Tag Archives: electric bikes

Tapping Into the Topic of EV Battery Waste

Sustainability, efficiency, recyclability. 

The moto industry has been making great strides in creating high-efficiency, low-emission vehicles. Popular favorites today involve battery-driven electric and hybridized motors in an attempt to cut down on pollution. Companies are committed to cutting emissions, and with futuristic calendar-worthy EV concepts such as Triumph’s TE-1 Electric Superbike being revealed more regularly, who wouldn’t want to contribute to a future of clean energy? 

It’s a tricky question – one tied to the darker side of renewable energy.

The real question is, what happens to the EV batteries when they’re exhausted?

Dana Thompson researches solvents to dissolve batteries more efficiently

“On the one side, it is a waste management problem. And on the other side, it’s an opportunity for producing a sustainable secondary stream of critical materials,” says Gavin Harper, a University of Birmingham researcher who studies EV policy issues.

EV Batteries differ widely in construction and anatomy, and while some use recycled components, unfortunately, it’s often cheaper for manufacturers to use new materials in battery production. 

According to an article by ScienceMag, the EV battery recycling process requires two techniques to break down an EV battery. While both of these current methods are reasonably effective, they’re not as efficient as they could be – and they release greenhouse gases.

the recycling process of EV batteries

BMW G 310 R seller fake motorcycle parts

Derived from the Latin root ‘pyro,’ pyrometallurgy requires the battery to be first shredded and then burnt, extracting the required materials and leaving a tasty pile of charred rubbish. It’s the more convenient of the two methods since it isn’t limited to specific battery models, but it is energy-intensive.

Hydrometallurgy, by contrast, involves dunking the battery in a collection of acid, creating a toxic soup in a more complicated process that dissolves undesirable components and leaves others untouched and retrievable. This process is more limited to specific battery models, and while there are multiple types of acid to retrieve various kinds of materials, the acid itself poses a health risk.

When it comes to committing to a sustainable system that produces clean energy, many companies are still finding an answer that will guarantee sustainable recycling beyond a burnt-out battery. 

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

German Parts Manufacturer Releases Contactless EV Motor

It seems like the whole world is rushing to find fuel-efficient solutions and cut down on emissions.

Europe is introducing more low-emission zones. France planning to take that goal further with zero-emission (as they do). Now, Mahle, a German automotive parts manufacturer, has just contributed to their part in the race for clean air.

The German manufacturer has managed to create an EV motor that removes the need for rare earth magnets, creating a contactless electric current opposition in a motor that boasts 95% efficiency.

Miraculously enough, they’ve managed to do so without running into additional component shortages, as many other manufacturers have experienced. 

demonstration of the anatomy of Mahle's EV motor

In a traditional EV motor, a coil of wire spins encircled by magnets. When the coil’s electric current emits its own little magnetic field, it opposes the magnetic field emitted by the magnets. The opposition of fields causes the coil to spin or rotate at high speed, creating harnessed energy to power a machine from point A to B.

According to Mahle‘s website, the motor uses electric currents exclusively, with contactless power transmission. Electrical currents between the rotating and stationary parts inside the motor don’t allow those parts to touch, making the entire component wear-free.

The possibilities really are limitless since ‘contactless’ in this context means a maintenance-free motor with almost no need to replace individual components.

Not only that, Mahle’s contactless inductive EV motor effective – particularly at high speeds – with a 95% efficiency previously only seen in formula E cars.

demonstration of EV motor owned by Mahle

Call to challenge exhaust noise fines sign noise cameras

“With our new electric motor, we’re living up to our responsibility as a sustainably operating company,” says Michael Frick, Chairman of the MAHLE Management Board (ad interim) and CFO. “Dispensing with magnets and therefore the use of rare earth elements offers great potential not only from a geopolitical perspective but also with regard to the responsible use of nature and resources.”

Dr. Martin Berger, Vice President Corporate Research and Advanced Engineering at MAHLE, also says the following:

“Our magnet-free motor can certainly be described as a breakthrough because it provides several advantages that have not yet been combined in a product of this type. As a result, we can offer our customers a product with outstanding efficiency at a comparatively low cost.”

Mahle has released their new generation of EV motors to the masses on their website, with plans to further implement the motors into the vehicle industry in the coming years – and I’m excited to see what this means for the motorcycle industry.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

1947 Salsbury Model 85 Scooter: Drool-Worthy Dreamboat Could Be Yours

Ageless aerodynamics. 

Absolute cupboard of a caboose. 

The putter of perfection. 

All this and more could be yours for a minimum bid of $8,000. 

Am I kidding? Nope. Say hello to the Jetson family, folks.

BringATrailer has 3 days left on a bid for a vintage firetruck-red 1947 Model 85 scooter, and I’m digging the dynamics. What other scooter can brag gas/brake pedals, a spring-cushioned solo seat, and 1.5 cubic feet of storage capacity?

According to a report from RideApart, Salisbury started up with their scooter line in the 1930s, when post-Depression Americans were looking for a cheap commute. Amelia Earheart, female pilot, and icon of the times, was said to have served as an inspiration for Salsbury’s spiffy style.

And that’s not all. Style came with speed, even back then. The scooter’s top velocity is due to the 320cc fan-cooled, 6 hp side-valve motor and maxes out at a hair-raising 50 mph – pray you don’t hit the speed bumps the wrong way. 

black and white photo of a Salsbury Model 85, 1947

worker holding up examples of patented solid-state batteries

The Model 85 was acquired by its current owner in 1996 and has since been refurbished with chrome detailing, paint touch-ups, and a fine-tuned CVT – in this case, ‘CVT’ standing for ‘Constant Velocity Transmission,’ not ‘Continuously Variable Transmission,’ as is true for most modern CVTS with a hand throttle. 

Additional perk: only 1000 units of this model were made, with precious few remaining in such good shape. They sold for $800 back then, so the full accounting for inflation tips the scales at a neat $9500.  

It’s a bargain, and you know you want it – if only to putter about town and make your neighbors jelly.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Italy Launches Inductive Highway Ring with Contactless Charging for EVs

With the future of electric vehicles taking up many a weekday headline, it’s fun to peruse the pages and take a gander at the novel ways companies are cooking up to increase clientele satisfaction and invest in an EV future.

To those skeptical about the grey zone of electric vehicles and battery longevity, Italy has come up with a smart solution.  

The “Arena del Futuro” (or “Arena of the Future”) is a 1,035-meter asphalt tester-circuit with the purpose of re-charging vehicles running low on juice mid-commute. Owned by ElectReon, the inductive highway is set to be implemented between Brescia and Milan, Italy.

a car travelling along an inductive highway for a quick charge.

According to CarAndBike, The ring of the road will be fed by one megawatt of power. It will use contactless induction to charge electric vehicles via the modest installation of a receiver on the vehicle’s underside. The result is an energy transfer to your EV of choice, a power charge that provides a surplus of zip, and a quick commute from point A to B. (For a list of EV news and electric motorcycles that will likely be more compatible with this charging method, click here.)

The Arena del Futuro is just one small example of what Italy plans on applying throughout the country. However, stakeholders still plan on further optimizing the road surface to increase charge efficiency and allow for the eventual evolution of increased energy output with 5G technology.  

Partners of this new endeavor include the A35 Brebemi-Aleatica motorway, ABB, ElectReon, FIAMM Energy Technology, IVECO, IVECO Bus, Mapei, Pizzarotti, Politecnico di Milano, Prysmian, Stellantis, TIM, Roma Tre University, and the University of Parma.

car takes advantage of "Arena del Future" inductive Highway in Italy

Kid smiling at a Ride for Kids Event

The big question to ask, I think, is how much charge would be guaranteed on an EV that circled the Arena del Futuro for, say, ten minutes. I’m all for a clean future as much as the next person, but I’m not so keen on circling about a highway for ten minutes so that my vehicle can juice up for an additional half-hour of commute time. ElectReon will resolve this, I’m assuming, once the highway is approved for a longer stretch of the thoroughfare.

Fingers crossed that the launch is a success, and inductive highways become an energy-efficient option for the future.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

MAG Survey Shows 31% of Participants Would Rather Give Up Riding Than Conform to Electric

The United Kingdom has plans to eventually phase out diesel and gasoline-powered vehicles in favor of low-carbon emitting and carbon-neutral/electric vehicles.

While this new diet plan is extremely ambitious, the drive to end the sale of fossil fuel engines by 2030 has become a very real goal – and one that will also impact the motorcycle world.

In a recent survey held by the Motorcycle Action Group (MAG), participants were asked a series of questions surrounding the potential of a future without fossil fuel engines.

Some of the results may come as a surprise, but overall the survey pointed toward a community still very much in love with internal combustion engines. 

a back right view of a lineup of motorcyclists

The report states that 4805 participants (both affiliated with MAG and not) were asked a series of questions on the future of motorcycle riding – here they are, with their responses.

On the potential of gas-fueled vehicles being phased out:

  • 8% of respondents accepted the inevitable
  • 36% wanted a delay of the phase-out
  • 55% completely refused and opposed the idea

On whether participants would like MAG to partner with other organizations to fight the ban:

  • 83% were in favor
  • 17% were opposed

On the eventual removal of fossil fuel vehicles (with the expected switchover being EV, of course):

  • 31% said they would quit riding
  • 56% would delay the switchover to EV for as long as possible
  • 13% would adapt and move on

A lineup of Motorcycle riders affiliated with the Motorcycle Action Group (MAG)

Satoshi Uchida in front of Suzuki Motorcycles logo

Selena Lavendar, Chairman of MAG, states, “MAG always represents the views of all riders, regardless of their choice of motorcycle.  We have worked hard to develop the channels that get riders’ opinions heard by Government. We will not misrepresent those opinions.”

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Gogoro Announces Groundbreaking Partnership To Build Countrywide EV Network for China

If there’s one thing that’s obvious, it’s that the electric vehicle culture is coming.  The cityscape’s sounds are transitioning from the roar and smoke of traditional fossil fuels to the whirr of wheels and the cool glare of LED lighting. It’s beautiful in its own way, but all beauty requires maintenance. 

Maintenance is exactly what a Chinese company called Gogoro is tackling for the EV industry of China.

Gogoro is a company that owns battery-charging stations where members with a monthly subscription fee can ride up and swap batteries, thereby lengthening commute time and easing what has been a constant problem for electric vehicles.

And now, Gogoro has partnered with DCJ and Yadea – two giants in the Chinese moto industry – to build a network of battery-swapping stations across the country. DCJ and Yadea are both joint-investing 50 million dollars and committing to building EVs suited to the stations to support the clean future of an electric urban economy, and they are even bringing this technology to India.

a hand removes a charged Gogoro battery in preparation to recharge an electric scooter.

In a report from StockHouse, Al Gore, Nobel Peace Prize winner, former Vice President of the United States, and co-founder and chairman of Generation Investment Management, states: Asia’s most populated cities are beginning to adopt cleaner urban transportation systems for their millions of scooter and motorcycle riders by leveraging innovative electric refueling solutions like Gogoro battery swapping…Gogoro’s partnership with Yadea and DCJ in China, which builds upon their existing work with Hero MotoCorp in India, sends a clear signal that the world’s two-wheel leaders are helping to fuel the sustainability revolution in Asia with smart battery swapping.”

This is amazing news, especially since vehicles produced under this partnership will take advantage of the ‘Powered By Gogoro Network’ program. This program will give DCJ and Yadea the ability to merge their vehicles’ technology with Gogoro’s intelligent smart systems – synchronizing three companies’ worth of intelligence into one smooth, fully integrated network.

A Gogoro smart scooter next to a Gogoro battery-swapping station

Harley-Davidson LiveWire

Having grown up reading many a tribute to a futuristic America, I find the gradual transition to electric vehicles more suited to the present aesthetic of an urban economy, certainly more efficient. The vibes heading downtown are cleaner, cooler, crisper.

Time will tell how brains and brawns balances out the flux that is the current moto industry.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

BMW Recruits Hans Zimmer in Creation of New Electric Vehicle Sounds

You heard that right.

We’ve come a long way from the original strident tones of single-horn expletives, and the future is no less saturated with brilliant minds looking to put a new twist on an old concept.

Meet German-born composer Hans Zimmer; Zimmer intends to bring life to the whine of EV energy in ways that will have EV customers relaxed and smiling, and I am intrigued at his new job.

According to Visordown, BMW hired Zimmer in the hopes that the composer and the technicians of BMW would be able to work together to create a thrilling, emotion-evoking sound in equivalency to the M sport‘s motor. This is quite the challenge, especially since the full sensory experience may mean suppressing the original sounds of the battery and motor to allow a better connection between customer and vehicle.

“Right now,” Zimmer says, “we are at a really exciting point, shaping the sound of the future. BMW was so kind to give me another orchestra to play with – called the car.”

Partnership for BMW from left to right, Jens, thinner, senior Vice President of BMW, and BMW Sound Designer Renzo Vitale

Vintage Norton motorcycles owned by a group of Singapore enthusiasts

If you think about it, Zimmer could set a whole new trend with this partnership. EVs that thrum and roar in response to a nudge or a stomp of the ‘gas’ pedal could go over extremely well with users desiring the feel of horsepower without having to sacrifice fossil fuel to get it. The resultant sound portfolio – dubbed the ‘IconicSounds Electric Program’ – will initially only be available in BMW models that sport a fully electric or hybrid system, but one can dream, right? Imagine an e-motorcycle with special effects, roaring on the thoroughfares, drumrolls upon arrival to destination…snazzy.

The real question is if this program will be customizable (or even removable) for clients needing a more delicate sensory experience.

Take a look at the video at the top of this article to get the opinion of the masterminds behind BMW’s new ‘IconicSounds Electric Program.’

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Solid-State Battery Tech Next on List for BMW Investments

A battery tech, Colorado-based company, called Solid Power has drawn the attention of BMW, and the brainchild of the partnership is a battery that brags more juice, less weight, and comes with a safer tag.

The solid-state battery has created hype for a reason. It’s a battery that replaces the liquid electrolyte found in a normal lithium-ion cell with a solid material, promising much greater capacity than the graphite anodes used in normal lithium-ion batteries.

working handling materials connected to patented solid-state battery

A report from CycleWorld states that BMW invested in the company intending to introduce solid-state batteries to the EV Industry as soon as 2025, with production beginning in the next year. 

What’s exciting is that this marks the second of rounds of investments that Solid Power has been able to acquire, with other companies such as Ford Motor Company and Volta Energy Technologies joining BMW to pool a cool $130 million into the eventual goal of creating production-ready batteries by the end of the next decade. 

visual representation of solid-state battery, currently owned by Solid Power Technologies

Harley-Davidson LiveWire

The deadlines are real, and they are coming up quickly. BMW states that they will have a solid-state battery vehicle to demonstrate ‘well before 2025’, and Solid Power has released that they will likely have a production line for the batteries by early next year, thanks to the generous funding.

Frank Weber, a member of the board of management BMW AG, says, “ “The development of all solid-state batteries is one of the most promising and important steps toward more efficient, sustainable, and safer electric vehicles. We now have taken our next step on this path with Solid Power.”

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Wayne Burgess to Become New Head of Design for Ola Electric

India is gunning to be a leading force in the e-scooter market. On May 3rd, Ola Electric presented the news of electric scooters on a global scale by 2022 and made headlines with the commitment to build a Hypercharger Network consisting of over 100,000 charging points across 400 cities of India.

According to a report from RideApart, Ola Electric also announced Wayne Burgess as the new Head of Vehicle Design.  The announcement couldn’t have come at a better time, or be more strategically placed, seeing as this news came the day after the company revealed its goal to provide the Hypercharger Network.

India Hypercharger Network

Wayne Burgess comes with an impressive pedigree, having played a hand in the design of the Bentley Arnage, as well as the Aston Martin Vantage and DB9. In the 20 years at Jaguar Land Rover, Burgess also played a part in the design of several Jaguar models, including the XF, XE, F-Type, and F-Pace models.

In a statement released by Burgess, “I am looking forward to my work at Ola Electric and to the opportunity to lead a team that will work on designing cutting-edge electric vehicles for the world. I am thrilled to be part of Ola as it accelerates on its path to becoming a leader in global EV solutions,”

“Wayne is a fantastic addition to our leadership team and will bring global appeal and design aesthetic to our industry-changing electric vehicles,” Bhavish Aggarwal, Chairman, and CEO of Ola said in a statement.  

“As the world moves to EVs, the vehicle form factors will be fundamentally reimagined.  Wayne’s expertise in designing some of the most legendary vehicles will also be helpful in bringing these new form factors to consumers. I look forward to collaborating with him to build the most iconic range of EVs in the world,” said Bhavish Aggarwal. 

Twisted Road Website

Ola Scooter

Ola isn’t playing games when it comes to the company goals. On top of basing their first scooter prototype on the highly popular and efficient Etergo AppScooter, there are also plans circulating that hint at designs for four-wheeled electrics. Based on the major moves the company has made, it’s more than apparent that they plan on taking the EV world by storm. 

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Segway plans hydrogen sports bike

Personal mobility vehicle manufacturers Segway have branched out into electric sport bikes and mopeds in recent years with the help of Chinese company Ninebot and are now planning a cheap hydrogen fuel cell sports bike.

The Segway-Ninebot Apex H2 bike won’t be as fast as their 200km/h electric Apex, but it will sound more like a traditional bike and even has an exhaust pipe, although all that will come out is steam.

Segway Apex electric motorcycle
Segway Apex

They say Segway it will have 60kW (80hp) of power, enough to get it to highway speed in about four seconds and a top speed of 150km/h.

More importantly it will only cost about $A14,000 ($US10,700).Segway Apex H2 hydrogen bike

Segway Apex H2 hydrogen bike

Another interesting feature from the sketches are the single-sided front and rear swingarms.

There are no details from Segway about tank size, weight or range for the Apex H2, plus there are also issues with refuelling infrastructure which is negligent in Australia.Segway Apex H2 hydrogen bike

Howerever, hydrogen is largely regarded as the future for all motor vehiclesEven Honda is considering a hydrogen-powered motorcycle.

Further promoting the use of hydrogen power in small vehicles such as motorcycles is the development of a “Powerpaste”.

Powerpaste hydrogen fuel
Powerpaste hydrogen fuel

The German-made magnesium hydride paste stores hydrogen energy at 10 times the density of a lithium battery, is less volatile than gas and doesn’t need heavy pressurised tanks, making it ideal for motorcycles and scooters.

The other great advantage is that you could “refuel” or replace the Powerpaste cartridge in seconds rather than waiting hours to recharge an electric battery.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com