Tag Archive: Series Hybrids

  1. LEVA-EU Managing Director speaks to Charging Stack

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    Annick Roetynck, Managing Director of LEVA-EU, recently had a wide-ranging podcast conversation with Marin Galić of Charging Stack, the source of valuable insights on the electric mobility sector’s continuing development.

    The conversation between Marin and Annick explored multiple topics in great depth, from EU legislation that impacts the Light Electric Vehicle (LEV) sector and LEVA-EU’s efforts to influence decision-making, and the fantastic potential of LEVs to enable achievement of EU climate goals, to the challenges faced by LEVA-EU members – and their possible solutions.

    The origins of LEVA-EU

    Annick began with a brief overview of how and why LEVA-EU was established in 2017. Annick had been working for the European Trade Association for bicycle and moped retailers, lobbying the EU Commission regarding electric bikes and advocating for the adoption of light electric vehicles beyond the narrow categories of two-wheeled, and full car. At that time, LEV-awareness among politicians was low – the launch of LEVA-EU was in part an effort to raise awareness in a systematic and effective manner, and to exert influence on decision-making, as well as supporting its members in navigating the legislative landscape.

    The problems with current legislation

    The conversation regularly circles back to the thorny issue of EU legislation that relates to LEVs – primarily,  EU Regulation 168/2013, the type-approval framework for L-category vehicles, and the Machinery Directive, which relates to EPACs and e-scooters among others.

    Annick outlines how these two items of legislation are poorly suited to the LEV sector, and describes the work which LEVA-EU is undertaking to advocate for a separate, stand-alone LEV Regulation. The LEV sector has already conducted multiple risk assessments, which would facilitate the determination of the essential safety requirements for these vehicles in a LEV-Regulation. This approach would also allow the LEV-sector to decide on which compliance procedures would apply within the categories. The decision on the current compliance procedures has been made without any consultation with the LEV-sector.

    LEVA-EU’s biggest achievements

    LEVA-EU has fought long and hard for series hybrid systems, which are transmission systems without a chain. Without LEVA-EU’s efforts, electric bikes or cargo bikes fitted with such systems would have struggled to make it to the market. LEVA-EU worked with its members in CEN/TC333/WG9 to ensure that the EN 17860-5 on electrical aspects of e-carrier-cycles also covers series hybrid systems.

    LEVA-EU is a member of the EU Expert Group on Urban Mobility (EGUM) and was able to add light electric mobility to the traditional topics of walking and cycling in a systematic way. Furthermore, LEVA-EU has convinced EGUM to issue recommendations that the Commission must develop harmonised technical legislation specifically for LEVs, mandate related standards for LEVs and set up structural consultation with the LEV-sector.

    Further topics explored

    The benefits to companies in the LEV sector of LEVA-EU membership were outlined; there was discussion of the evolving modal and demographic shifts towards the uptake of LEVs in the sustainable transport mix; and much more besides. The full conversation can be accessed on the Charging Stack YouTube channel here.

  2. Alligt gives Bike2’s pedal generator a new life

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    Alligt, Dutch manufacturer of plastic wheels and parts for cargocycles and velocars, is giving Bike2’s pedal generator a new chance. Even though the Danish company has invested a lot of energy in the concept over the past 12 years, they have ultimately not yet managed to bring a finished product to market. Maybe they were too far ahead of their time. LEVA-EU Member Alligt was among one of their first customers and worked with Bike2 to test the pedal generator. Alligt and Bike2 recently entered into an agreement that allows Alligt to continue the work. Bike2 can expect a market-based royalty to compensate for their investment over the past 12 years.

    Through the agreement, Alligt acquires Bike2’s patent and can relaunch the human serial hybrid pedal generator. This concept offers a very suitable solution for cargo bikes. Alligt knows the cargo bike market well, having acquired a very extensive network with the development and production of plastic cargo wheels. Alligt managing director, Leo Visscher, is convinced that many of those companies are interested in a low-maintenance drive system. “Those who don’t think a plastic wheel is crazy will undoubtedly not find a pedal generator an absurd idea either,” Leo says.

    The product is a pedal drive in which a bicycle’s chain is replaced by an electric clutch with optimal chain feel, supplemented by energy from a battery. Alligt believes this product can encourage healthy exercise by riding a lightweight vehicle. Alligt also thinks that the pedal generator contributes to safety. The system still requires the cyclist to pedal at a reasonable rate to achieve efficient acceleration and speed. Alligt believes that a maximum acceleration of 1.5 m/s2 is a good limit for all vehicles on the road. The system also allows people with very little muscle power to propel themselves independently. Moreover, this system allows you to pedal yourself warm in cold weather.

    It is now clear that the market for serial hybrid systems in cargocycles and velocars is really taking off. The advantages of this system for cargocycles and velocars include good control of the vehicle, which is even more important in urban areas, and the design freedom created by omitting the chain. In addition, the system allows for riding in reverse, even regenerating energy via the motor.

    In order to bring Bike2’s bottom bracket generator to the market, quite an effort is still needed, especially regarding available components and adaptation of the software for a new prototype. This new prototype could be tested with the Golo cargo bike from LEVA-EU Member Flevobike, another Dutch company that has been cooperating for years to improve the pedal generator. After initial testing with the Golo, a Beta version could be tested widely in the market. However, this plan requires additional investments.

    Therefore, Alligt is looking for partners interested in financial support and/or partners interested in producing the system. Alligt is already convinced of the potential of the Bike2 system. The number of suppliers of serial hybrid systems is still quite limited. Moreover, the system is suitable for various target groups, not only for cargocycles, but for instance also for hometrainers or for bikes for users with physical problems.

    Should a major party be interested in taking over this project in its entirety from Alligt, that too is negotiable. Alligt’s objective in taking over the patent was to bring more pedal generators to the market for different target groups and make them available to small innovative companies. Fifty per cent of such a take-over will go to Esquare, the company behind bike2.dk.

    More information can be found at Alligt.nl. Their Cargobike wheels can be seen at cargobike-wheels.com cargobike-wheels.com. For further details, please contact leovisscherkorver@gmail.com.