LEVA-EU member Vässla has always stood out for their unique designs. Now, their latest product has been unveiled, an e-bike that “anyone can afford, and sit comfortably on.”
Vässla Pedal, as it is called, has a stripped down design, and lacks displays, switches, and cabling. The battery is almost completely integrated into the bicycle’s frame. The bike is only available in a single size – 24 inches. The idea is to satisfy everyone’s needs, regardless of gender or size. “With an electric motor that drives, the diameter of the wheels is no longer a factor, something that traditional bicycle manufacturers have not really grasped”, says Vässla’s founder and CEO Rickard Bröms.
“We have made a SEK 30,000 electric bicycle that everyone can afford and everyone can sit comfortably on. A commuting monster, something you can ride a couple of miles on every day,” he continues.
The e-bike is available purchase outright, or via a subscription service with the goal of improving the accessibility of the e-bike market to all. With a range of 10 miles, and a host of accessories set to launch over time, the product is designed to meet a commuter’s daily needs while being open to other uses such as grocery shopping.
More information regarding the Vässla Pedal can be found here.
Founded in 2021, the Swappable Batteries Motorcycle Consortium (SBMC), is an association of companies that want to advance swappable battery systems for sustainable mobility through global, open standards.
Founded by 4 members, KTM, Honda, Piaggio, and Yamaha, the consortium has now grown to a total of 21 members, including Berlin battery-as-a-service startup, Swobbee.
With its many years of practical experience in the field of battery replacement infrastructure and the system configuration of battery technologies, Swobbee will make a valuable contribution to the development of a high-performance battery that is compatible with all vehicles. Swobbee will be actively involved in the planning and implementation of battery swapping field trials for electric motorcycles.
Comments Off on Sharing the calculation methodology of the ‘Cleanest Dirt Bike Ever’ – CAKE
Following the last announcement of an Open Source project between Vattenfall & LEVA-EU member, CAKE, with the aim to commercialize the first fossil-free vehicle to be launched 2025, CAKE releases the calculation methodology (Life Cycle Assessment) behind the project.
The ambition is to minimize the CO2 footprint of the Kalk OR dirt bike to as close as zero as possible without offsetting. The process will combine success with disappointments that will be shared transparently with the aim to inspire and accelerate the obligation and transition of the industry towards zero emissions.
Sharing the methodology to inspire stakeholders
Since 2021, the project team has taken the complete Kalk OR apart and analyzed each component to conclude the total production footprint of 1,186 kg CO2e as a starting point. The methodology behind calculating this footprint, via a life cycle assessment (LCA), has been openly released to the public on the CAKE website. The system boundary for this Cleanest Dirt Bike Ever project, which defines what is taken into consideration and what is excluded, includes every single part and process of the bike. It also restricts all offsetting.
Helping the general public grasp environmental impact
So how much is 1,186 kg CO2e? Buzz words like carbon footprint and environmental impact when talking about bikes, and products in general, can be abstract and tough to understand. To bridge this gap, CAKE and Vattenfall launched THE CUBE to visualize the equivalent volume of carbon dioxide, 1,186 kg CO2e, that the CAKE Kalk bike emits during production, and thus what the project aims to reduce to zero.
In addition to visualizing the CO2 footprint with THE CUBE, the partners of the Cleanest Dirt Bike Ever are taking the next step to explain the calculation methodology behind the numbers; Life cycle assessment (LCA). As only a handful of stakeholders know what an LCA is, and how to perform one, the published article takes the reader step-by-step through the process of performing an LCA and its results.
Learn more about the steps behind an LCA and how the project partners calculated the footprint of the Cleanest Dirt Bike Ever.
About the project
Going fossil free isn’t just about how things are powered, it’s about removing the carbon from how things are sourced, made, transported, and assembled. So, while electric vehicles are a good start, they don’t take us far enough.
Solving the greatest challenge in human history demands that we rethink conventional ways of doing things. It demands that we break silos and collaborate far beyond industry borders. And it demands we do it today, because the future can’t wait. The project essentially combines CAKE’s expertise in innovation and engineering with Vattenfall’s expertise in electrifying industries and decarbonizing entire production chains.
Together the collaboration will reinvent the wheel, the suspension, the saddle, and every other part of the CAKE Kalk OR with the aim of making the first truly fossil-free vehicle. The team will reduce its current estimated carbon weight of 1,186 kg CO2e to an absolute minimum by 2025, making what they claim to be ‘the cleanest dirt bike ever’. Every single setback, breakthrough, and finding will be shared along the way to inspire others.
Comments Off on E-bikers ride longer and more often – QWIC research
Research by e-bike brand, and LEVA-EU member, QWIC shows that e-bikers cycle further and more often than before they bought an e-bike. The research was conducted among 3318 QWIC owners from the Netherlands and Belgium. QWIC e-bikers have started to cycle an average of 55km more per week than they did before purchasing an e-bike. Many feel more energetic as a result and enjoy cycling more, even with a headwind.
Source: QWIC
‘I cycle much more, my health has improved and I have already saved a lot of money’
‘I take the bike much quicker’
Cycling further and more often Of all QWIC e-bikers, 1 in 5 (20%) cycle more than 100km per week on average. That’s 5,200 km per year. Which amounts to a bike ride from Amsterdam to the southernmost tip of Spain and back again. There are even e-bikers who cycle more than 300 km per week; they do this mainly to cover their commuting distance.
‘My commute has become much more pleasant and less stressful. I can now also determine much more precisely when I will arrive at work’
‘My well-being has improved, the daily ride back and forth to work is now me-time‘
E-bikes as a healthy alternative QWIC users replace with their e-bike on average 86 km per week other means of transport such as cars, motorcycles, scooters, or public transport. The common motivation for this is health and being outdoors, getting more exercise, and having more fun.
European Mobility Week & Car Free Day QWIC conducted this research in the run-up to the European Mobility Week (Sept. 16 – 22), an initiative of the European Commission. During this week, sustainable urban mobility takes center stage, a theme QWIC strongly supports.
September 22 is worldwide Car Free Day, the day when motorists are challenged to leave their cars at home and choose more sustainable transportation. Car Free Day is held in 46 countries and in more than 2,000 cities.
QWIC ambition QWIC’s mission – ever since its founding 16 years ago – has been to accelerate the sustainable mobility revolution by getting more people on bikes and making them enjoy every ride. By developing high-quality and innovative electric bicycles, QWIC offers an enjoyable, active and healthy solution for everyday mobility.
LEVA-EU member Laka, a bicycle insurer based in London, has now launched its service in Germany thanks to support from Porsche Ventures. In its initial stage, the brand will offer digital insurance products in these regions.
Laka insurance is now available for all bicycles in Germany, including a partnership with Cyklaer e-bikes. Service providers in Germany under Laka insurance include Decathalon, Raleigh, Le Col, and Dockr. As announced in June, this development is facilitated by support from Porsche Ventures.
Maxim Huber writes, “The insurance provider promises to only bill customers for the actual costs of claims submitted in the previous month. Insured persons should benefit from lower prices with fewer claims, while members are protected from higher collective claims by a monthly price cap. Costs are reduced through a daily updated pricing and risk model, with policyholders being transparent about where their money is going each month, the company says.”
“We are thrilled to bring our modern, refreshing, and collective insurance model to Germany, where micro-mobility is already a part of everyday life and continues to grow,” says Kelly Barnes, CMO of Laka.
Following excellent development, LEVA-EU member and e-bike brand Trenergy relocated into an upgraded facility, and now offers dealers the chance to explore the new location
For Trenergy, this year’s dealer cycle was not only dominated by the innovations in its collection, but also by the presentation of the new building. Dealers were offered a tour of the offices, the spacious warehouse, and finally the showroom, where the bicycles were presented. Trenergy director Taco Reydon also shared that additional development of the showroom is planned for the future, further amplifying Trenergy’s offering to prospective clients.
Reydon and sales manager René Driessen notice that the dealers are becoming more careful when ordering new bicycles, and have observed shifts in market behavior, “The past year has been crazy. Some customers ordered two to three more than usual because they wanted to be assured of bicycles. But someone who normally does 100 bicycles will not suddenly sell 300,” explains Driessen. “And when we wanted to deliver the ordered bicycles, it sometimes didn’t work out. In good consultation, we then started canceling bicycles, which we were able to sell to other dealers. That is why we now prefer that entrepreneurs order slightly less, but then purchase it.”
“But besides telling the dealers to think carefully about their order, they naturally do that themselves too,” adds Reydon. “They notice that many other suppliers are also starting to deliver. Moreover, the prospects are uncertain due to, for example, the high energy bills. We hope, of course, that people will leave the car at home more often and take the bike more often, but dealers are not all ready to anticipate this yet. But if you ensure that you have a nice range and an organization with which dealers can work well together, then you will be fine.”
Outside of hometown developments, Trenergy expanded into the Belgian markets during 2021 and will continue its development through this year.
Comments Off on Podbike tours Europe and further enhances the FRIKAR design
LEVA-EU member Podbike has toured the uniquely designed FRIKAR e-bike around various European trade shows, delighting audiences and making fresh engineering discoveries along the way
‘Podbike, meet din 79010’ – Germany’s strict safety standards
Germany’s rules for bike design and safety are the gold standard across Europe. The Podbike FRIKAR is so unique, that it’s not completely clear which category of bike design it belongs in. Podbike has chosen to abide by Germany’s rules for cargo bikes, as the LEV can carry two people: one big, one small, or one rider and cargo in the rear.
For example, the FRIKAR should be able to roll off a curb onto the road without any fear of damaging the bike. These simple drops from curb to road surface occur all the time on a bike, so it was necessary to test the effects of constant bumping such as this over time.
To simulate long-term riding, Podbike has developed a power-driven test rig that allows a FRIKAR to ‘drive’ for days and days on rollers without a break. The fatigue data gathered provided interesting insights, which will assist in ensuring Podbike is first-in-class when it comes to velomobile stability and durability.
What to do when shock absorbers are not absorbing sufficient shock?
The biggest finding was that the front suspension wasn’t behaving as expected, being too stiff for the test rig. The suspension wasn’t absorbing enough kinetic energy, making for a bumpy ride and some complex handling. Additionally, unnecessary pressure was exerted on the bike’s chassis which would cause damage over time.
As a result, Podbike has chosen to change the springs on the FRIKAR’s front shock absorbers. In laymen’s terms, the team has made the front suspension softer. This more supple suspension creates more give in the front end of the FRIKAR, reducing stress on the chassis, and taking a load off the front of the chassis and all the bike’s other components.
The new springs have different diameters and steel thicknesses than the old ones. They will add a little extra weight, but not much – just a few grams.
Why redesign the front suspension now?
Readers may ask, why did Podbike wait until this late stage in the design process to make this change?
The short answer is that there was not enough test data until now, despite the FRIKAR undergoing 2 years of test driving with the old suspension springs on roads in Norway.
After some stress cracks appeared in the chassis, it was realized that reinforcement was required. Following this, it was assumed the issue would be solved, but the amped-up fatigue testing this summer on the roller rig revealed that more refinement was needed. Hence, additional suspension development!
Development enhances the FRIKAR to the max.
The good news is that following the installation of softer front shocks it was discovered that they extended the FRIKAR’s projected longevity by three to four years!
A great result, but Podbike is committed to further development as to meet the German cargo bike standard. Unfortunately, these changes to the front suspension mean the bike’s production will be delayed a little longer. However, while disappointing for some, Podbike’s dedication to quality is highlighted, ensuring only the most superior of products reach end-users.
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.
Comments Off on Stromer ST3 Special Edition – At the Stromer Universe as a camouflaged prototype
At the “Stromer Universe” in Antwerp, where LEVA-EU member Stromer’s latest models were unveiled, myStromer Co-CEO Tomi Viiala rode an ST3 Special Edition in a camouflage wrap together with the sales teams from Stromer B.V. in ‘s-Hertogenbosch (NL).
Based on the Stromer ST3 with Pinion gearbox and Gates carbon belt introduced last year, the Special Edition comes in a special Ipanema Brown finish and is equipped with the 983 Wh battery and the Kinekt suspension seatpost (optionally also with a suspension fork and front ABS).
Pinion gearbox according to automotive standard
The Stromer ST3 Pinion is an extremely dynamic Speed Pedelec. The 9-speed Pinion gearbox uses technology from the automotive sector and offers a reliable shifting performance with a gear ratio range of 568%. In the Pinion gearbox, all gears can be easily and conveniently changed using a twist shifter, both at a standstill and on the move. The shifting system is not under added load from the motor and reacts to every gear change quickly, precisely and free of wear. In combination with the silent Gates carbon belt drive, the ST3 Pinion is extremely low-maintenance.
Clean design
All components – the gearbox, the easy-to-use shifting system, and even the belt drive – are cleanly integrated into the clear Stromer frame design. The 820 W rear-wheel motor quietly and dynamically provides assistance up to 45 km/h, and the ST3 Edition’s 983 Wh battery allows up to 180 km of range.
Cutting-edge communication between bike and rider
Like all Stromer models, the ST3 Special Edition is also fully connected. Connected via the cellular network and the free Stromer OMNI connect app, the bike has GPS localization and Smartlock: when being pushed in locked mode, the motor is blocked, the alarm (horn & flashing headlight) and GPS localization are activated, and the owner is notified by text message or email. Automatic locking and unlocking from a certain distance are performed via Bluetooth, if so desired. New functions such as the service reminder or crash alert messaging supplement the range of features in the user-friendly OMNI app. The app also enables the adjustment of motor settings to suit the rider, upload of the ride statistics, changes to the profile, and much more.
Optional ABS – added safety
With the new Stromer ST3 Special Edition, you commute not only with maximum riding dynamics but also in safety. In addition to large-volume tires and a high-quality light system, the model is optionally available from the factory with fully integrated ABS. ABS drastically reduces the risk of the front wheel locking and the rear wheel lifting off the ground and guarantees a safe and pleasant ride on the daily commute to work. Also available with the suspension fork option and with multiple stem and handlebar variants.
The ST3 Special Edition is suited for year-round commuters who are out and about in any weather. It offers a low-cost and low-maintenance alternative to commuting by car – for efficient mobility in commuter traffic.
Versions:
Special Edition (SE) in Ipanema Brown, with BQ983 battery (up to 180 km)
Special Edition (SE) in Ipanema Brown, with BQ983 battery (up to 180 km), optional suspension fork and ABS and Comfort Stem
Availability:
Special Edition Ipanema Brown from September 2022
Special Edition Ipanema Brown with ABS and suspension fork from October 2022
Price in EUR/CH:
Special Edition Ipanema Brown: from EUR 9,108; CHF 9,881
Special Edition Ipanema Brown with ABS and suspension fork: 10.643, – Euro; 11’880.– CHF
Stromer Universe Lucerne and Antwerp
Stromer once again focuses on its proven in-house exhibition in 2022 in order to present all its new products at one time in a special atmosphere. In the “Viscose Eventhalle” in Emmenbrücke/Lucerne and in “Felix Pakhuis” in Antwerp, trading partners and invited guests had the opportunity to talk to the management, market managers, product managers, and marketing team of Stromer and to take a test ride of the new models in urban traffic. The focus was shared between the new flagship ST7 with Pinion gearbox and electronic Pinion Smart.Shift system, the ST3 Special Edition in Ipanema Brown, and the 25 km/h model from Desiknio, Stromer’s new brand. The guests in Antwerp were also able to enjoy two evening events with shows.
#HereToChangeMobility event
For the first time, Stromer organized the side event #HereToChangeMobility on the third day of the Stromer Universe in Antwerp. The event was dedicated to current mobility trends, the health of employees, and mobility solutions for the future. The event was targeted toward leading mobility managers who are aware of sustainability, who are looking for inspiration, and who wish to create added value for their mobility policies. At the heart of the presentation was a panel discussion moderated by sports journalist Ruben Van Gucht (VRT) on the topic of mobility, featuring Koen Kennis (Alderman of Mobility), Brecht Mangelschots (Sr. Reward Consultant SD Worx), Jean-Marc Ponteville (Press & PR D’Ieteren) and Tomi Viiala (Co-CEO myStromer AG).
Both the Stromer Universe and the #HereToChangeMobility event were a resounding success among international partners and key accounts. In addition, a number of interested end customers also made good use of the opportunity to test the new Stromer models on-site on public days.
Campaign success
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Member profile
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