Hello, dear readers and riders! Welcome to the third edition of our EV news roundups for the month of November. This week, we’ll be taking a look at an e-Bike made of plywood, the new EV Fiat, a 3D printed hybrid e-Bike, and more. Send your tips, questions, and feedback to stephanie@thevintagent.com. Let’s roll.
Plywood e-Bike
The ElectraPly is a novel construction, using plywood and off-the-shelf hub motor. [Electraply]
There’s a new e-Bike on the market, and it’s made of plywood. Fittingly called the ElectraPly, the eco-friendly bike is made from sustainable plywood. Its design was inspired by the iconic Yamaha SR250 scrambler. It’s a possible DIY construciton, should you be so inspired.
Take This 3D Print Hybrid e-Bike for a Spin
Looking like an ’80s art project, the UILA is a 3D-printed four-wheeled bicycle, with an electric boost. [UILA]
Berlin-based design studio nFrontier recently unveiled an innovative e-Bike concept that looks like a cross between a small EV and cargo bike. The four-wheeled, two-seater UILA is a sustainable way to transport passengers and payloads of up to 250K. The pedal-operated drive train means that the rider doesn’t need a driver’s license to operate the EV and can ride it in bike lanes. The UILA was developed in partnership with 3D print company Stratasys.
Electrify Any Bike in Seconds
Cool or what? The PikaBoost turns any bike into an eBike, for when you want a boost. Try it on the Tour de France! [PikaBoost]
Do you have an old, rusty pedal bike sitting in your garage? Breathe new life into your bike with LIVALL’s PikaBoost, a portable converter that transforms any bike into an EV. The e-Bike conversion kit includes a motorized hub, controller, and battery pack that can easily be assembled onto your bike in under 30 seconds. The PikaBoost is also equipped with an intelligent control algorithm and rotary gyroscope, allowing riders to navigate all types of road situations. Some kits aren’t as helpful. Amazon and other large retail companies are now facing criticism for selling kits and devices that enable e-Bikes to be upgraded to illegal speeds for as little as $100.
Future EVs Could Be Powered by Lithium Sulfur Battery Cells
The race to develop more affordable EV battery cell materials is on. A recent article published by The Economic Times stated that future electric vehicles arriving after 2025 might shift to using lithium sulfur or sodium ion battery cells, which are up to two-thirds cheaper than the lithium-ion cells being used today. The materials used – sulfur and sodium – are far less environmentally destructive to mine, and if they can be made stable, could prove a far greener alternative to Lithium.
Two-Way Charging is the New Favorite Hack of EV Owners
As electric vehicles with plugs become more ubiquitous, many owners have begun using two-way charging methods to power other electric devices in their home or business, including camping stoves, power drills, and even tea kettles. CAKE has been promoting this with its :work series – using the bike’s batteries to power tools, instruments, even cooking utensils and food delivery warm boxes. It’s also proposed as a way to stabilize a power grid with multiple generation sources, with everyone’s EV being used as a buffer for excess electricity demand or production. And ‘old’ L-ion car batteries can be used with great economy for home power storage (solar or wind), since they don’t need 100% efficiency to run your lights, washing machine, or a/c at home.
New Electric Fiat 500 to Hit the Market in 2024
The new Fiat 500e, just like the old Fiat 500, but e. [Fiat]
It began life as the Topolino in the 1940s, then became the Fiat 500, the microcar for the masses. Fiat is hoping to capture the same market share as before with their new 500e, the latest EV, available to the market in 2024, intended as the ideal EV for urban dwellers.
Stephanie Weaver is the EV Editor at The Vintagent, and a Philadelphia-based freelance writer. When she’s not locked to her laptop, she can be found riding horses and motorcycles.
