Velomobile & E-Bike

Thomas Waldmann
2021-04-04 19:00 CEST

Unexpected things I ended up with

after researching for my next car.

Choosing the next car...

• 2018: I've been driving cars since 30+ years,
  back then a ~13y old Toyota Prius II Hybrid.
   
• Time to research for potential next car:
  • high efficiency, "as eco as it gets"
  • reliability, usability
  • acceptable price, ...
     
• Expected outcome: choose some "nice" electric car.
   
• Actual outcome:
  I found that I don't really want any of those cars...

Requirements / Context

• move yourself + some luggage
   
• don't waste too much energy / resources
• avoid polluting the planet
• means:  EFFICIENCY RULES!
   
• not too slow, but not too fast either
• not too uncomfortable
   
• most trips are rather short
• most trips are 1 person

Why not (E-)Cars?

• Cars are way too heavy, even the "small" ones:
  • 1600 - 1900 kg (Tesla Model 3)
  • 1200 kg (E.go life)
  • 900 - 1000 kg (Smart ForTwo)
  • 500 kg (Renault Twizy [+ weight of opt. doors?])
• A car mostly transports itself, not you!
   
• Too big, wasting a lot of space (traffic/parking).
• You are not "stuck in a traffic jam",
  you "are" the traffic jam.
   
• Overall bad environmental impact.
   
• Cars are dangerous, big&heavy cars even more.

(E-)Motorcycles?

• Better weight ratio than a car, but:
  • not much luggage space
  • usually no weather protection
     
• Most other problems are similar to cars.
   
• Thus:  NOPE, that's no solution either.

E-Bike

• Helps unathletic types getting uphill. :-)
• ... which also helps a lot with motivation!
• ... but could be 1-way:  once E, ever E?
• Relatively inexpensive.
• Mature tech, thus: low risk of investment.
• Also: low TCO (mostly standard bike parts).
• Good weight ratio (bike: ~20-40kg).
• But:
  • limited luggage space (cargo bikes have more)
  • no weather protection (= need good clothes)
  • slow and/or complicated / limited by law.
• Overall:  good and cheap enough to just try!
• E-Cars are not booming, but E-Bikes are!

So I got a RadRhino:

Context

• I never liked sports.
• I never found motivation for it.
   
• ~40y ago, this spoiled cycling for me:
  • cheap go-to-school bike (3 gears)
  • south-west germany's hills
     
• Didn't touch a bike since then, until that E-Bike.
   
• So, how did it work in practice?

Distances / Speed

• FUN! Did lots of trips up to 40km distance (one way) with my E-Bike, no problem, works for me.

• Rides are often "shorter than expected!?

  • different routing (compared to a car)
  • more fun or relaxing
  • less boring / annoying
• Distance averages per person (Germany, 2017):
  • 12km per way
  • 39km per day
• Speed avg., rush hour, main routes (Germany, 2019):
  • 17km/h Frankfurt / Berlin
  • 20km/h Hamburg / München
  • 26km/h Stuttgart

Bike Routing

• For longer trips into unknown territory it is advisable to do some route planning beforehands.
• As a "long years car and never bike" user, you'll have to get used to bike routing/routes initially.
• Navigation helps, so you'll never get lost.
   
• OpenStreetMap (OSMand) is nice and powerful:
  • needs some time to get used to it
  • special profiles for misc. bikes, by foot, car, ...
  • many details about bike paths, road quality, ...
  • can be combined with brouter.de
  • save nice routes for future use
  • is available on F-Droid

Health & Time

• Get exercise by using an E-Bike:
  • without needing much extra time or money
  • with good reasons (helps with motivation)
  • make it the default, a routine, not some extra task
  • E: as much excercise as desired, not forced
  • gradually improve health / endurance, lose weight
• Time:
  • less time wasted in traffic jams (bike paths!)
  • less time/$$$ wasted for parking the vehicle
  • sometimes more time needed due to lower speed, not wasted because used for exercise / relaxation!
  • bike: relax & free your mind   vs.   car: stress

Environment / Weather

• Closer to nature / environment:
  • fresh air, not isolated in metal box.
  • more open / less speed:  better perception.
• Temperature:
  • your body has a good temperature regulation!
  • wear appropriate, layered bike clothing.
  • drink / eat appropriately.
• Rain / snow:
  • good clothes and tires help.
  • timing: use weather forecast and "rain radar".
• Sun / UV:
  • sun blocker / UV blocking clothes.

Load / Capacity

• With standard bikes, you can increase capacity by:
  • front / rear racks, misc. bags, backpacks, ...
  • if you need more, you can occasionally add a trailer (e.g. for children, pets, large stuff, ...)
  • use multiple bikes for multiple people
• Cargo bikes are specialized for heavy / big loads.
   
• You could still share/rent a car/van when it is rarely needed (instead of permanently paying for one).
• Avoid buying a car for the maximum use case (cargo / passengers / range / speed) - that would logically imply that you use a way too big, inefficient and expensive vehicle in most cases!

E-Bikes: Types / Legal

• Types (Germany/EU):
  • Pedelec, E-assist 25km/h(*) 250W(**),
    legally like a normal non-motorized bike,
    this is what most people get nowadays.
     
  • Speed-Pedelec, E-assist 45km/h(*) 500W(**?),
    more expensive, much stricter regulations (no bike paths, checks/repairs, insurance/license plate, driver license).
     
  • (*) by pushing the pedals, you maybe can ride faster than that - up to the legal speed limit.
     
  • (**) not max. power, but nominal continuous power. For short, the motor may have 2..3x more power.

E-Bikes: Efficiency

• Efficiency rules!
  • Mid motor (uses multiple gears) is better than a
    hub motor (usually only 1 fixed gear or direct drive).
  • Good range of gears (min. 7 gears, better more).
  • Weight (but also consider rider weight)
  • SPD pedals + shoes:
    • click-in pedals for better power transfer
    • you can still walk around with the shoes
  • recumbent bikes are more efficient and more comfortable than upright (more later ...)
• Tires:
  • robust tires + tire sealant: slower, less punctures.
  • fast tires: thinner, thus more punctures.

E-Bikes: Battery & Range

• Battery:
  • better compare the Wh capacity (V * Ah)
  • because range specs are unreliable, depend on:
    • rider weight and power
    • riding style / speed / motor:pedals ratio
    • terrain flat vs. hilly, frequency of stops/turns
    • temperature and degradation of battery [age/usage]
    • air resistance, rolling resistance, road quality
  • battery price:  bike: 0.3..1 kEUR  vs.  car: 10..30 kEUR
• Charger:
  • its power determines the pause you may need after riding until the battery is empty.
  • e.g.: 10Ah battery + 2A charger = pause at least 5h.
  • e.g.: 700Wh battery + 100W charger = pause at least 7h.

Costs

• remstalkind.de did a cost calculation for E-bikes vs cars:
  • saves ~4000 EUR/y for the family
  • got rid of 2 cars (bought used, relatively cheap)
  • got 2 E-bikes (bought new, not cheap)
  • relatively high initial fixed costs for the bikes
  • but low long-term running costs
  • even considering expenses for train / rental car
     
• See their Excel sheet so you can do your own calculation:
  https://remstalkind.de/mobilitaetskosten-auto-vs-autofrei/
   
• Invaluable:
  • health benefits
  • environmental, ecological and climate benefits

Improve?

• After the positive E-Bike experience, I wondered:
  
  Does it get better than that?
   
• Desired:
  • More weather protection.
  • More speed without losing bike path access.
  • More range (not having to recharge after 40km).
  • ...
     
• And I found ...

VeloMobiles!

short:  VM

not: Velo

Velomobile Models

Text

Velomobiles & Others

(Fast) VeloMobiles

• Recumbent bikes with low, comfortable seat.
• Closed or mostly-closed aerodynamic shell.
• High tech materials, carbon fiber composites.
• Low weight: 15 .. 40 kg
• Good gearing with wide range.
   
• Resulting in:  the most efficient vehicles!
   
• Default:  no (E-)motor
  (optionally available, but maybe not needed)

So I got a QuattroVelo...

VM: Distances & Speed

• up to 40km regularly (one way), sometimes more
• no E-Motor / no motor battery, thus:
  • no vehicle range issue, no range anxiety
  • no recharge duration issue, no outlet to search
  • no big&heavy battery / charger / motor to carry
• High Efficiency == Speed:
  • Flat:  easily 30-40, sometimes 50 km/h
  • Downhill:  80 km/h  (100+ possible)
  • Uphill:  slow, but stable (3 or 4 wheels).
    Shift down & try the Zen thing.
• Physics:
  • Air resistance is futile!!1
  • Law of conservation of energy FTW!

Doing some analysis...

• I personally do not use Strava, thus showing some rides from other VM riders.
   
• Rider/VM 1:
  • After7: brand new, very fast & efficient VM model
  • with hood
  • athletic, very experienced (20y+?), best long range rider, 55+y old
• Rider/VM 2:
  • DF: proven, rather fast & efficient VM model
  • with hood, wheel house cover, race cycle tires
  • sporty, experienced (10y), long-term commuting rider, 50+y old

Hamburg - Berlin Ride

flat, 280km with 800hm

HH-B Rider1 + After7

• 54km/h avg.,  235W avg.  --  and max. 90km/h
• high power long distance racing

HH-B Rider2 + DF

• 40km/h avg.,  131W avg.  -- and max. 80km/h
• long distance relatively relaxed travel

Harz Roundtrip

flat+hilly, 280km w. 1500hm

Harz - Rider2 + DF

• 34km/h avg.,  141W avg.  -- and max. 105km/h
• long distance normal travel

Records / Remarkable

• Nicola Walde: 1088km in 24h
  Velomobile, on Opel test course.
   
• Christian von Ascheberg: 1219km in 24h
  Velomobile Milan SL, on DEKRA test course.
   
• Roland Schell: 1074km in 33h
  Velomobile, across Germany.
   
• "Narvelos" from France: 12000km
  Velomobiles, Europe round trip.
   
• Todd Reichert: 144 km/h
  StreamLiner (faired bicycle), Men's World Record.

VM: Comfort & Security

• No PITA:  comfortable seat / recumbent position
   
• Luggage space: ok
   
• Weather protection:
  • some UV / IR protection
  • some / complete rain protection
  • no cold & icy winds
     
• Crash protection:
  • carbon fairing
  • legs first, not head first
  • you can hardly "fall off" from it
  • with or without extra helmet

VM: Reactions / Interaction

• "you are easy to overlook" (said by biased car driver)
   
• Experience:
  • lots of positive reactions (that means one is seen)
  • more careful overtakes by cars
• Also:
  • VM usually very colorful and almost 3m big
  • good lights, reflectors and blinkers
  • similar speed as city traffic
• Reasons for bias?
  • psychology:  lower=inferior,  higher=superior
  • sometimes just bad excuse for not even looking
  • some real visibility issues remain, be careful

VM: Experiences

• FUN!  The QuattroVelo is faster than my E-Bike, so
  actually preferring it over my E-Bike mostly.
   
• Fixing a flat is easy! (one-side mounted wheels)
   
• Turning radius can be large (depends on model/tires).
   
• Narrow enough for bike paths (QV VM: 77cm).
   
• Speedy on decent surfaces (roads, good bike paths).
• Loud on bad surfaces (low frequency though).
   
• Lost more weight.
  Car: burn oil, get fat.   VM:  burn fat, get fit.  :-)

VM: Buying

• First, practically try it:
  • fairs, manufacturers, dealers, owners
  • needs adjustment for rider size
  • try without motor
    (optionally check if E-motor can be added later)
• ... then consider buying a used one:
  • less waiting time
  • cheaper
  • sell it again if you do not like it or when you got your next VM.
• ... then ride it to its new home:
  • did that, ~230 km, no problem
  • some ride way farther than me
• ... or put it in a transporter or on a car roof.

VM: the price...

• VMs: made by small companies, low production volume, lots of manual work, expensive materials.
   
• So, let's compare apples to oranges... :-)
  • New VM: usually 5.000 .. 15.000 EUR.
  • New car: usually 15.000 .. 50.000 EUR (and more).
  • Price(car) >> Price(VM), also TCO(car) >> TCO(VM)
  • VMs are bikes, do not require:
    fuel, drivers license, insurance, paid parking place, regular dealer's garage visits for maintenance, obligatory 3rd party technical inspections
     
• So, do we need a price attitude readjustment? Like:
  • car: pay for lots of power / size / weight and all bells and whistles one can think of.
  • VM: pay for lightness, high efficiency, construction.

Other

relatively light vehicles...

PodBike

OrganicTransit's "ELF"

VeloCars

• Often have E-motor, these are not velomobiles.
• Some still classified as E-Bike / Pedelec though.
• Power ratio human / motor varies.
• Still relatively low weight (e.g. the ELF has ~ 77 kg).
• For some, might be more practical than fast VMs:
  • easier/quicker to get in/out
  • sometimes more luggage space
  • sometimes space for (small) addtl. passenger(s)
• Speed depends on motor, vehicle class, ...
• Sounds good for fetching kids or groceries.
• Not as efficient as a fast velomobile, but way more efficient than a car.
• Bike path access allowed? Also practical??

Car is over, almost.

• E-Bike and VM works for me personally for most trips.
  In 2y, did ~4000km on E-Bike and ~6000km in the VM.
   
• Since having them, used the car only rarely:
  • carry big / heavy stuff (no trailer / cargo bike yet)
  • transport people who can't ride/drive on their own
  • extremely ugly weather
  • very long distance and train unsuitable
     
• Maybe I won't get another car when the old one dies, at least not anything that is currently on the market.
   
• Hopefully some reasonable vehicle or ride sharing model will then exist at my location.

More Infos

• YouTube-Channels of:
  saukki (en), velo-ads (en), rhein228 (de), Veloxiter
• velomobilforum.de (de)
  (also there: Recumbents and Velo Cars)
   
• Web / YouTube search terms:
  • velomobile, velomobil (de), velomobiel (nl)
  • quattrovelo, quest, strada, snoek
  • df, alpha 7, milan, go-one evo-r
  • leiba, leitra, sunrider
  • elf, pebl, podbike
     
• "SPEZI" spezialradmesse.de
   
• kreuzotter.de

Q & A

So, which questions do you have for me?

Please:

VeloMobiles, Light Vehicles, (E-)Bikes + related.

Not:  Electric Cars, Heavy Vehicles.

English or German.

Disclaimer:  I am not an expert on this - just a user.

Contact:  twaldmann @ thinkmo.de