Transport Thursday is an initiative of the TU Delft Transport Institute. Satish Beella gave a presentation on the "Present and Future of the Electric Bicycle". Enjoy!

1. The
present
and
the
future
of
the
electric
bicycle
Ir.
Sa7sh
Kumar
Beella
15
November
2012

2. I
would
like
to
talk
about
• What
electric
bicycle
brings
to
the
table?
– Challenges
– Innova7on
– Sustainability!
• How
electric
bicycle
can/will
change
the
way
we
use
the
bicycle?
– Industrial
Design
Engineering
ac7vi7es
– Challenges
for
Research/(design)
agenda

3. What
is
electric
bicycle?
• It’s
an
bicycle
with
electric
motor
and
rechargeable
baPery
• There
are
two
types
– Pedal
assist
– Power
on
demand
(ThroPle)
• The
augmented
power
is
around
200-­‐
500WaPs
depending
on
the
country
and
regula7ons

4. NL
status
• The
Netherlands
has
a
fleet
of
18+
million
bicycles.
• Electric
bicycles
have
reached
a
market
share
of
13.6%
by
2010,
as
e-­‐bikes
sales
quadrupled
from
40,000
units
to
166,000
between
2006
and
2010,
and
the
electric-­‐powered
models
represented
25%
of
the
total
bicycle
sales
revenue
in
that
year
• By
early
2011
one
in
every
seven
bicycles
sold
in
the
country
is
electric-­‐powered
despite
the
fact
that
on
average
an
e-­‐bike
is
three
7mes
more
expensive
than
a
regular
bicycle.

5. NL
status
(2)
• A
2008*
market
survey
showed
that
the
average
distance
traveled
in
the
Netherlands
by
commuters
on
a
standard
bicycle
is
6.3
km,
while
with
an
electric
bike
this
distance
increases
to
9.8
km
• E-­‐bike
ownership
is
par7cularly
popular
among
people
aged
65
and
over,
but
limited
among
commuters.
• The
electric
bicycle
is
used
in
par7cular
for
recrea7onal
bicycle
trips,
shopping
and
errands.
*Ref:
Ingrid
Hendriksen
et.
al
(2008).
Elektrisch
Fietsen,
Marktonderzoek
en
verkenning
toekomstmogelijkheden,
TNO
Kwaliteit
van
Leven

6. NL
status
(3)
• 81%
of
all
E-­‐bikes
are
sold**
to
consumers
older
than
50
• 42,5%
of
the
E-­‐bikes
are
sold
to
people
older
than
64
• 8%
of
all
E-­‐bikes
are
sold
to
consumers
younger
than
40
**Ref:
GfK(2011).
GfK
jaargids
2012
:
inzichten
en
marktontwikkelingen
in
de
Benelux

7. NL
status
(4)
Courtesy:
Kay
van
Mourik

8. Why
people
buy
an
e-­‐bike?
• Normal
cycling
is
too
heavy
• To
beat
the
head
wind
more
easily
• To
cycle
longer
distances
• To
beat
the
hills
more
easily
• I
am
not
that
sporty,
but
I
do
want
to
start
with
light
exercise
• To
travel
quicker,
save
7me.
• To
be
more
environmental
friendly
• Because
I
do
not
want
to
arrive
at
work
all
sweaty
Ref:
Ingrid
Hendriksen
et.
al
(2008).
Elektrisch
Fietsen,
Marktonderzoek
en
verkenning
toekomstmogelijkheden,
TNO
Kwaliteit
van
Leven

9. How
it
works?
BaPery
pack
10x3,6-­‐4,2
V
Courtesy:
Kay
van
Mourik

10. Is
it
sustainable?
• A
simple
LCA
shows
it
consumes
more
resources
at
produc7on,
use
and
as
well
recycling!
• Its
not
environment
friendly!
• But
the
func7on
it
fulfills
is
more
than
a
bicycle
• It
could
be
sustainable
– If
it
replaces
a
motor
vehicle
(such
as
a
scooter/moped
or
even
an
automobile)
– Brings
in
a
added
value
to
a
bicycle
in
terms
of
added
func7on
– Present
market
segment
(80%
of
it)
want
to
use
E-­‐bike
for
comfort
reasons,
which
is
very
jus7fied!

11. E-­‐bike
with
an
added
func7on
(1)

12. E-­‐bike
with
an
added
func7on
(2)

13. E-­‐bike
with
an
added
func7on
(3)

14. E-­‐bike
with
an
added
func7on
(4)

15. E-­‐bike
with
an
added
func7on
(5)

18. Challenges
for
future
• Traffic
safety
• Synergy
among
the
slow
traffic
and
on
the
bicycle
lane
• Conserva7on
of
the
tradi7onal
and
most
sustainable
form
of
the
bicycle
• Bicycle
+
electric
motor=
new
behavior
• new
behavior
ànew
product
system
à
new
urban
environment

19. Thank
you
s.k.beella@tudelm.nl