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Schaeffler Pedals Up Urban Mobility Vehicle
Germany’s Schaeffler AG plans to begin testing its electric-assist quadracycle this summer and launch limited production for commercial applications next year.
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Germany’s Schaeffler AG plans to begin testing its electric-assist quadracycle this summer and launch limited production for commercial applications next year.
Dubbed the Bio-Hybrid, the vehicle features a 48-volt battery and small electric motor that can be used in place of or to supplement human pedal power. The vehicle has a top speed of about 16 mph and can travel 31 miles with one 1.2-kWh battery or twice that distance with a pair of batteries.
Schaeffler’s one-year-old Bio-Hybrid GmbH subsidiary developed the vehicle and is showcasing two “near-production” prototypes at this week’s CES electronics show in Las Vegas. The subsidiary aims to double its 10-member development team this year.
The passenger and cargo versions share a modular platform that is about one-third the size of a small car. The 220-lb vehicles have four wheels, a roof and a windshield to enable use in inclement weather.
Schaeffler says the Bio-Hybrid can be operated on low-speed roads and bicycle paths in most countries without requiring a driver’s license or vehicle registration.
The passenger model sits two people in tandem. Schaeffler envisions the Bio-Hybrid being used as a personal mobility vehicle in cities and for first-mile/last-mile transportation applications. The cargo variant can be configured for various applications, such as refrigerator food delivery, a coffee shop or locked stowage compartment. The vehicle has a 300 kg (661 lb) payload.
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