Tag Archive: charging

  1. Innovative solar charging station installed on popular European bike highway

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    Source: Fietsberaad

    Cyclists traveling along the F14 bike highway, which connects Antwerp, Belgium with Essen in Germany, can now benefit from an innovative solar-powered charging station in Kapellen.

    Developed by Belgian company WeWatt, this project caters specifically to electric bicycles, providing a sustainable solution for long-distance riders.

    A new edition to cycling infrastructure

    The solar charging station is strategically located at a local brasserie near the railway crossing at the intersection of Christiaan Pallemansstraat and Koning Albertlei. Its placement offers a convenient stopover for e-bike users traveling along the F14, a key cycling route in the Northern part of Belgium.

    As e-bikes continue to rise in popularity, enabling riders to cover greater distances, the need for accessible charging options has become increasingly apparent. This station not only offers two charging sockets powered entirely by solar energy but also includes a bicycle repair pole equipped with tools for quick fixes. Integrated solar panels generate and store energy in an internal battery, allowing the station to function independently of external electricity sources. Its self-sufficient design makes it an ideal solution for remote cycling paths and highways.

    Part of a broader mobility vision

    The introduction of the charging station aligns with a broader Belgian mobility strategy aimed at enhancing cycling connections across the province of Antwerp. For years, bicycle highways in the Northern Flemish region of Belgium have been central to encouraging sustainable transportation. Projects like this solar-powered charging station make cycling infrastructure more appealing to both commuters and recreational cyclists.

    By providing convenient charging options along key routes, the initiative also supports the shift from car travel to cycling, even for longer journeys. This underscores the region’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions while promoting active and eco-friendly transportation options.

    Collaborative effort for sustainability

    The project was brought to life through a partnership between railway organisation Infrabel, the municipality of Kapellen, and WeWatt, which specializes in energy-focused bike furniture. Infrabel contributed by granting a concession for a plot of land near the railway tracks, while Kapellen facilitated the installation and WeWatt provided the technology.

    Enhancing the cycling experience

    This solar charging station represents an intersection of sustainability, technology, and mobility. By addressing the needs of e-bike riders, it enhances the overall cycling experience in the Flanders region of Northern Belgium. Additionally, it supports renewable energy use, fostering a dual impact of promoting green energy and sustainable travel.

    As infrastructure in the region continues to evolve, initiatives like this serve as a model for future developments, encouraging more individuals to embrace cycling as a primary mode of transport.

  2. MAHLE introduces new versatile charging platform

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    On September 6th, e-bike drive systems provider MAHLE launched the MAHLE Energy Hub, a new platform that upgrades its External Battery eX1.

    MAHLE’s Energy Hub boosts its External Battery eX1 (formerly known as Range Extender e185) to be even more convenient for users, easing its charging while transforming it into a multi-functional energy source that can be shared by other devices.

    The brand describes its MAHLE Energy Hub as “the best travel partner” for charging anytime and anywhere, including inhospitable places off the beaten track. It makes the External Battery eX1 more versatile, even in the off-season, enabling it to be used as a high-capacity power bank.

    The Energy Hub comes with a standard USB-C cable and protective cover. Here are its specifications.

    More information about the MAHLE Energy Hub can be accessed here.

  3. TILER’s loading tile for shared bicycles

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    Source: fietsberaad.nl

    Wireless charging for e-bikes has been underway for some time now, with the potential to revolutionize the charging landscape. LEVA-EU member TILER’s loading tile is now being used in practice at various locations.

    TILER developed the induction technology for its charging tile in collaboration with the Delft University of Technology.

    Shared bicycle provider MOBIAN has recently started using the tile in Amsterdam to wirelessly charge its fleet of e-bikes immediately after use. No special hub administrator is needed to arrange this, enabling the vulnerabilities of regular chargers to be bypassed.

    To integrate the loading tile, it is only necessary to replace the regular bicycle kickstand with a special loading stand that allows wireless charging. This makes it relatively easy for bicycle sharing and rental companies to adapt their bicycles.

    The loading tiles have also been utilized by shared-bicycle scheme providers elsewhere, for example at NH Hotel Leeuwenhorst in Noordwijkerhout and at Arnhem Central.

  4. The TILER Charging Tile helps MOBIAN on its way with shared e-bike fleets

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    Source: NieuwsFiets.nu

    Park and Ride provider MOBIAN has expanded its range of shared bicycles with electric shared bicycles in Amsterdam, utilizing LEVA-EU member TILER’s innovative product to combat previous drawbacks.

    The new e-bicycles are wirelessly charged on a TILER charging tile via a special charging stand. The e-bikes are charged immediately after use with no hub administrator required.

    The booming market for electric bicycles continues to bring fresh innovation. The e-bike charging process is redesigned with TILER’s product, which has transformed the traditional methods for charging e-bikes. “Parking is charging and nothing else needs to be done. All it takes is a Charging Tile and the bike stand must be replaced with TILER’s own Stand,” says TILER marketing manager Amarins Tamminga. “This is ideal for unattended shared bicycle fleets, where charging is sometimes forgotten by the user and standard chargers are very fragile and not made for such intensive use.”

    ‘In TILER we see a cool vandal-proof solution’

    MOBIAN founder Sven Snel speaks of “an awesome, new, and accessible way to charge e-bikes. The trend of the e-bike has not escaped our attention in recent years, but to be able to offer electric shared bicycles in a good way on our MOBIHUBS turned out to be quite a challenge. We have ventured into e-bikes before, but too often encountered destruction of our charging products,” says Snel. “In TILER we see a great vandal-proof solution and are therefore happy to take on the challenge of adding e-bikes to the shared mobilities on our MOBIHUBS again.”

    Charging solution for rental bicycles

    MOBIAN is not the first to collaborate with TILER; the brand is already active in other shared bike concepts, such as rental bicycles in hotels and fleets of e-bikes for staff. They have also recently started a project with a bicycle sharing hub at Arnhem Central.

    “We are very excited to start this project with MOBIAN, especially because they have experienced for themselves that there must be a charging solution if you want to offer e-bikes in autonomous hubs. TILER’s vision is to change cities, more focused on people and nature, and the combination with MOBIAN’s park & ​​ride concept fits perfectly with this,” says Christiaan van Nispen, founder of TILER.

    From this week on, e-bikes can be rented at the MOBIHUB Ijsbaanpad location and later this month also at MOBIHUB Amsterdam West. If the project is successful, the companies hope to be able to further roll out the scheme in various Dutch cities.

  5. Tiler – inductive e-bike charging without intrusive infrastructure

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    Source: Cycling Industry News, M. Sutton

    LEVA-EU member Tiler showcases their e-bike charging unit at Move 2022, with industry interest for this novel charging solution continuing to grow

    For those unfamiliar, Tiler offers a new patented e-Bike charging infrastructure technology that relies simply on a kickstand and a tile built flush into the floor. The cable-free system utilizes inductive charging, with energy transfer taking place between the embedded infrastructure in the floor and a unique kickstand that is apparently compatible with around 80% of the market’s e-Bikes.

    This unique solution combats a growing issue within the LEV sphere – obtrusive charging infrastructure that removes valuable street space and may create a trip hazard. A single in-ground eBike charging tile measures 300mm x 500mm x 80mm, while the platform iteration comes in at 1748mm x 600mm and 94mm deep.

    Read the full write-up by Cycling Industry News here.

  6. icct considers potential of charging methods and incentives to catalyse electric two-wheeler market

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    Following on from an article about state government incentives in India are making many electric two-wheeler models near equivalent in price to gasoline models, a new piece by The International Council on Clean Transportation (icct) looks in detail at Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and charging infrastructure incentives.

    Two-wheelers are a mass market in India, and lower upfront costs also equate to lower monthly costs for those who borrow. But what about running costs? Fuel is the key factor, and with gasoline prices rising, and set to continue to do so, electric two-wheelers present a very appetising alternative.

    The article takes a look at range, noting that many short-range electric two-wheeler models can achieve 75 km to 100 km of real world-range in city driving conditions, while mid-range models with real-world range closer to 150 km are in the pipeline. And with these figures and general usage patterns, charging could be well managed at home only. Home charging, however, relies very much on the user’s behaviour and can present a range of particular obstacles. For these reasons, public charging infrastructure is also important in the electric mobility big picture.

    It is noted that there would be a greater reliance on public charging in the earlier years of adoption, while home facilities are installed and integrated into new developments. The author goes on to break down the TCO considerations when including the impact of public charging:

    “From our earlier work, we know that electric models have a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) than gasoline models at current gasoline prices and with home charging. Since the cost of public charging can be high, sometimes twice as high as residential electricity tariffs, I build here on our cost parity model to examine what happens to TCO parity under different charging scenarios. I assumed the average residential electricity tariff to be INR 7/kWh and the average public charging tariff to be INR 14/kWh. Further, I looked at the impact on TCO parity at two baseline prices for gasoline—average prices in 2021 and in 2019—and included a 5% annual escalation in both electricity and gasoline costs.”

    The charts below show the timescales at which a 150km real-world range electric motorbike may reach 10 year TCO cost parity with gasoline fueled motorbikes, first without, and then with incentives. The incentives calculation “includes the revised FAME-II upfront subsidy and the preferential Goods and Services Tax (GST) benefit for the electric model.”

    chart sourced from theicct.org
    chart sourced from theicct.org

    The figures illustrate that cost parity could be achieved by 2022 solely via home charging, and by 2023 with entirely public charging and no incentives. The charts also adjust to consider gasoline prices as they were 2 years prior, and at that rate parity is reached in 2023 with 100% home charging, and 2025 with only public charging. It can be seen that a lower gasoline price and reliance on public charging together cause the greatest delay in reaching TCO parity.

    By contrast, when the chart takes purchase incentives into account, parity is already be achieved even if relying solely on the more expensive public charging. On top of this, incentives can also counteract a gasoline cost reduction to 2019 prices. There author notes that, “the current upfront purchase incentives are playing an enabling role in alleviating any charging cost related anxiety that consumers might have. That’s especially useful in the early phases of the market when the infrastructure for home charging is less mature.”

    The article goes on to elaborate on some of the challenges and barriers involved in home charging, such as socket requirements, and objections from neighbours or housing associations. It concludes that achieving TCO parity is key to the adoption of electric two-wheelers by the mass market, and that it is therefore the perfect time for governments to take action in incentivising their uptake.

    Read the original in more detail here: https://theicct.org/charging-electric-2w-india-sept21?utm_source=ICCT+mailing+list&utm_campaign=d5a2a307e4-lately_from_feb2018_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ef73e76009-d5a2a307e4-510831568

  7. Standardised labels for correct recharging LEVs

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    Source: ACEM – A brand new harmonised set of labels for electric vehicles and charging stations will start to be used throughout Europe as of 20 March this year, in line with the requirements of the EU Directive on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure (2014/94/EU).
    As well as appearing on charging stations, the labels will be placed on all newly-produced electric mopeds, motorcycles, tricycles and quadricycles in a clear and visible manner.

    The aim is to help consumers identify the right recharging option for their battery electric vehicles by harmonising labelling across the entire EU.
    In order to assist both consumers and the operators of charging points to understand these new labels, a coalition of European vehicle manufacturers, charging infrastructure operators and the electricity industry have published an informative brochure. This brochure, in Q&A format, explains the purpose of these labels, their design and in which
    vehicles they will appear.

    The brochure for electric vehicles is now available here: https://bit.ly/2ZZ1hN5

  8. LEVA-EU asks Commission for more prominent LEV place in Alternative Fuels’ Infrastructure Directive

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    The European Union has a range of policies aimed at making mobility more sustainable. In all these policies electric cars play a very prominent role. Light, electric vehicles (LEVs) however are very often overlooked mostly due to awareness. One of the main activities of LEVA-EU is to raise awareness on LEVs in European institutions so that LEVs are much better included in policies and legislation. LEVA-EU is working on this in the review of the Alternative Fuels’ Infrastructure Directive.

    The Alternative Fuels’ Infrastructure Directive (AFID) is meant to speed up the roll-out of charging infrastructure for cars in the EU. Originally, here too only cars were cars but thanks to ETRA the final text included a reference to the L-category, which covers most of the LEVs. Unfortunately, the AFID did not hold any specific targets for LEVs.

    Originally, the European Commission tried to impose specific targets for the number of charging point per member state. The Council however turned this down and the Commission toned the legislation down to the suggestion of trying to achieve at least one recharging point per 10 cars. For LEVs, the Commission suggested nothing specific because there were no European harmonized standards to refer to for such charging points. Now there is a proposal for the necessary standards. This allows the Commission to include specific suggestions for the benefit of charging infrastructure for LEVs in the revision of AFID.

    In the framework of the feedback period, which finished on 20th March, LEVA-EU has submitted concrete proposals. LEVA-EU believes that the new edition of AFID must actively encourage the roll-out of charging points that can also be used by LEVs, especially in urban areas. LEVA-EU argues that charging points suitable both for cars and LEVs will be much more efficient and effective. Furthermore, it will also avoid charging points becoming redundant should a city decide to ban all cars. The full text of the LEVA-EU feedback is here: https://bit.ly/2umX8D8

    The Commission’s proposal for ensure that LEVs are able to charge across the EU at standardised recharging points is here: https://bit.ly/2YdEM56 The feedback finishes on 12 April. LEVA-EU will send in comments on the proposal, therefore you are welcome to send your feedback to LEVA-EU as well: annick@leva-eu.com

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