German company Schaeffler has just revealed an innovative new drive system for electric bicycles that eschews traditional bike chains and belts for an entirely electrical-driven system. The new system is known as the Schaeffler Free Drive and marks the entry of one of the most divergent electric bicycle drivetrains we’ve seen in years.
The Free Drive, which was co-developed with electric bicycle drivetrain specialists Heinzmann, is based upon a generator installed at the bike’s bottom bracket.
The rider’s pedaling action powers the generator and converts the energy from mechanical to electrical energy.
The Thai government is starting a new trial in Bangkok that will see electric scooters replace their gas counterparts for motorcycle taxis in the city.
The trial run could have big implications not just for Bangkok, but for scooter and motorcycle-laden cities across much of Asia.
If you’ve ever visited Thailand, you’ll surely have seen two of their most popular forms of public transportation that we don’t offer here in the West: rickshaws (tuk-tuks) and motorcycle taxis.
Waymo One is Alphabet’s Lyft/Uber competitor that’s live in Phoenix and currently undergoing testing in San Francisco. Waymo today announced a future EV for its US ride-hailing service that will be “rider-first” and have no steering wheel.
Earlier this month I had the opportunity to visit the sprawling new production facilities for California-based Electric Bike Company (that’s an advantage to being an early mover in any industry, you get to pick the good names). The company has been building electric cruiser bicycles in Newport Beach since the mid-2010s. And as founder Sean Lupton-Smith proudly explained to me as I toured the factory grounds, they wouldn’t have it any other way.
Back then, the company was able to fit inside just one facility, though it was obvious it was bursting at the seams and using every cubic foot of space available (frames and wheels were literally hanging from the rafters several layers deep).
Amongst many things, the leak revealed that new Model 3 and Model Y vehicles coming to Europe, which are made in China, would come with the new AMD Ryzen chip that is powering the media computer in the new Model S and Model X and the Model Y Performance made in China. Also, the lead-acid 12v battery will change to a Li-ion battery system.
If you missed out on Black Friday electric mower deals, then you’re in luck. The Greenworks 48V 17-inch brushless cordless electric mower is back at its third-best price that we’ve seen all-time at $246. Not only does this bundle include the gas-and oil-free mower, but also two 4Ah 24V batteries and a 24V drill/driver. You’ll also find discounts on electric lawn mowers and much more below, as well. We also have a wide selection of Tesla, Greenworks, and other e-bike discounts in today’s New Green Deals, so you won’t want to miss that either.
Amazon is offering a deal on the Greenworks 48V 17-inch Brushless Cordless Lawn Mower with 24V Drill/Driver for $245.99 shipped. Down from a $360 normal going rate, today’s deal is the third-best price that we’ve tracked all-time. This kit includes Greenworks’ 48V 17-inch brushless battery-powered mower, two 4Ah 24V batteries, a charger, and a 24V drill/driver. That’s right, you don’t just get the mower and batteries here, the drill/driver will help you with honey-do tasks around the house once spring arrives. Of course, no gas or oil is required for this mower to function, and being battery-powered also removes the requirement to have cylinders or noisy exhaust. All-in-all, this is a solid buy at the third-best price that we’ve seen all-time.
A ‘bike highway’ running between Daejon and Sejong in South Korea is a sight —or rather, a concept —, you surely haven’t thought of before: It stretches for 20 miles (32 km), and it not only shields cyclists from the sun but also generates power at the same time.
It’s true that a bicycle lane in the center of a highway is an unusual location for one, especially with three lanes of traffic on either side of it, yet it works. Much like the $3.7 million SolaRoad in the Netherlands, a 230-foot road replaced by solar panels, which powers the highway’s lighting system, this bike highway is a win for green energy. Its lanes produce more than enough electricity to power the lighting of the highway and the electric vehicle charging stations, according to Fast Company.
However, in the Netherlands, bicyclists ride on top of the panels instead of under them, while South Korea’s case is the opposite. Under the overhead solar panels, cyclists use subterranean tunnels to enter and exit the path, which boosts safety tremendously since they can get on and off the bikeway without being involved in the regular traffic. Once on the route, they’re shielded from the traffic on each side by barriers, and while that doesn’t provide pleasant roadside views, it does offer sun protection.
Hyundai announced that it is shutting down its internal combustion engine development team as the automaker focuses on electric cars.
For 40 years the Korean automaker has been developing internal combustion engines to use in its vehicle lineup, but no more.
The Korea Economic Daily reports that Hyundai’s new R&D chief Park Chung-kook confirmed in an email to employees that they are shutting down new engine development:
What a challenge COVID-19 has had on our global supply chains, exposing vulnerabilities in production capacity, shipping logistics and in particular last mile enablements. According to a recent report of Technavio, the last mile delivery market will grow to USD $14.96B from 2021 to 2025, with a CAGR of 15.06%. Also according to tier one market research firm, Gartner Group, by 2023, 50% of leading global enterprises will have invested in real-time transportation visibility solutions.
Last mile delivery is defined as the transportation of goods and services from a distribution hub to the final customer destination, within a reasonable time at an affordable rate and in mint condition. Supply chain focus on the last mile has significantly become top of mind given the COVID-19 global pandemic, as organizations have had to refresh/rethink their conveyance systems and develop new creative strategies to build more proficient conveyance intelligence.
In times of unprecedented challenges, especially in the past two years, companies are accelerating their investments in robotics, trade channel expansion, laser precision targeted product and supply chains, and last mile intelligence systems.
With the future of transportation for cars all set to be electric, all eyes are now on how the bigger haul vehicles will make their transition. While the biggest hurdle to overcome still remains the range of these vehicles, with automation also making progress, the designs of these trucks are also set for a change.
With their Atlantis, designers Dolzhenko and Voronezhstev imagine a future where these semi-trucks have reached Level 5 automation, where vehicles are completely autonomous and require no human intervention at all. In contrast, even as it is labeled ‘Full Self Driving’, Tesla is inching closer to a Level 3 automation 0, even as it aims to achieve a Level 4 someday.
