at Riemersma. Service to the bicycles is provided by the local QWIC service points Bike Totaal Bout in Huizen and Bike Totaal Daatselaar in Bussum.

  Customized care lease
  Joost van den Akker, Riemersma Leasing: “We know the market in which healthcare institutions operate. Weknow, for example, that recruiting staff in the healthcare sector is a serious challenge. And we know how healthcare institutions can distinguish themselves in the field of mobility in the labor market. Without organizational hassle, because Riemersma Leasing takes care of that. The “Customized care lease” concept offers advantages for both the care institution, the employee and the clients. A great solution with which we support Vivium very well.”

• LEVA-EU proposes ZEV-concept for light electric vehicles to give manufacturers same commercial success as e-bikes

  11:37 Comments Off on LEVA-EU proposes ZEV-concept for light electric vehicles to give manufacturers same commercial success as e-bikes

  Trade association LEVA-EU, the sole voice for the light electric vehicle (LEV) sector, has unveiled proposals to introduce a new concept for light electric vehicles to remove legal bottlenecks it says are blighting the industry.

  The organisation says bringing in the concept of Zero Tailpipe Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) would finally set them apart from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles such as petrol motorbikes and mopeds when it comes to the lengthy legislation that can be difficult for manufacturers to navigate.

  LEVA-EU proposes to define ZEVs as “powered vehicles equipped with a motor that does not produce harmful tailpipe emissions”.

  Current regulations class all light electric vehicles, except electric bicycles with pedal assistance up to 25 km/h and 250W, in the same category as mopeds and motorbikes. This law, Regulation 168/2013, leaves manufacturers forced to navigate complicated and costly procedures, and presents considerable safety issues for riders. LEVA-EU says that, as a result, this market is not allowed to develop and LEVs are unable to achieve their potential.

  LEVA-EU has developed a proposal aimed at simplifying the current Regulation 168/2013 in a major way. The proposal focusses on classifying ZEVs based on kinetic energy, that is the energy of mass in motion (i.e. weight X speed).  Consequently, all low-speed ZEVs up to a certain weight and speed limit could be excluded from Regulation 168/2013, with exclusion limits to be discussed with the LEV- industry.

  Exclusion from Regulation 168/2013 means that the vehicles automatically come under the Machinery Directive, which in turn, allows the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) to develop technical standards. Instead of type-approval, manufacturers can comply with this legislation by means of self-certification or certification by a freely chosen testing service. For type-approval, they must seek certification from an officially accredited testing service.

  LEVA-EU points out that there are already several standards, both published and under development, that could accommodate many of the to be excluded ZEVs. E-bikes with pedal assistance up to 25 km/h -250W have benefited from exclusion since 2002, which has seen millions of them take to the streets without any structural safety problems.

  The organisation says that for ZEVs above the set speed and weight limit, discussions would be needed as to whether a specific type approval should be drawn up or whether they should also be excluded, bringing them under the Machinery Directive.

  LEVA-EU manager Annick Roetynck says type approval for L-category vehicles currently consists of 1,036 pages, many of which are dedicated to emissions and noise, two elements that are irrelevant for ZEVs. It is therefore extremely complicated and costly for ZEV manufacturers to submit their vehicles for type-approval. The result is that there are hardly any L-category light electric vehicles on the market.

  The organisation, which has systematically worked to change legislation to allow for a broader diversity of LEVs, has recently held five online meetings attended by 230 LEV-companies to discuss the type approval issue.

  In July 2020, TRL, the global centre for innovation in transport and mobility, announced that the European Commission had appointed them to carry out a study to “identify the minimum safety requirements for safe use of personal mobility devices (e.g. hover-boards, e-scooters, e-bikes, cargo bikes etc.) on public roads, and how those safety requirements should be regulated.”

  The Commission originally intended to limit the regulatory review to e-scooters and self-balancing vehicles only. Thanks to LEVA-EU’s incessant lobbying, the scope of the review has been expanded to include e-bikes, electric cargo bikes and other LEVs.  

  LEVA-EU Manager Annick Roetynck said the current legal framework had allowed for millions of conventional e-bikes to come onto the market, but LEVs coming under Regulation 168/2013 were suffering from severe legal bottlenecks, which hamper the industry.

  She said: “The rules have not been written with light, electric vehicles in mind; they have been written for conventional mopeds and motorcycles. To allow for a broader offer of light, electric vehicles, the rules need urgent updating to remove the legal bottlenecks.”

  “There are hardly any LEVs in the L-category on the market, while conventional e-bikes excluded from type-approval have been a commercial success for many years.”

  This is having an impact on both users and businesses. Roetynck said: “The ‘discrimination’ of e-bikes in L1e-A for instance denies certain user groups access to this sustainable mobility solution. For example, many people with physical problems are unable to use e-bikes with pedal assistance alone, because they don’t know for how long and how far they will be able to pedal.”

  “To them an electric bike that, for instance, combines pedal assistance with a throttle would be a solution. However, due to type-approval that e-bike will be more expensive than its conventional counterpart, if it were on the market at all. Furthermore, in most member states these e-bikes will be subject to completely different terms of use.”

  “Another example concerns electric cargo bikes, which become increasingly popular as sustainable last-mile solutions in cities but are currently all limited to pedal assistance up to 25 km/h and 250W so that they can avoid type-approval. The market needs vehicles that can transport higher weights but that would require more than 250W, which means that the vehicles would come under Regulation 168/2013.”

  Roetynck said: “Two electric cargo bikes with the same weight and the same speed limit will produce the same kinetic energy, whether they have 250W or 1 kW. Nevertheless, the first is subject to a suitable legal framework, the second to a totally unsuitable legal framework. That needs to change to allow the LEV-market to grow.”

  At a LEVA-EU seminar in February 2020, speed pedelec manufacturers extensively testified before the European Commission on the huge difficulties they encounter due to type approval. Speed pedelecs are categorised as L1e-B, mopeds.

  LEVA-EU then decided to add pressure on the European Union in an open letter, urging it to match green transport rhetoric with action on LEVs, which led to the Commission’s review and TRL’s announcement in July.  

  LEVA-EU has pledged to intensify its campaign for the proposed changes over the coming weeks and months. Roetynck added: “Without such change, the EU will never be able to achieve its Green Deal’s objectives, which include a 90% GHG emission reduction by 2050.”

  Photo by Dariusz Sankowski on Unsplash

• Launch of the SME Compatibility Test for Standards

  11:29 Comments Off on Launch of the SME Compatibility Test for Standards

  In October, SBS has launched the SME Compatibility Test for Standards.

  This online test, accessible from the SBS website, can be used by any standard maker who wishes to assess the SME-compatibility of a standard. The test is the starting point for possible improvements to a standard if it appears to be unsuited to smaller businesses.
  Try it out to test a standard!
  Do you want to know more about the test? Watch the 10-10 webinar organised together with CEN and CENELEC on the participation of SMEs in standardisation.

  Photo by Kristin Wilson on Unsplash

• ICT standards for access to data: key to innovation and to a circular economy

  11:24 Comments Off on ICT standards for access to data: key to innovation and to a circular economy

  If Europe wants to achieve its climate and economic goals, the digital sector has to contribute and embrace sustainability in all its facets: circular economy models for hardware, climate-neutral CPU models and server centres, and software advancements to reduce energy consumption, to name but  a few. By enhancing repairability and third-party maintenance, the life cycle of products could be extended, but this would not be entirely possible without third-party access to data. Only if independent repair and maintenance companies have access to the products’ data can we have a competitive secondary market, where many SMEs can thrive and drive economic growth and employment, consumers spend less and product life-cycles can be extended. Read more

  Photo by Ilya Pavlov on Unsplash

• CAKE New Kalk RACE Series 2021

  28/10/2020 19:33 Comments Off on CAKE New Kalk RACE Series 2021

  LEVA-EU member CAKE unveiled two new race-oriented models and announced an expansive commitment to racing with the International One Design Series motorcycle race format during their virtual edition of the EICMA motor show, CAKEMA. In addition to the launch of the new kalk OR RACE and kalk INK RACE, the team revealed a variety of updates to the current models that riders can expect to see in 2021.

  “The start of 2021 is all about racing for CAKE. It’s always been a part of our DNA, but with the launch of the new kalk OR RACE and kalk INK race models and the CAKE One Design Race series, we’re taking it to the next level and inspiring a new interest in motorcycle racing that is clean, quiet and approachable,” remarked CAKE founder and CEO, Stefan Ytterborn.

  CAKE’s first major model announcement of 2021 is the kalk OR RACE and kalk INK race, new race editions of the kalk platform. These bikes feature a higher front fender, fork guards, CAKE-specific MX wheels and hubs, and more extreme tires. They are still extremely lightweight at 75kg for the kalk OR race / 78kg for the kalk INK race and boast a powerful 11kW electric motor with 42Nm of torque at the motor axle and 280Nm of torque at the wheel. The two bikes will be available built out as complete RACE bikes. Alternatively, existing kalk OR and kalk INK owners can purchase an add on RACE-kit to complete transform the motorbike.

  

  The second major 2021 announcement for CAKE is their commitment to developing electric motocross racing through the establishment of the International CAKE One Design Race series format. Much like the FIA Formula E World Championships, the goal is to expand the race series to cities throughout the globe and to also establish FIM approval. The first race in the CAKE One Design Race series occured in St. Tropez, France, September 5-6, 2020 and was hosted by the team at ElektraFuture with additional races being planned for summer 2021. The CAKE team also elaborated on plans to build the first One Design Race race track and enduro trail with the team at the Gotland Ring race track in Gotland, Sweden, which are being designed by Enduro and MX professional Robert Kvarnström, assisted by MTB Enduro athlete Robin Wallner.

  Due to the cancellation of major trade shows like the EICMA motor show, additional virtual programs are scheduled around CES and Outdoor Retailer to announce additional models, partnerships and more. Those interested in watching the entire broadcast of these announcements can visit: ridecake.com/en/event-eicma/

• BikeBiz Awards: LEVA-EU shortlisted

  26/10/2020 16:21 Comments Off on BikeBiz Awards: LEVA-EU shortlisted

  We were very pleasantly surprised to find ourselves in the shortlist for the BikeBiz Cycling Advocacy Award.

  The Bikebiz Awards is returning for its 12th iteration this year in a digital format, forgoing a live event to ensure those working tirelessly to keep the sector’s wheels turning can receive the recognition they deserve while ensuring the safety of all involved.

  The online vote will close on Friday 27th November and the results will determine the 2020 BikeBiz Awards winners.The winners will be revealed online on Friday 11th December.

  Thank you to those who entered us in the Advocacy Category!

  The LEVA-EU Team,
  Annick, Bram, Eddie, Dennis and Daan

• Are shared vehicles shared by all?

  15:54 Comments Off on Are shared vehicles shared by all?

  Article by: Jennifer Dill, Ph.D – Portland University

  I’m happy to share a new article I wrote with Nathan McNeil that reviews the research on shared mobility and equity, “Are shared vehicles shared by all? A review of equity and vehicle sharing.” It will appear in a special issue of the Journal of Planning Literature: Transportation and Cities in the 21st Century: Will New Mobility Technologies Make Cities More Sustainable? The issue is edited by Gulsah Akar and Harvey Miller, at The Ohio State University.

  We sought to understand whether shared vehicle systems – carsharing, bikesharing, and e-scooter sharing – are equitable, based on the research to date. The bottom line? No, not really, but there is potential. To answer our main question, we examine evidence in three categories.

  • Physical proximity to shared vehicles. This is a pre-requisite for accessibility. If the shared vehicles are not located nearby, not much else matters.
  • The use of vehicles by different target population groups. If some groups are underrepresented, this may indicate lower accessibility. That could be due to lack of physical proximity, but also other barriers such as physical ability, income, or lack of required technology.
  • Why and how different groups use (or not) shared vehicles. This type of evidence can reveal whether any differences in usage rates are explained by inequitable accessibility rather than differences in preferences.

  We review evidence from over 120 articles and reports related to five population characteristics: income, race/ethnicity, age (older adults), gender, and disability. We also cover programs and policies to address equity, though research on the impacts of such efforts are limited.

  Overall, we did not find much evidence that vehicle sharing systems are improving accessibility for disadvantaged populations, though some modeling efforts indicate the potential for doing so. Some of our findings include:

  • There are disparities in proximity to shared vehicles, particularly proximity to bikeshare for Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) and lower-income people. There are not many studies that look at proximity to carshare vehicles.
  • There are also disparities in the use of shared vehicles. Several studies find that BIPOC people use carsharing and bikesharing less, but it is sometimes unclear how much of the difference can be attributed to race vs. income.
  • Very few studies attempt to explain differences in use by these groups and only do so for bikesharing. Those studies find several barriers for BIPOC people and low-income people, ranging from lack of credit cards or information to fear of police harassment.
  • Women are less likely than men to be carshare members and even less likely to use shared bikes or e-scooters. The reasons for not using bikeshare are likely the same as why women do not bike as much as men, at least in countries with low rates of cycling. The reasons for not using carsharing are not clear.
  • The findings from limited amount of research on e-scooter sharing are mixed, but there is not strong evidence that those systems are significantly more equitable than bikesharing.
  • People with disabilities are essentially ignored in the research about vehicle sharing, and older adults are rarely considered.

  Vehicle sharing offers the potential to improve mobility and accessibility for disadvantaged populations. The research we reviewed shows some efforts to help vehicle sharing achieve that potential, but there were many gaps. I’ll highlight a couple here.

  

  

  First, the research that focuses on equity and vehicle sharing tends to be about bikesharing. There are likely many reasons for this, including the interests of researchers and funding agencies, availability of open data, greater public agency role in bikesharing (vs. carsharing), and greater visibility of bikesharing systems. These factors also contribute to a growing effort to make bikesharing more equitable. This is all great, but where is the effort to make carsharing more equitable? Given that many cities lack safe bicycle infrastructure and trip distances make bicycling (or e-scootering) difficult, there may be more potential for improving accessibility through carsharing. The benefits of access to a vehicle for low income people are well documented. Carsharing could provide a more economical and financially sound way of achieving those benefits, in combination with transit. There are efforts in California around expanding electric carsharing to low-income communities. Hopefully, we’ll learn from those efforts.

  Second, the research is somewhat limited by the data and methods being used. Researchers have clearly taken advantage of the open data available from bikeshare systems and methods of scraping on-line data. Pair this with various GIS and Census data and you can create some cool visualizations and more regression models than anyone needs. These studies are good for assessing physical proximity. However, demographic data on users is usually minimal, so they provide limited insight on whether and how the vehicles are used by different groups. Some studies rely on user or member surveys, which provide information, but only of users. Few studies use data from both users and non-users, and rarely are those done specifically to understand vehicle sharing and equity. I understand why this is the case. Having done a study on bikeshare equity that collected survey data from users and non-users, I know that it is not easy or cheap. And, evaluating the impacts of equity programs is even more challenging than understanding access and barriers.

  There is a lot more in the paper, which is available on the journal’s website. If you are at a university and have access to Sage journals, I recommend downloading that version. But, if you do not, we have made available the “author’s version” of the paper. This is a pdf of the document that was accepted for publication. This file has some typos and other small things that were fixed prior to typesetting and publication. You can download and use it for non-commercial use.

  Please find the article at the LEVA-EU Website or go to Sage Journal.

  Photo by Kumpan Electric on Unsplash