Believe it or not, e-bikes are now the most popular type of electric vehicle sold in Europe. Statistics from the Confederation of the European Bicycle Industry confirm that e-bike sales are booming and by 2030 Europeans will spend €17 million on them annually.
Political sustainability commitments and growing investments in cycling infrastructure are encouraging consumers to make the transition. For instance, the city of Milan has committed to creating a 750-kilometer network of dedicated cycle paths linking the city and surrounding areas.
It’s great news for companies like I-FEVS, which is working on creating a new generation of e-bike focused on safety, interactivity and affordability. The Italian electric vehicle research and development organization is committed to making electric mobility accessible and mainstream, and hopes its unique e-bike concept will encourage more people to switch their cars for a greener alternative.
I-FEVS stands for Interactive Fully Electrical Vehicles. Its patented e-bike design stands out for a few reasons. First, it has three wheels – one at the front and two at the rear, set 20 centimeters apart – which help to make the e-bike more stable and easier to turn, even in wet and icy conditions. Second, its square-tubed frame is made from high strength nanostructured steel produced in Europe. And third, the frame is encased in solar panels, which charge the e-bike as it drives.
“We designed our bike to be as safe as possible while delivering the performance of a cargo bike,” said I-FEVS co-founder and president Pietro Perlo. “It’s for everyone to enjoy and feel confident riding – young and old.”
The e-bike is currently at the pre-series funding stage and has been designed and developed entirely on the 3DEXPERIENCE Cloud platform. Using the 3DEXPERIENCE Cloud platform’s strong collaboration capabilities, I-FEVS is working more productively and significantly speeding up development. The company also plans to create a perfect replica of the physical bike in the virtual world to handle ongoing maintenance. This virtual twin will gather live data and use the information to optimize performance and manage parts.
I-FEVS opens for pre-orders in early summer 2022. It has road shows planned in Malta June 30-July 1 and in Israel on June 10-11.
“We’re excited by what we could achieve, and we are confident that the demand for our unique e-bikes will take off,” said Perlo. “In many ways our values are aligned with those of Dassault Systèmes. Together, I hope we can combine our creativity and technical know-how to create the next generation of sustainable mobility solutions that serve people and the planet.”
Read the full story to find out how the 3DEXPERIENCE Cloud platform enabled I-FEVS to design its unique e-bike and create a working prototype in just a few months.
Rebecca Lambert is a skilled content creator and journalist based in the UK. Since she was a young girl, Rebecca has been captivating readers with her words, covering virtually any and every subject matter.