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"electric bicycles"

BMW Plans Enclosed “Hyperloop” For Electric Bicycles

Many of us could bicycle to work but we don’t. Why? Several reasons. Maybe it’s too far to pedal or it’s uphill part of the way. No one wants to get to the office looking like they just completed a leg of the Tour De France. Electric bicycles could solve both problems.

There are lots of other perfectly good reasons not to get on your bikes and ride. Many cities have roadways that force bicyclists and motorists to compete for the same space, making riders nervous. Then there’s weather. Riding into the teeth of gale while it is pelting down rain is no one’s idea of a good time.

November 27, 2017 5 comments

The Future of Electric Bicycles | Interbike 2013

written by Susanna Schick

Angelenos know how to get there in style…

When thinking of commuter bicycling in America, the innovation adoption curve comes to mind. With any new product (or lifestyle choice) there are leaders and followers. In Los Angeles, 1% of the population commutes on pedal power. In America’s leading cycling city, Portland, OR, it’s around 6%. How did a city with 39” of rain per year become a better cycling city than one with only 14” of rain per year (and usually all at once!)?

What would it take to cross the chasm between early adopters, (aka brave/crazy/poor) people who actually pedal to work and the mainstream who still suffer traffic and gas prices for the sake of comfort and safety? CicLAvia (coming up October 6^th!) is great for reintroducing people to the joy of cycling, but what will it take to get those people to pedal to work in the near future? According to this article on CleanTechnica.com, the electric bicycle market is growing like wildfire. No wonder automakers are taking notice…

$60 million or $1 billion?

At Interbike, I spoke with Caron Whitaker of The League of American Bicyclists, who told me that Portland spent about $60 million over the last 18 years “building” (more like painting, really) over 300 miles of bike infrastructure. No wonder they’re the Platinum Standard! Granted, the League needs to separate their rankings by city size, because it’s a lot easier to make a town of 1,497 inhabitants bicycle friendly than a metropolis of nearly 4 million and growing. Portland comes in 4^th place, but has a population bigger than the total of all others in the top 10. So if they were to rank cities over 500,000 separately, Portland would be #1.

What can $60 million buy a city? Whitaker told me it would also have paid for one mile of 4-lane highway. Interestingly, Los Angeles (and state, and federal) taxpayers have spent $1 billion just to add a couple lanes to the 405. Which still isn’t done, and will cost more. Yet if 10% of those drivers rode their bicycles to work, that extra lane would never have been necessary. Yes, I’m talking to you, Car Guy Elon Musk.

Another transportation maverick, Gary Fisher, known for picking winners in bicycling technology, is also on the e-bike train. The inventor of the modern mountain bike is a huge advocate of electric bicycles, the ideal form of transport over the Sepulveda pass for anyone who doesn’t want to shower at work. If only there was a safe route for cyclists, instead of the freeway that Sepulveda Blvd is for locals who know better than to ever drive on a “freeway” in Los Angeles.

Bicycling- it’s not just for kids anymore…

On Tuesday at Interbike, LEVA chairman Ed Benjamin gave an overview of the electric bicycle industry, and where it’s headed. He pointed out how cycling in America has evolved over the years. In the 1950’s and 60’s, it was strictly for the kids. In the 70’s when OPEC made driving a car a bit difficult, many adults discovered they could just as easily get there by bike. This was known as the great Bike Boom period. There was a bust, of course, once gas prices stabilized.

But with the recent recession, more people have taken up cycling again. Even before the recession, Millenials have shown a much stronger interest in cycling than driving. Benjamin went on to explain that bicycle shops (the audience was mainly shop owners) are throwing away money by not selling electric bicycles. He told us electric bicycle sales doubled in the US from 2011 to 2012, from 80,000 to 160,000.

By only catering to people fit enough to pedal at full power, they’re missing out on half the US population who are either too heavy, injured, or old to pedal without assistance. He also echoed a lot of the information Ford shared with us in their research for the Further with Ford conference. Benjamin told us that GM had even expressed an interest in doing something with bicycles. As you know, Ford already has.

In that interview, Pedego CEO Don DiCostanzo claims electric bicycles are a gateway drug to electric cars. I claim they’re a gateway drug to pedal bicycles. I think he’s right, considering current e-bike customers. But I see this as a way to get people into bikes who might not otherwise consider them. Then once they start riding, they realize it really is a LOT easier and faster than walking, even without pedal assist or a throttle!

September 24, 2013 9 comments

Polaris, Currie, and Pedego Talk 2014 Electric Bicycles | Interbike 2013

written by Susanna Schick

Brandon and Harlan talking shop

As you read here, there were over 50 different vendors of electric bicycles at Interbike this year. Here are some interviews I conducted with a few of the leaders in the electric bicycle industry. We hear from Polaris, Haibike (Currie), and Pedego…

Brandon Kaplan at Polaris tells us what’s new for 2014. You may recall they first debuted their line at Interbike last year, covered here.

Larry Pizzi, President of Currie Technologies tells us about the mid-drive Haibike electric mountain bike that’s taken Germany by storm. In a morning seminar, LEVA Chairman and Founder Ed Benjamin told us that Germany has eclipsed the Netherlands in bicycle sales, due to the spike in sales of electric mountain bikes.

You can have it in any color. As long as it’s black.

Pedego CEO Don DiCostanzo tells us why Ford is getting into the bicycle business. You may recall our report from Further With Ford, here, where I suggested they get into bikes. Apparently after they’d already begun talks with Pedego…

September 24, 2013 3 comments

The Best Electric Bicycles for 2014 | Interbike 2013

written by Susanna Schick

For a more authentic Interbike experience, I walked the floor with electric bicycle retailer Harlan Flagg. Harlan has been selling electric bicycles, scooters and motorcycles at his shop Hollywood Electrics since 2009. Because I was with him, and promised not to breathe a word about it, I was allowed to enter Stromer’s private viewing of their upcoming ST2. All I can say is this- if you’re in the market for the ultimate electric bicycle, you might want to wait until March. The press release will be launched shortly before the bike hits showroom floors.

If you’re in the market for a perfectly good electric bicycle, well, there’s plenty out there now. Harlan’s overall impression was that there are a lot more e-bikes looking like regular bikes now. He liked that so many have moved away from the battery rack and integrated them into the frame. It looks cleaner, and provides a lower center of gravity. He’s also excited about the mid-drive motors on the Currie and Haibike.

At the end of the day, after we’d walked the floor and ridden a few e-bikes on the awesome test track, we found a fairly quiet place to talk about what was new this year…

G2: You’ve been selling electric bikes for four years now. How are sales?

HF: Sales have been good, always climbing. As people are getting more comfortable with the technology, the bikes have become a bit more mainstream.

G2: What sort of customers do you see buying electric bicycles?

HF: LA’s got a few different types of e-bike customers. We’ve got the people who live up in the hills and want to ride but don’t want to pedal back up that hill to Mulholland Drive. Then there are the people who are a little older, or have an injury that makes pedaling difficult. They want to still get some exercise and get out of the car. Then we’ve got the people who want to get out of their car entirely, and ride to work without getting all sweaty. I think there’s been a misconception about electric bicycles being “the lazy man’s bicycle”. I think it just makes everything more accessible. In LA a lot of the time it’s faster to get around town on an electric bicycle than in a car. You can keep a steady speed, lanesplit, even ride on the sidewalk if necessary. When you come to a stop you don’t have to dread it, because regaining your momentum is so much easier on an electric bike.

G2: So this is your first year at Interbike, what did you think of it?

HF: It’s pretty cool, it’s a bit overwhelming. It’s really great to see that the electric bicycles are such a huge part of Interbike. Being able to try them out on this great test course is awesome too.

G2: Yeah, my top speed on one of those bikes today was 23 mph. I rode 6 different bikes, sorted by top speed here. Personally, I enjoyed the Haibike most, I felt the power delivery was smoothest. Although it was strange riding a bicycle with a full suspension, I think I could get into a lot of trouble riding their hybrid around LA…

Bike:	Ride Time	Distance (miles)	Avg Speed (mph)	Top Speed (mph)
Haibike	0:04:10	1.12	16.13	23.05
Stromer ST1	0:04:40	1.28	16.46	22.85
Ford Pedego	0:03:35	1.07	17.89	21.89
Polaris Vector	0:03:54	1.09	16.71	21.18
Juiced odk v3	0:02:19	0.65	16.87	20.39
Bionx Surly	0:02:58	0.7	14.16	16.43

HF: I think I was doing about 35mph at one point…

G2: Sure you were… I had my Cyclemeter running, looks like you should have too! So which bikes did you enjoy riding the most?

HF: There’s a few bikes I’m really excited about. Obviously we’re really happy with the Stromer ST1, sales have been good. I am excited about the new model too, I think it’s definitely going to be an eye-catching bike. The Haibike with that mid-drive Bosch motor is also very exciting. In Europe they’ve had to innovate around the government-mandated power restrictions.

By putting a 250 motor at the crank instead of at the rear hub, you’re able to get more torque out of it. Especially with the torque multiplication of multiple gears. Here in America, the limit is 1,000 watts, so we’re fine with the simplicity of the hub motor. But the mid-drive systems have brought so much innovation, and now the prices are dropping enough to be comparable with hub motor-driven bikes.

G2: And Bosch is quite a reputable motor manufacturer.

HF: Yes, their systems power traction control, ABS, and so many other innovations in other types of vehicles.

G2: Is anyone else doing mid-drive motors? Or is it just a Bosch thing?

HF: Currie is really stepping up their game, they’re selling the Haibike in the US, and they’ve got their own mid drive system for the Currie brand.

G2: What else was really interesting?

HF: What’s really exciting is to see that these bikes no longer look cobbled together, with some random hub motor, a battery on the rack, all that. They’re really clean and built in. It’s getting increasingly difficult to distinguish them from non-electric bicycles. The energy density of the batteries is constantly improving, they’re getting lighter and smaller all the time, with better range.

Wendy Booher was also at Interbike, and gives a great snapshot overview of some of the bikes present. Later, I’ll post interviews with reps from Polaris, Pedego, and Currie. Unfortunately the ultra-futuristic nCycle designed by Behance wasn’t present. But I guess we’re just not ready for that…

September 23, 2013 9 comments

2012 Brings New Electric Bicycles From Yamaha

written by Charis Michelsen

Yamaha’s electric bikes did well enough this year that Yamaha Motors is expanding their lineup for 2012 by another five models. The new electric assist bicycles – 2012 MY – will go on sale on January 30th.

The common point for all new models is the easy battery level tracking system; until 20% charge is reached, the battery level is shown in increments of 10%. Below 20%, the battery level is shown decreasing in increments of 1%. Yamaha is also offering a 2-year warranty on the battery, and a 3-year warranty on everything else, hoping to recreate and improve on the popular aspects of their 2011 models.

Five New PAS Models in Total

The new target demographic is women in their 20s, for whom Yamaha has designed the PAS Ami. The bike comes in light pink and has increased battery capacity (from 4.3Ah to 6.6Ah). Yamaha also introduces the stylish PAS CITY S, which runs along the same lines and has 27-inch tires.

Yamaha designed a new frame to make getting on and off the bike easier (very handy when wearing a skirt!) for the PAS Natura sub-series. The PAS Natura S is the base model, with a 6.0Ah battery, while the PAS Natura M also sports the 6.6Ah battery in the same size case. Rounding out the Natura line and Yamaha’s new offerings is the PAS Natura M Deluxe.

If you’re in Japan, you can get one of the PAS 2012 models for a price ranging between 99,800 yen (about $1280 USD) and 108,000 yen (about $1390), battery and charger included.

Source: GreenCarView | Image: Yamaha Motors.

December 18, 2011 0 comment

State of the Industry 2018: Electric Motorcycles

written by Susanna Schick

These boots are made for leading the march, and only on a Zero.

While many electric motorcycles have come and gone, and some resort to obscene lawsuits to keep their company alive, some elmoto manufacturers have remained in business and even grown. We’ll look at the state of two-wheeled electrification, big and small, slow and fast in 2018.

April 2, 2018 0 comment

Sweden Offering Huge Tax Rebate on Electric Vehicles

written by Jo Borrás

If you’re like me, you’re probably fascinated by weird, offbeat vehicles like the Twike (above). If you’re not familiar with it, the Twike is a lightweight, electric, pedal-assisted velomobile. That means you pedal it, like a bike, but there’s an electric motor in there to help you out- but it’s not cheap. Unless you’re in Sweden, that is, because Sweden’s version of the EPA just announced a tax rebate equal to 25% of the purchase price of an electric bicycle, tricycle, or velomo.

Yeah, that’s awesome.

Our good friend and longtime Gas 2 contributor/editor, Steve Hanley, recently covered Sweden’s new program over at our sister site, Cleantechnica. I’ve included his take- which was suspiciously Twike-free- below. Check it out, then let us know if you’d like to see the US introduce a similar plan to promote light EVs like the Twike, Renault Twizy, or the new Ford OjO in the comments section at the bottom of the page. Enjoy!

25% Off Electric Bicycles and Light EVs

Elon Musk likes to start at the top and work down. In Sweden, when it comes to EV incentives, the government is starting at the bottom and working its way up. According to Norwegian news source Elbil, it is now offering a rebate equal to 25% of the purchase price of an electric bicycle, tricycle, or quadricycle. The Swedish rebate program will not apply to self-balancing devices like Segways or hoverboards, but the article in Elbil suggests the Renault Twizy may be eligible. In some cases, an electric wheelchair or hand-operated bicycle may qualify for the incentive. The total amount of money available is limited to 350 million krona annually — about $12 million.

Any Swedish citizen who purchased a qualifying vehicle after September 20, 2017, is eligible. Payments are managed by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and will begin after February 1 of next year. Unlike some countries where greed is a national pastime, Swedish authorities will monitor the market to make certain manufacturers don’t automatically mark up the price of their products to include the amount of the rebate. “Job-killing regulation” and “nanny-state socialism” at work, folks.

Sales of electric bicycles and similar vehicles are exploding in Scandinavia. Last year, about 67,000 electric bicycles were sold in Sweden and another 36,000 were sold in Norway. “Research shows that electric bikes replace cars,” says Karolina Skog, Sweden’s Minister of Environment. “Now there is a good selection of bicycles in place and the market has begun to evolve.”

She believes there will be more investment in infrastructure when more people begin using electric bicycles. Norway has already committed $1 billion to building new bike paths so people can commute to and from work safely and conveniently. A recent survey of Norwegian bicycle riders conducted by the Electric Vehicle Association finds that price is the main sticking point for people considering the purchase of an electric bicycle. Also important is more secure parking for bicycles in cities, where stolen bikes are a major problem.

Source | Images: Elbil, via Cleantechnica.

January 10, 2018 1 comment

Continental Unveils 48 Volt Electric Bicycle Motor/Transmission Unit At Eurobike Show

written by Steve Hanley

48 volt technology is making a big slash in the world of automobiles, where it is powering electric turbochargers that give 80% of the benefits of a hybrid powertrain at just 30% of the cost. Now Continental, one of the largest suppliers to the automotive industry, is leveraging its 48 volt experience to provide two new drive options for electric bicycle manufacturers.

At the annual EuroBike show in Germany, it unveiled its 48 Volt Revolution and 48 Volt Prime models. Both are designed to be mounted low in the chassis where the pedals are normally found. That’s the ideal location, as it keeps the weight of the motor close to the ground and avoids the potential flywheel effect sometimes associated with wheel hub motors.

September 1, 2017 0 comment

Brompton Folding Electric Bicycle Uses Formula E Technology

written by Steve Hanley

Brompton has been building folding bicycles for years. Now it has enhanced the appeal of its products by adding the Brompton Electric, the world’s first production folding electric bicycle. The battery and motor are supplied by Williams Advanced Engineering, the same company that supplies batteries to the Formula E, the international open wheel racing series for electric cars. The battery for the Brompton Electric bicycle clips onto the front of the bike and stores away into a separate bag for easy carrying.

The company says its folding electric bicycle it is the most technically advanced model it has ever produced. “We’ve spent five years taking Williams Racing technology and integrating it into the Brompton,” says company CEO Will Butler-Adams. “It has been harder than any of us imagined but we believe we have created a product that will inspire more people to get out from under the ground, out of their cars and back onto a bike to rediscover their cities.”

August 2, 2017 0 comment

Fat Tire Electric Bicycle Is The Ultimate City Cruiser

written by Steve Hanley

The fat tire has transformed the world of bicycles. The big, soft tires roll over bumps and potholes without a whimper of protest. They handle sand and snow with equal ease. Besides that, they just look so darned cool! Slap a set of fat tires on an electric bicycle and you have what may be the ultimate city cruiser.

A year ago, Lithium Cycles started a campaign on Kickstarter to fund manufacture of their Super 73, an electric bicycle with fat tires and an attitude. They expected maybe 50 to 100 people to sign up for the $2,000 bike that retails for $3,000. To their surprise, they raised over half a million dollars as the Super 73 quickly became the darling of clued in, cool people everywhere. The bikes were all over Instagram and even made an appearance at the NY Fashion Week event.

July 26, 2017 0 comment

Cleantech Revolution Tour 2017 — Electric Vehicle & Clean Energy Leaders, Tesla Shuttles, Cleantech Entrepreneurship & Investing

written by Andrea Bertoli

Originally published on CleanTechnica.

CleanTechnica‘s next Cleantech Revolution Tour is approaching, and it is packed with EV and clean energy leaders from around Europe who are intent on easing the way into a brighter future.

Starting in Berlin (Germany) on June 27 (special networking activities), continuing on June 28 in Berlin (panel discussions and presentations), offering shuttle rides from Berlin to Wroclaw in Tesla electric wondercars (first come, first served), and ending on June 29 in Wroclaw, Poland (panel discussions and presentations), the Berlin + Wroclaw edition of the 2017 Cleantech Revolution Tour is titled “The Future Is Now: Surf The Cleantech €-Wave” and will be broadly focused on how to best invest your time and money into the cleantech future.

The conference includes expert, detailed examinations of market trends and forecasts, panel discussions about where cleantech-related industries will be in 10 years, and how to best “ride the €-wave” into that future. It will also include numerous cleantech startup pitches.

Among other things, specific sessions will cover:

Autonomous vehicle design and development
Electric car consumer market research
The development/progress of various electric car manufacturers and models
EV charging needs today and in 2025
EV battery chemistry and manufacturing trends
The global and European electric bus market
The electric carsharing, ridesharing, & taxi boom (today and by 2025)
Rooftop solar & energy storage in Germany & Poland
E-mobility law & hurdles in Poland
Carsharing law & progress

The overarching goal of the Cleantech Revolution Tour is to help you put your money and time into good ideas and societally helpful work — whether you’re an entrepreneur, VC, working at a large cleantech corporation, or are simply engaged citizen.

We also promise to offer as much fun as we can squeeze out of our blood and bones!

Special note: We realize that cash is typically quite limited for entrepreneurs and young people trying to get their careers rolling. So, if you are 30 years old or younger or have a small startup and would like to join the conference as a partner, you can use the special $19/day rate.

If you are a CleanTechnica reader who isn’t approaching the conference from a business/investment perspective but would like to join for some CleanTechnica fun, please choose “I want to contact a writer” on our contact page and put “Coming Conference Reader Rate” in the “Which writer do you wish to contact?” slot.

We are happy to also announce now that Nissan has joined again as a conference partner! Our key partners now include Tesla Shuttle, Nissan, Janom, GreenWay, EV Volumes, The Beam, ELMO Carsharing, and EV Obsession.

Below are a bit more conference details as well as introductions to the cleantech world-changers will be leading discussions at the conference.

Facilitated networking activities will welcome attendees in Berlin on June 27.

A day of panel discussions, presentations, and more facilitated networking will take place on June 28 at Ahoy Berlin (here’s the location on a map).

In the early evening of June 28, Tesla shuttles will take attendees (who sign up) from Berlin to Wrocław. Of course, this is a further opportunity to chat with other interesting attendees, make business deals, and enjoy a Tesla. If you want to use a Tesla shuttle, be sure to request a seat ASAP. We will also pair up passengers with others who we think they would enjoy chatting or even collaborating with.

The Wrocław portion of the conference will be held at Hotel Mercure Wroclaw Centrum on June 29. (Here’s the location on a map.) Hot topics on this day will include electric carsharing in Poland, EV charging progress and plans in Poland, an autonomous vehicle future (or not), EV driver demands & desires today & tomorrow in Europe, who’s driving EVs today & who will tomorrow, electric buses & taxis, diesel/petrol car bans in cities across Europe and worldwide, and solar energy development in Poland. We hope you can join us!

We also have several new speakers to announce (and several more probably confirming in the coming days). Have a read below the line and see if you can’t avoid joining us in Berlin and/or Wrocław!

Roger Atkins, Founder of Electric Vehicles Outlook, has an unmatched history in the development of electric vehicles — from perspectives inside of EV startups, major automakers, and leading market analysts. Roger has a story to tell. Scratch that — he has ~100 stories to tell, and they are worth listening carefully to. A longtime British reader of CleanTechnica, he is sure to bring some exciting British flair to the next edition of the Cleantech Revolution Tour. Here’s a bit more about Mr. Atkins:

Roger is a high-networked consultant within the EV arena, and a keen proponent of benign environmental technology — especially solar energy and renewable storage. Urbanisation, Connectivity, and Sustainability are the 3 key drivers as Roger sees it. He has comprehensive experience in automotive brand development — from initial vehicle research and design through to retail. With 25 years of experience in key positions at Volkswagen, Volvo, Virgin, Audi, Mercedes, and Ricardo, Roger has been blessed with a few trips around the block.

Roger was UK Audi Experience Manager in the mid-90s, witnessing the craft of Peter Schreyer with the Audi TT. He worked alongside Malcolm Gladwell at a P&G Seminar just as he published The Tipping Point. Roger was then involved in early-day internet retailing with Richard Branson at Virgin Cars, high-speed amphibious vehicles at Gibbs, hybrid taxis with Azure in 2005 at LTI, Modec electric delivery vans in 2007–2011, and part of the team at Ricardo shaping and witnessing the beating heart of innovation.

As an EVangelist, Roger sees the principal remaining challenge as infrastructure establishment, and also the need to educate and inform the consumer as to the many merits of EVs.

Peter Badik, sprouted and grown in Slovakia, has been leading regions of Europe into the electrification future long before the industry was a big deal. As a longtime CleanTechnica reader and a career in the banking sector, he has also followed industry trends obsessively and intelligently enough to identify market opportunities at what seem to be just the right times. Here’s a bit more about Mr. Badik:

Peter cofounded and is the managing partner of electric van producer Voltia as well as EV charging station network GreenWay. He’s also the director of the Slovak Electric Vehicle Association. He is a seasoned entrepreneur with extensive capability running complex projects. He’s pragmatic, with an unbiased view on project economics, particularly with his origins as an investment manager. His practical experience with financial risks and management combined with his passion for new business models and clean technology have led to him becoming one of Europe’s leading EV entrepreneurs.

Hanna Yanchuk, Deputy Head of the Electric Vehicle Association of Ukraine and another longtime CleanTechnica reader, brings her long EV experience and leadership from yet another corner of Europe that has been laying the groundwork for an electric vehicle revolution much longer than you probably think. Hannah has long been involved in EV promotion and development in several ways, as has her family, including the development of electric cars, charging stations, and battery storage systems. Here’s a bit more about Ms. Yanchuk:

The Electric Vehicle Association of Ukraine (Facebook page here) unites supporters and users of electric cars to promote electric vehicles, setting up the infrastructure (charging stations), developing and adopting legal frameworks for the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly transport, and sharing research on the EV market and potential growth. Its chief aim is developing and growing the EV market in Ukraine, and improving the representation of Ukraine in the world “green” market.

Tomek Gać, Cofounder of Quriers, Energia Slonca, ELMO CarSharing, & Tesla Shuttle, has pursued more avenues in cleantech entrepreneurship than an octopus has arms. Another longtime CleanTechnica reader, Tomek was one of the first people in Poland to buy an electric car and has just teamed up to buy another in order to launch Tesla Shuttle. Here’s a bit more about Mr. Gać:

Tomek is a cleantech fan and it shows in all of his endeavors. His courier company, Quriers, is unique in delivering parcels using electric cars and bicycles — a revolutionary approach in a country like Poland. He was probably one of the first 20 EV owners in Poland. Another one of his companies, Energia Slonca, explores opportunities for solar PV panel installations for private and corporate clients. Tomek also recently co-founded ELMO CarSharing and TShuttle. Juggling many tasks while managing these businesses and engaging in other green activities, Tomek is also a family man who finds time for his wife and three children.

Jacek Fior, another Cofounder of ELMO CarSharing & Tesla Shuttle, had a successful career and business in another realm of society (translation and teaching) before deciding to leap into a new life in the electric vehicle world. Jacek’s keen sense of business practicality, marketing, and the immediate need for a fast transition to clean technology — combined with his background in the intricacies of language and teaching — makes him not just an intriguing cleantech entrepreneur, but also a captivating person to listen or talk to. Here’s a bit more about Mr. Fior:

Jacek is an entrepreneurial type who sees opportunities all around. He ran his own corporate language training company and international translation agency, Quest Corporate Language Solutions, for 15 years, but he recently exited in order to focus on cleantech.

One of his many passions, besides card tricks and mixology, is electric cars. He has been enthralled by their fast rise onto the market and is now eager to help that rise accelerate. He is currently working on launching the Polish platform of CleanTechnica — cleantechnica.pl — in the hopes of helping people to understand the revolution we are witnessing. He is also the cofounder of a electric carsharing company ELMO and electric city-to-city shuttle Tesla Shuttle.

Witold Chmarzyński, Legal Counsel and Managing Partner at CC Law, is a leading lawyer focused on the transition to electric cars and carsharing. He will present in both Berlin and Wroclaw, with presentations on “Legal frames of car sharing business” and “Legal Progress & Hurdles In E-Mobility in Poland.” Here’s a bit more about Mr. Chmarzyński:

Witold specializes in such areas as: opening companies in Poland for foreign parties, services for corporate organizations, handling investment processes. He has extensive experience in all the legal aspects of real estate. His private and professional passion is e-mobility — he is a legal expert in the field, tracking the changing regulations in the area and speaking at many conferences dedicated to the legal aspects of e-mobility. He is also chief editor of Elektromobilnosc.com, a website dedicated to the legal and tax aspects of e-mobility. Many of his articles dedicated to the legal aspects of e-mobility have been published in industry magazines. He loves driving EVs, playing bridge, and sailing.

Jose Pontes, Partner & Sales Analyst at EV-Volumes, is probably the first person you think of when you think of international EV sales data. He has collected more EV sales data in the past several years than probably any other human on the planet. We’re also lucky to have him as a CleanTechnica contributor, analyst, and now EV reviewer. Here’s a bit more info on Mr. Pontes, who will be coming into town from Portugal to share his EV knowledge and opinions:

Always interested in the auto industry, particularly in electric cars, Jose has been overviewing the sales evolution of plug-ins through the EV Sales blog since 2012, allowing him to gain an expert view on where EVs are right now and where they are headed in the future. The EV Sales blog has become a go-to source for people interested in electric car sales around the world. Extending that work and expertise, Jose is now a partner in EV-Volumes and works with the European Alternative Fuels Observatory as well as CleanTechnica on EV sales matters.

Benni Schulz, Founder of The Beam, prefers to live and operate behind the scenes, but he is an Energizer bunny with deep insight into business, investment, entrepreneurship, media, and the energy transition who is focused heavily on speeding up our move away from fossil pollution and societal self-destruction. He has been a key organizer of the Cleantech Revolution Tour since his inception. Here’s a bit more about Mr. Schulz:

Benni is a serial entrepreneur who is now putting his full weight and influence behind cleantech. Founder of GridHub, founder of The Beam, and co-founder of TShuttle, Benni has more good ideas than a park has blades of grass. Benni and Zach Shahan together launched the Cleantech Revolution Tour in 2016 and haven’t stopped finding cleantech ventures and projects to pour their combined time into.

Viktor Irle, Cofounder & Analyst at EV-Volumes, is another EV entrepreneurial leader who prefers to live behind the scenes in his efforts to clean up the world while advancing an exciting, fun, economically beneficial electrified future. He also comes at the EV transition from a useful historical obsession with cars in general, something helpful to understanding broad market openings, challenges, and trends. Here’s a bit more on Mr. Irle:

Growing up in an auto-producing city in Sweden, Viktor has had an interest in cars for as long as he can remember. Writing his thesis about speed-controlled electric engines, and later studying industrial transformation and technological change, the great emerging opportunities of EVs made him jump on the train and co-found EV-Volumes, which is aimed at becoming the premier source of EV industry sales data and broader EV consultancy. I’d say it’s already there with regards to EV industry sales data.

Roland Irle, Cofounder & Developer at EV-Volumes, has a transparent connection to Viktor — Roland’s his father. Clearly, Roland helped to stimulate Viktor’s deep obsession with the auto industry, and he also brings a couple more decades of experience to this world-leading EV consultancy. He was pushing for vehicle electrification from deep inside of the auto industry perhaps before any of you even knew the name “Elon Musk.” Here’s a bit more about Mr. Irle:

Enjoying a lifelong interest in cars and technology with over 20 years of auto-industry experience, Roland is now convinced that the best cars for the future will be EVs. In partnership with Jose Pontes and Viktor Irle, he cofounded EV Volumes to create the premier source of EV industry sales data and broader EV consultancy.

Jakub Stęchły, Founder of Cherry Car & the 4e Foundation, has jumped into a clean transport career after a long history in the utility sector. Yet another longtime CleanTechnica reader, electrification of transport had too strong a draw. But he is also still working to progress clean energy faster than it would otherwise. Here’s a bit more about Mr. Stęchły:

Jakub believes that soon we all will be driven by electric cars that we will not own, and that this new world will be good for everyone. To make this transition take place earlier, Jakub focuses his energy on various electric vehicle and mobility-as-a-service projects across Poland. In his spare time, Jakub supports 4e Foundation, which tries to educate kids on energy and electromobility and do something good for the environment in the process.

Marcin Mizgalski, a veteran of the IT world, has been living the cleantech dream. He’s a solar pioneer and EV-driving electric vehicle evangelist. Here’s a bit more about Mr. Mizgalski:

Marcin is a very talkative owner of five PV installations (40 kWp on five 2-axis trackers), co-financed with EU funds. A practicing expert on renewable and accumulation energy since 2013, Marcin has been bothering local #BigEnergy for several years. Despite his wife’s efforts, he’s an EV-passionate driver of a Mercedes B250e. Marcin is the most popular blogger, market creator, and influencer in the Polish renewable energy market. Currently living in London, working for Amazon UK, and studying at Northumbria Newcastle University, he’s still on the lookout for new frontiers of the future of energy.

Elizabeth Ferguson, CEO of Schömbs Schwarz Schwan Consulting, is a Yale-educated American transplanted to Germany. She is bringing a broader business development and strategy background to the tour, as well as a special interest in biomass energy. Here’s a bit more on Ms. Ferguson:

A passionate and driven person with the ability to absorb the history and culture behind the drive for business development, apart from just the economic interests that most people see. By bringing original thought and outside perspective to big picture issues, I create unusually effective policy and strategy through examining the breadth and depth of a situation combined with my ability to understand opposition and obstacles as well as opportunity. The result is that I give my clients the ability to be several moves ahead of the game and build strategy that is achievable, not just idealistic — and then show them how to make it happen.

Tobias Engelmeier, Founder & Managing Director of TFE Consulting & Bridge To India, is another longtime CleanTechnica reader (and occasional contributor) who spotted a hot cleantech market in the making long before it was making headlines in the world’s largest newspapers for its cleantech leadership. He didn’t just spot the promise in India, though — he helped to create, analyze, and guide it. Sure, he’s no Prime Minister Modi, but anyone heavily involved in the Indian solar market surely knows Bridge to India. Here’s a bit more about Mr. Engelmeier:

Tobias Engelmeier is working towards a low carbon world. He believes that this is a great opportunity rather than a sacrifice and that it will be driven by business and economic fundamentals rather than by political directive. Developing countries, who can still make a choice about their future energy infrastructure, are in a particularly good position to get the most out of the renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions available. The good news is: A global energy transition is inevitable. The bad news is: current market designs in most countries are not conducive enough and could delay this inevitable transition for just too long to save our climate. So that is what we need to work on: better market designs. (Disclaimer: views in motion…) Companies I am involved with: TFE Consulting, Bridge to India (sustainability solutions for India), India Goes Solar (helping consumer go solar in India), and GridHub (building and supporting companies and initiatives that are driving the energy transition).

Zach Shahan — of course you know this guy. Zach, as Director of CleanTechnica & EV Obsession and also Cofounder of ELMO and Tesla Shuttle, will be heavily involved in the Cleantech Revolution Tour when it comes to Berlin and his current home base of Wrocław. You surely already know enough about Zach and his opinions, but here’s a bit more info for newbies:

Zach is the director and editor of CleanTechnica. He’s also president of Important Media, which is the parent network to CleanTechnica and 15 other media sites.

Zach has been referenced, interviewed by, or published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, CNBC, Reuters, and numerous other news outlets and websites. He has also given presentations, provided workshops, and moderated panels at clean energy and electric vehicle conferences in the USA, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, and India.

In 2013, Zach was named one of the top 20 influencers on fuel economy matters alongside President Obama, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, the US Secretary of Energy, Nissan & Renault Chairman & CEO Carlos Ghosn, GM’s CEO and president, and several other car company execs as well as a few leading auto journalists.

Go check out more about the coming Cleantech Revolution Tour conference series or just buy a ticket now.

Reprinted with permission.

June 5, 2017 0 comment

BMW Motorrad Concept Zero Electric Scooter (w/Video)

written by Steve Hanley

Electric motorcycles, scooters, and bicycles all suffer from one common problem. Batteries are inherently heavy. Carrying that weight high up it the chassis diminishes the handling of any vehicle, but it is particularly worrisome in one with only two wheels.

At the Concorso d’Eleganza at the Villa d’Este in Italy last week, BMW introduced a new zero emissions electric scooter called the Motorrad Concept Zero which the company says represents its “vision of zero-emission urban mobility on two wheels.” The first thing people notice about the concept is that is carries the battery pack as low to the road as possible for nimble handling, a big plus for a scooter designed for fighting its way through traffic.

“The BMW Motorrad Concept Zero is not based on today’s concepts, but rather meets the basic functionality needs, the technical architecture and the digital reality of today’s users,” says Alexander Buckan, the chief of vehicle design at BMW Motorrad. “The technical realities of electric drive — such as the flat energy packs in the underfloor and the compact drive on the rear wheel — allowed us to create a highly distinctive design which shapes a new segment.”

May 30, 2017 3 comments

Daymak C5 Blast Is An Insanely Fast Electric Go Kart/Drone/Airplane Thing

written by Steve Hanley

The only thing that can said with certainty about the Daymak C5 Blast is that it defies description. The Canadian company makes a full range of electrified vehicles from bicycles to trikes to mobility karts to scooters. Now it says it is working on building the quickest vehicle on earth — a battery powered go kart that incorporates an electric motor and a total of 12 fans to lift and push the vehicle forward. If everything works out as planned, the Daymak C5 Blast will storm to 60 miles per hour in a heart stopping 1.5 seconds. The fastest electric car today is the Team Delft entry in the European Formula Student competition. It gets to 60 in just a hair over 2 seconds.

The C5 Blast’s uses a 10 kW brushless electric motor powered by a 2.4 kWh battery. At the rear are 4 Electric Ducted Fan motors that add 132 pounds of forward thrust. Underneath are 8 more ducted fans that the company says cut the kart’s 441 lb weight almost in half, thanks to 212 lbs of upward thrust.

May 16, 2017 0 comment

Volkswagon Crozz Electric SUV Concept Debuts In Shanghai

written by Steve Hanley

Volkswagen has revealed third member of its new I.D. electric car brand and it is a tasty little crumpet, as Henry N. Manney, III used to say. Known as the I.D.Crozz, the electric SUV concept is the perfect embodiment of what the market seems to want today — a crossover SUV that looks like a sport coupe. Think of it as mashup between a Chevy Suburban and a Mazda Miata.

Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess told the press in Shanghai the Crozz is a “production possibility” and could hit the market as soon as 2020. “If it was ever possible to make a one hundred percent certain prediction of what the future will look like, it is achieved here. We are showing with the ID Crozz how Volkswagen will be transforming the roadscape from 2020.”

So what is an I.D. Crozz? It is a car built on Volkswagen’s new MEB chassis dedicated exclusively to electric cars. The same architecture is found underneath the other two cars in the I.D. portfolio, a sedan known simply as the I.D. Concept and the I.D. Buzz — an updated version of the iconic VW bus that was featured at this year’s Detroit auto show.

It has an 83 kWh battery and a claimed 311 mile range in the European test cycle. (Subtract 20% to get an idea what the EPA range will be.) 0-60 is said to happen in less than 6 seconds and the Crozz has a claimed top speed of 112 miles per hour. The company says an 80% charge can be had in 30 minutes using a 150 kW fast charger. (Good luck finding one of those.)

That’s all good news, but it’s what’s inside that makes the I.D. Crozz interesting. Hold the VW crest in the middle of the steering wheel for 3 seconds and the car transitions to self driving mode, thanks to a suite of electronic sensors. The interior also features an augmented reality heads up display on the windshield and hand gesture activation of climate control and audio systems. Even the opacity of the glass roof can be controlled by hand gestures. Volkswagen refers to it as a cell phone on wheels.

April 19, 2017 0 comment