Electric bikes, the next step

[weeksy]

https://electrek.co/2020/09/04/honda-ya ... batteries/

The Big Four motorcycle manufacturers in Japan, including Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Suzuki, are teaming up on electric motorcycle development and testing.



Specifically, the companies are working together to develop a shared swappable battery platform for electric motorcycles.

The foursome announced the establishment of a consortium to develop swappable batteries for electric motorcycles last year. But we haven’t heard a peep out of any of them regarding updates, at least until now.

In the first bit of news to come out of the consortium, it turns out that the companies are ready to begin testing their shared, swappable electric motorcycle battery design with real users.

The testing will be conducted at Osaka University and will be known as the “e-Yan OSAKA” trial. As part of the testing, students and staff at Osaka University will receive electric motorbikes to use during the trial. There will be battery-swap stations installed on campus as well as at convenience stores in the area.

The consortium has not revealed any technical specifications regarding the swappable batteries yet, but it is being speculated that they are likely to follow Honda’s lead with the swappable battery packs from Honda’s PCX and Benly electric scooters, according to a report by MCN.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

As an Emtb owner I'm now a convert to electric vehicles, I think they're great, especially for off road use, the real problems with them though are batteries, specifically how much the battery weighs, and how do you generate the electricity for them, people seem to get a bit angsty about living next to nuclear power stations.

[chutzpah]

I've very, very seriously considered an EV moped over the last week or so. I think it would be perfect for local errands and for my wife to use to get to work if she needs it (1.5 miles each way). She's been using her Tiger but it seems like overkill for a short journey. She's happy to walk but obviously there will always be the odd day she doesn't want to. The price range is well within similar traditional scooter/mopeds, and a lot cheaper & more reliable to run than a 'small runaround' car.

Main impediment in my initial search has actually been luggage capacity. Loads seem to use the historic space that you'd use for helmet and some shopping for the battery.

Obviously over time these things will continue to get smaller and improve in performance, I'm sure industry collaboration will be a major part of that.

edit: I should add, I get that you can add a rack and top box, but that's easily an additional £200, when part of me thinks they should have a solution 'out of the box' if they want want to compete against the petrol alternatives

[The Spin Doctor]

I talked about this platform concept on my Elevenses webcast back on 5 September.

I've actually spent quite a lot of time looking at electric bikes - there are some rather interesting utility bikes around, which have some modular elements such as luggage racks.

[Scootabout]

I've very, very seriously considered an EV moped over the last week or so. I think it would be perfect for local errands and for my wife to use to get to work if she needs it (1.5 miles each way).

Have you/she considered an electrically-assisted bicycle? My wife has one of these, and I borrow it from time to time. They are amazingly competent things. Depending on what power level you select you either get a workout with some assistance or a powered bike that you assist slightly. Range is about 25-45 miles, depending on power used. Max speed at which you get assistance is 15.5 mph, but of course you can use the cycle lanes.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/elops-900 ... 0sweating!

[chutzpah]

We're a cycling family. E-bikes are fantastic things but not really needed for us.

edit to expand so it didn't come across as so flippant - if I lived in say Bath, which have high hills all around I'd consider it. In fact a close friend of mine who is a blindingly fast and fit cat 2 racer has one so that he could cycle home at lunch in 'normal' clothes without breaking a sweat. My last job saw my commute in and out of there every day, ten miles with 900ft climbing each way but that wasn't in normal clothes.

But where we live there's nothing that even in normal clothes you can't get up without breaking a sweat if you just take it steady. My current job when it was still in the office I could just do in my office clothes and did daily. My wife's new job takes a similar route, and luckily most of it is a really pleasant off road cycle and walking path.

So for this we're thinking about the "really really quick nip to the shops two miles away" as opposed to our cycling "quick nip to the shops two miles away" trips - we barely use the car as a family so have a 16 year old thing sitting on the drive, I don't think there's many journeys that we take that can't be completely replaced by two wheels - whether powered or not.

[weeksy]

We're a cycling family. E-bikes are fantastic things but not really needed for us.

edit to expand so it didn't come across as so flippant - if I lived in say Bath, which have high hills all around I'd consider it. In fact a close friend of mine who is a blindingly fast and fit cat 2 racer has one so that he could cycle home at lunch in 'normal' clothes without breaking a sweat. My last job saw my commute in and out of there every day, ten miles with 900ft climbing each way but that wasn't in normal clothes.

But where we live there's nothing that even in normal clothes you can't get up without breaking a sweat if you just take it steady. My current job when it was still in the office I could just do in my office clothes and did daily. My wife's new job takes a similar route, and luckily most of it is a really pleasant off road cycle and walking path.

So for this we're thinking about the "really really quick nip to the shops two miles away" as opposed to our cycling "quick nip to the shops two miles away" trips - we barely use the car as a family so have a 16 year old thing sitting on the drive, I don't think there's many journeys that we take that can't be completely replaced by two wheels - whether powered or not.

Yeah that's not really viable for me and the boy, or even me and the wife. The Supermarket is 7 miles, sure we could get home deliery, but they're few and few and far between when you live in the sticks. It's not the 14 mile round trip that's the issue, but the carrying of the shopping.

So an electric Ebike or electric scoot would in some ways make sense, but then, that's only useful when the weather allows it.

Overall though i see electric motorbikes as something we'll all be riding in 10-15 years from now. The idea of the swappable battery makes so so much sense, you can't do a 3 hour trip that has to be an 8 hour one as you wait for it to charge, so they need something that's viable for sure.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Well from 2035 you won't be able to buy a purely ICE vehicle, but I am not sure if that applies to bikes...

Battery and motor tech are both coming on in leaps and bounds. If you drive any of the new crop of electric cars you realise just how awesome the potential for electric vehicles is. I have no fear of electric bikes being dull.

[Dodgy69]

I reckon, if the world ain't ready for 2035, a delay will be required and maybe the definition of an E vehicle will be loosened. Maybe.

[kendo57]

I read an article somewhere that said someone had worked out the energy used to make an electric vehicle
plus batteries and it would need to do around 80k miles to become carbon neutral.
Ok for cars and vans that often do over 100k but it said motorcycles that do lower mileage
the benefit to the planet was not so great.

[DefTrap]

I drooled over a lovely leccy bike at a show a year back. Short run stuff. It was art. And north of 50k iirc.

Yes I'd have one.

[KungFooBob]

Just seen a picture on Friendface of the Zero SR/S, looks like a leccy ER6, I like it.

I'd deffo have a test ride if one was offered.

https://www.zeromotorcycles.com/en-gb/model/zero-srs

[Horse]

I read an article somewhere that said someone had worked out the energy used to make an electric vehicle
plus batteries and it would need to do around 80k miles to become carbon neutral.
Ok for cars and vans that often do over 100k but it said motorcycles that do lower mileage
the benefit to the planet was not so great.

Big can of worms when you get into the green credentials (or lack) for bikes. Tyre wear is of those aspects. Still, when e-bikes are the only option, I wonder what the equivalent of 'taking the cat out' will be?

[Nordboy]

Anyone started watching the new McGregor/ Boorman trip from the southern most part of Argentina to Los Angeles? 13000+ miles, on two specially adapted HD Livewires and the film crew are driving two prototype leccy Rivian pickups.

While it’s enjoyable to watch them riding again, it’s very obvious that at the moment, if the infrastructure isn’t there (and it isn’t where they are) then leccy bikes and cars aren’t really feasible or are very restricted in their use.

Good watch though, oh! Apple tv it’s on btw

[1913]

I had a look at these 6 years ago and settled for a CBF 125.

The electric bike cost £9,500 v the CBF at £2,400.

Taking into account the total costs v public transport the CBF pays for itself in 6.5 years and leaves me with a £1,200.00 asset. The electric bike would take 22 years and be in need of its 3 replacement battery pack.

I have recently looked at the present state of the electric commuter market, £3,500 and questionable Chinese reliability.

Electric makes little sense at the moment other than being trendy.

[weeksy]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2021-ZERO-SR ... SwINlfhr-R



Was watching Henry Cole last night and he was trying a Zero. Him and his old grubby mate both loved it.

Is it something you're going to embrace then ?

£20,000 though, come on, that's a HUGE amount of money for a bike at this stage isn't it.

Thoughts seem to be 100 mile range give or take... which isn't a bad figure for me.... if it's real.

[Rockburner]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2021-ZERO-SR ... SwINlfhr-R



Was watching Henry Cole last night and he was trying a Zero. Him and his old grubby mate both loved it.

Is it something you're going to embrace then ?

£20,000 though, come on, that's a HUGE amount of money for a bike at this stage isn't it.

Thoughts seem to be 100 mile range give or take... which isn't a bad figure for me.... if it's real.

It's the prices that are the issue at the moment. Sure some people will buy them, but a lot won't, simply because of that.

Having said that - some reasonably priced bikes are coming out with decent ranges, if not speeds, but then max of 80mph is enough, I'd be happy with that on an electric bike with a range of 100 miles.

Mind you - my budget is nearer 3K than 6. Yes - I know the running costs are much lower, but if you've only got 3K in your pocket, then that's your budget.

[Whysub]

I've ridden a few Zero's and they are lovely to ride. Fantastic in an urban situation where it is stop/start traffic (regenerative braking) but battery drains very fast on something like a motorway ride.
I would suggest that every rider tries an electric bike. I was dead set against them until I rode one for tye first time.

[Bigyin]

Look on the bright side, it will take ages to get through a set of tyres as the bike only has about 100 miles range before needing a full recharge.

Zero have certainly made a step in making electric bikes more of a complete package and looking good.

A lot is being made of the 20K price but thats the top of the range bikes. Their bikes actually start under 10K

Havent been to the showroom for a look yet even though its less than an hour away

https://www.englishelectricmotorco.com/ ... torcycles/

[Yorick]

I think a leccy motor could be good in an enduro bike. On some tricky climbs it can drop out of power band before you can change gear.
Seamless power could be good. Same in a trials bike.