First, I respect that someone has gone through the hundreds of hours and tons of money to make their idea into something that actually works. I am sure they will continue to improve on it. Kudos to them. Second, to the developers, Don't give up or be frustrated by any negative critics. Keep up the good work guys!!!
Finally someone that reviewed this thing, it's about time, been waiting so long to see a test drive out in the streets. I hope Bjørn will test the final production version as well.
It seems most people in the comment section haven't driven a bicycle in years or don't even know what it is. All those commenting "blah blah a car is better" you are completely missing the point...
@@bjornnyland Did you know that there´s a similar bike called Podride. Maybe get in touch with those guys to get a testride when/if travel restrictions are lifted. A 10km long race between those two or between Podbike, regular e-Bike and a Recumbent bike would be fun. Also, consider testing electric MC´s. If you don´t have a motorbike license, then obtaining one could be a new video series or sub-channel.
@@bjornnyland How people (millions) ride in rain environment? They used right cloth, marine grease and chain lube for mud conditions! Or use bus in hurikane conditions :)
I would like the padals to be directly connected because motors even with 90% efficiency will loose more than 20% because of double conversion and the batteries inefficiency before energy is becoming movement.
Most people’s pedal power is less than 100W in average. So low efficiency is easily compensated with slightly larger battery capacity. Then it is easy to add the few watt lost in the series hybrid drivetrain to the motor. The huge benefit is much less maintenance.
I agree with you, nutzeeer. The design they have chosen is actually an electric vehicle with a set of pedals to make it meet legal requirements for being a "bike." I think that it should be illegal for riding on bike paths, and should be registered as a motor vehicle.
@@deezynar Why; to stick it to those evil people who are physically unable to bike without electric assistance? The criteria for what lane to ride in should be solely decided by the outward characteristics of the vehicle; size, mass, speed, etc. The things that actually can be other peoples concern. Where the energy is coming from should not matter in the slightest.
I definitely agree with nutzeeer as well. It's quite inefficient when it's a generator instead of direct connection. I wonder why they didn't go with pedal assist like on a conventional ebike with gears?
deezynar What is the rationale for banning series hybrid ebikes as long as no one will notice the difference? The speed, acceleration/power, and assist limits are all regulated by technical requirements.
Tinted glass and some kind of air cooling system would be nice as an option. In the winter you’ll have to take care of frosty windscreen caused by your own breath. I like the concept.
Yeah, there must be another way to control the throttle. Direct linkage to the wheels makes so much more sense and is more efficient. Series hybrid barely works on cars and almost no one is doing it, and here it's you who are paying for the electric transmission, not a range extender which can be optimized to work in an efficient range.
@@HNedel Actually after reading Per's thesis "velomobile redefined" I realized the generator / series hybrid drive is cheaper. Consider this: * A geared hub motor for e.g. the front wheel costs about $100. So about $200 for both generator and second wheel * No need for a freewheel or differential * A derailleur gear type thing would require much more manual labor for the installation and be more maintainance * An integrated gearbox like the Pinion would be nice, but then you need to combine it with a motor for e-assist * There are bottom bracket motor / gearbox combinations now but they are expensive (e.g. Kervelo Quartz-12, Continental 48V revolution). So all in all they can tune how direct and good this drive will feel. In the video it did look terrible but I'm sure they can fix that. It's probably by far the cheapest option to build like this. This is important to get the Podbike cheap enough. But there are big transmission losses with this hybrid so you won't be able to go faster than 25km/h and need more batteries. While that isn't great, it's also not a huge problem for replacing a bicycle but with good weater protection. Few people will drive faster on a bicycle. The other smart thing done here was building with a cheap to make and assemble folded aluminum frame and rivets, and a thermoformed plastic hood. But I too am hoping for a "GT" version (gear transmission).
@@bjornnyland Yes and no. The peak force a human can deliver to get away at standstill isnt easily matched by electric motors. Electric motors can output a lot of energy at high rpm and there they easily put muscle to shame in terms of energy density; but I get the feeling that with the motors currently on there, theyd need to be beefed up 10x to be able to burn some rubber. Perhaps they could squeeze more torque out of the system, but to an extent I do think this is an inherent compromise of such an indirect drive. Which I still believe makes a lot of engineering sense regardless. People often come at this with preconceived notions of 'what a bike/car ought to be' in their minds. But in terms of being a practical and affordable commuter vehicle however, I am very excited about this; and I like that they are aiming for mass production from the start, instead of positioning this as yet-another hand crafted niche electric velomobile that costs more than a Tesla. The past decade has seen plenty of those already.
I think something the engineers might consider in the final product is some way to ventilate with necessarily using power. Could just be a little flap that opens and lets air in at speed.
I sure hope they fine tune the electronic transmission to make it feel more direct. The electronic transmission isn't ideal but after reading Per's thesis "velomobile redefined" I realized the generator / series hybrid drive is a very smart way to go: * A geared hub motor for e.g. the front wheel costs about $100. So about $200 for both generator and second wheel. This is really cheap. * No need for a freewheel or differential * A derailleur gear type thing would require much more manual labor for the installation (production cost and overhead) and have more maintenance with a chain * An integrated gearbox like the Pinion would be nice, but then you still need to combine it with a motor for e-assist * There are bottom bracket motor / gearbox combinations now but they are expensive (e.g. Kervelo Quartz-12, Continental 48V revolution). So all in all they can tune how direct and good this drive will feel. In the video it did look somewhat terrible but I'm sure they can fix that. It's probably by far the cheapest option to build like this. This is important to get the Podbike cheap enough to mass manufacture, and get people to actually want to buy and use bicycles that offer weather protected instead of heavy cars. There are big transmission losses with this hybrid so you won't be able to go faster than 25km/h on even road. And you'll use more batteries. While that isn't great, it's also not a huge problem for replacing a bicycle since few people will drive faster on a bicycle anyways. The other smart thing done here was building with a cheap to make and assemble folded aluminum frame and rivets, and a thermoformed plastic hood. But I too am hoping for a "GT" version (gear transmission). All in all it's a brilliant design. Now if the governments would just easy the legal restrictions to allow e-assist up to 50km/h in cities!
@@Bot.number.69420 Yeah that's definitely better :D But more manual labor and part costs to build and more maintenance. So it's not a stupid decision for the podbike.
I fell in love with this thing... although the first thing I would do with it when I got my hands on it is install a larger (at least 40Ah) battery pack and possibly a stronger (at least 1kw) motor with a throttle. It might make it illegal in the EU, but E-bikes are all about comfortable riding, why not give the driver a little more comfort and possibility of resting without having to stop? That's how I ride my current E-bike, when I get sore legs, just hit the throttle and keep going until I get back to pedaling again. And sure I will get pedaling again, as the bike goes faster that way...
It is, certainly while you're younger. As you get older this gets more attractive. Hopefully the production model will be quieter and not sound like you're rolling down the road in a plastic drum.
Glad you rode the Podbike to give some independent views and footage. Been waiting to see more about it for some time. Still some concerns but good to see they have belt drive and a few other great features. Will they let you try a production-ready model once they've got to that stage, for a full review? ;)
So fun to hear Björn. I heard you when you did Tesla reviews. The velomobile world is a sportive intake on how to be clean, make speed and have a lot of fun. Try even those which do not have any engine than pedals, so fully driven human powered. It becomes in between a car and a bike.
If someone can bring out a less rough edged version of this, quieter, easier in and out, summer running with the hood open, with a longer range and a little bit better security for around €30 lease per month you could start to transform transport in towns that haven't welcomed bikes. Some work on the 28kph EU limit needs to be done though. In the UK bikes that go above this need licensing and plates, plus car like insurance (that very few people offer) and you're also not allowed to use cycle lanes as a result, which is bonkers. If the bicycle categorisation can be moved to 50kph, perhaps with some cheap mandatory insurance the world could be a nicer, and more equitable, place.
Problem is, can you imagine a 50 kph bike between the 15 kph leisure cyclists? That is extremely dangerous and a good reason why the fast e-bikes are not allowed on the bike lanes. I do cycle myself quite a bit (something like 7 to 10.000 km a year) and wouldn't want that on the cycle lanes to be quite honest. And yes, one of my four bikes is a similar configuration tricycle (HPB Scorpion) and that already is questionable on bike lanes even though it is completely human powered.
This kind of vehicle is good, but the limit for insurance and plates is not to low. When I see what happens on the road, the war between bicycles and cars. there should be an identification and insurance for absolute every vehicle that drives on the road.
that motor is enough power push whole thing n upgrade motor is no no because will draw a lot of power n reason they put eco motor in there for easy pedals if u upgrade motor u be feeling that pedal so heavy n hard think what u upgrade it i put electric tint on window block sun from shining on ya whiles pedaling it because sun can heat it up inside n like white tint block off sun keep it cooler inside n upgrade battery more amp n more mah for long ride time no time to stop n charger n 2nd love have solar panels on it help it keep it charger n upgrade pedal motor more amp when battery almost died it will pend on pedals feed it power at low speed pedals so dont have pedal faster get it moving n add more softer to seat
In Europe like in Ireland, it's called motor propelled vehicle. Not allowed on pedestrian area and needs documents if you are going to use it on public roads; like insurance and certificate of confirmation that it's safe to be used on public road like some kind of vehicle registration document. That's why the electric boards didn't succeed as you can only use them on private property/land
I think, the blue indicator-light at the handle-bar´s end is for the high beam. The visibly from inside is incredible! I wish other vehicles have at least a little bit from that.
It's really nice. It just needs a few refinements -- a quieter belt like you said -- maybe some gauges or HUD on the windscreen, bigger battery, safety features like a strong, but lightweight roll bar and/or seat belt, braking lights when pedaling backwards, etc.
@@SniperSnake50BMG Sinclair's nephew has designed an up-to-date Velomobile called the Iris. www.grantsinclair.com/en/all-products/iris-silver.html You might find it interesting. Personally I prefer the Quattrovelo from velomobiel.nl in the Netherlands. Not as easy to get in, but has more room! en.velomobiel.nl/quattrovelo/
These will be the competitors: IRIS e-Trike (3 wheels, so legal in the USA and available with 1000w. About same price as Podbike and with similar features) Schaffler Bio-Hybrid (you sit tall and visible in traffic, but it is heavy and slow uphill and super expensive) Podride (will be the most affordable and easy to upgrade to more powerful motors. Will also be the lightest, so fastest uphill. It is also quite tall and visible.) Podbike (will be somewhere in between in price, but will be faster than both on the flats because of its aerodynamics.) Canyon Future Mobility Concept (super expensive, but fast and a great design)
I loved the original 4 wheeled version but dumb laws at the target market mean it has to be 3 and lose a fair bit of boot space. Glad to see they've got a mass marketable version out at last it looks good
I like it, and very well priced, I have more money into my recumbent FatTad Trike then it's cost. Needs a better suspension setup and more positive pedal engagement at low speeds. Cool product!
This will be the most affordable velomobile on the market, 5K€ they are promising, compared to the 8k that most other costs, and 4 wheel versions are closer to 10k
Wind is a killer with a regular bike. That, I've been told, allows this MUCH heavier bike to easily pass standard bikes on the trail. Wow! When will it be available in the USA? I wonder why they don't make these velo's a bit longer so one could sleep in it if required.
Its a fast convenient commuter, that would make up to 10 mile trips around congested towns and cities a lot faster than a car. I'm a serious cyclist, but even I have to admit that getting wet and cold/hot and sweaty before a day in my work/leisure clothes is not great. This will surely be developed more but the ideas around the variable electric drivetrain are very good and better than the other designs I've seen. Charging and distance between charges are not an issue for a commuter like this. It only needs15- 20 miles range, which will vary depending on how much pedalling you do. FYI - an unfit leisure cyclist can comfortably produce 100watts for 20 minutes or so, as long as there is some cooling in warm weather.
Go for an electric bicycle, and proper clothes, don't push too hard. I've been doing that for 10 years, I'm pretty much wet or sweaty (I do like to push hard from time to time). But I totally understand the appeal of being protected from the weather, it's way more convinient than suiting up for the rain.
You finally found the really smart urban transportation! The "serial hybrid" is however a no no! Too much losses. You need direct drive (chain) to make it really usable. I got a similar velomobile with 3 wheels 10 years ago with a hub-motor in the back. Electric consumption (measured at the mains outlet) in summer is around 6-8 Wh/km and in winter with moderate snow 12-15 Wh/km. (Compare that to the Ioniq at 120 Wh/km...) Typical range with medium assist 60-80 km but if you turn the assist down and peddle more you can go really long distances. I once drove 180 km with 25 kg camping gear and had something like 10% charge left when I arrived. It is powered by a 550 Wh Bionix assist.
One of the main points about this serial hybrid is to get as much speed as possible for as little pedaling as possible, yet stay inside the crazy EU legal requirements. Yes, you lose some of your mechanical input power. However, the batteries supply the power to compensate for this loss and are large enough to still give you more than enough range. In This bike is made for commuting, so super long range is not important. 300km range with the optional batteries is more than enough for almost everybody. I just don't get your obsession with mechanical efficiency!? I would much rather choose to have 2kg of extra batteries for the much better convenience, lack of maintenance and reliability of a serial hybrid.
@@tarmacaddict3923 I hope you are right, but my first impression is that it's to slow an in responsive. Hope the real product will improve these things. I heard Bjørn talk about 20 km range, hope that is wrong, it would not get you any were. Remember this bike will compete with cars and bikes. I'm really looking forward to the finished product, have pre-ordered :) . But think the performance in this video was disappointing. Podbike has been developing this for many years now, so they have to step up their game. I'm not buying this for 50000nok not even cheaper.
That's a great concept but it should be a lot more responsive to your pedaling input... seems unsafe now. Also would be nice if you could have a button that lets you pedal while standing still so you charge the batteries while waiting for a traffic light.
Okay I watched the demo for the PodRide and I would choose the PodRide over this one. This one doesn't seem to have any suspension and its louder than the PodRide, also the PodRide is very fast, drives in snow and over dirt without a hitch.
Cool comme voiture!!! Ma TM3 sr+ est presque aussi bien!!!! je vais acheter ce VE et rouler sur les piste cyclable prés de chez moi Merci beaucoup Bjorn
awesome bike, but the clear cockpit window needs to be easily changed to a tinted one so you won't roast in the summer heat. at a bare minimum have the very top reflective so sun is not hitting your head all the time.
As far as I can tell from available information, they do intend for the canopy to be easily replaced should you find the need for it. The canopy comes with different coatings depending on what kind of sun conditions you face in your area. I dunno though, I could be totally wrong on this.
I like the idea. I like many things in it. I don't like that it's too low that means it could scrape in a hole, when you are getting down from somewhere or something on something and it's with little cushioning. I don't like it is slow to go too. How will it hold in wet situations or in rain or cold? Will you be able to see from the windshield from condensation or water (there are no wipers)? Will you freeze if there is no heater? Is there a filter for everything that may come from the air intake including water? I think it should be able to move only on foot power if the batteries are down from some reason. Imagine if you are left in the middle of the road because of that!
Thankyou Bjorn, the best review so far for the Podbike! 1:07 There are 3 motors.....Not really, the first is a GENERATOR which is charging the batteries As far as the test is concerned, it seems: very NOISY, quite RIGID and very HOT inside 😎
The battery needs to have energy to provide immediate acceleration. Pedalling without going anywhere is no different to one of those pedalo boats except I would rather sink than be hit by a car. Hope s/ware fixes that :)
The bike seen here is only a prototype. The final product will give you electric assist immediately when you pedal. The only exception is when you turn the Podbike on. In that case you will have to pedal a few turns to confirm that you are safely in the bike and ready to go. At least this is what I can tell from what I have read.
Looks great...but expensive the assist seems laggy without a direct drive/go with the battery, 25ishkm/hr slow for the states too, but eu regulation I understand :/ especially in the states or just getting it to the states. Any chance to change the steering to a more joystick/steering wheel design between the legs?
Cool idea, but I can't see this being very practical. As a Dutch guy, I'd say this is quite unsafe on regular bicycle paths, and the 15-20km battery is really not enough at all to make it worth it.
@@bjornnyland Indeed! If they can get the range to ~40-50km, could be a lot more useful, but I think for the safety of regular bicyclists, it probably should be on the road unfortunately.
Can it be plugged in? I'm sure that can be added. What about a transmission so it can get some nice speed? Can I step up the gears on the generation pedal like a bicycle so get some decent power after I get momentum?
LOVE this concept. Wish they would make and market them in the USA. Hopefully they will be affordable. I would even go for a regular pedal car/bike with electric assist. Would love to see a tandem version. I am in my mid 60s and love bike riding. I could use one of these.....
nice, here you can see in what a bad shape of bicycle roads are , the crossings, the repairs, manhole covers etc. We have to take them all. Here is al lot of work to do!
Norway is notorious for being hopelessly behind on infrastructure designed for bicycles. The good news though is that they are now working on improving this, and fast. As early as late 2021 they are planning on finishing the first highway dedicated to bikes only, which is completely separated from the cars. The only cars that will be allowed to use this bike road, are emergency services, as it will be designed to serve as an extra road in the event of an emergency. As for the rest of our country, it varies significantly. Some cities like Kristiansand are way ahead of the crowd, whilst cities like Oslo have a long way to go still.
I understand why they design vehicles with 'roofs' like this, but I'd like to see how you manage in the 'snow' without a wiper or any heating/air con to demist the interior. My guess is that you couldn't really use it in the cold and wet and see out safely. Although you have to wear outdoor clothing, I think it is more sensible not to enclose the operator in such a small space and then expect them to exert themselves.
A professor at our uni had a similar designed bike and would drive it all year round. The snow/rain on the windshield is apparently not a problem as long as you are moving at least at walking speeds. Below that, you won't clear the shield.
I really like this and the design is well done. At the start up...could there be an idling mode that allows you to peddle for a couple of minutes to charge the batteries before the motors are engaged? This could provide a quicker and smoother initial acceleration that gets you up to speed without worrying so much about peddling and handling the vehicle while joining traffic too slowly. When you're cycling, you're not constantly peddling, you're also coasting...constant peddling could become tiring if your speed is directly affected by how fast you are peddling at that moment. Are the batteries also being charged by the spinning wheels or just the peddles?
Technically you can buy them already now, in a pre-order fashion. They are expected to enter series production sometime by the end of the year, and their goal is to push out into Europe in 2021. The cost will be around 5.000Eur. Expensive, but still way cheaper than a car.
You should talk to the people at Twike in Munich and borrow one of their two-seaters. A bit more like a car (higher speed) but very comparable in appearance and feel. The Twike can go on highways and autobahn (barely) and has a crazy good range when maxed out with its battery options.
@@michaelh.gerloff3659 True, true. I'm not saying these are comparable, I'm just suggesting he should also test drive a Twike. For the shear fun of watching Bjørn testing yet another weird electric vehicle.
Looking good, but I don't understand how pedaling a generator vs pedaling a direct drive is more efficient. I cannot see any advantages, only disadvantage.
First, I respect that someone has gone through the hundreds of hours and tons of money to make their idea into something that actually works. I am sure they will continue to improve on it. Kudos to them. Second, to the developers, Don't give up or be frustrated by any negative critics. Keep up the good work guys!!!
But having a corrective feedbackloop is necessary for success :) Just dont be offended
Finally someone that reviewed this thing, it's about time, been waiting so long to see a test drive out in the streets. I hope Bjørn will test the final production version as well.
It seems most people in the comment section haven't driven a bicycle in years or don't even know what it is. All those commenting "blah blah a car is better" you are completely missing the point...
Exactly. Try commuting in the rain a few days in a conventional bike and you will love the Podbike.
Totally agree. Might as well be like cars... ugh, rubbish. Helicopters are much better... And so on.
@@bjornnyland Did you know that there´s a similar bike called Podride. Maybe get in touch with those guys to get a testride when/if travel restrictions are lifted. A 10km long race between those two or between Podbike, regular e-Bike and a Recumbent bike would be fun.
Also, consider testing electric MC´s. If you don´t have a motorbike license, then obtaining one could be a new video series or sub-channel.
Facts
@@bjornnyland How people (millions) ride in rain environment? They used right cloth, marine grease and chain lube for mud conditions! Or use bus in hurikane conditions :)
1000 km challange when?
Haha been happy to se 100 km on that One have take some time i Guess. Preefer my Scooter before that and it's cheaper
1/2 banana box?
@@hoekie3652 You didnt get it obviously..have to be fun at parties.
Wheels will be toast lol. Plastic wheels is not the best thing.
2 sits and bagage when)?
I would like the padals to be directly connected because motors even with 90% efficiency will loose more than 20% because of double conversion and the batteries inefficiency before energy is becoming movement.
Most people’s pedal power is less than 100W in average. So low efficiency is easily compensated with slightly larger battery capacity. Then it is easy to add the few watt lost in the series hybrid drivetrain to the motor. The huge benefit is much less maintenance.
I agree with you, nutzeeer. The design they have chosen is actually an electric vehicle with a set of pedals to make it meet legal requirements for being a "bike." I think that it should be illegal for riding on bike paths, and should be registered as a motor vehicle.
@@deezynar Why; to stick it to those evil people who are physically unable to bike without electric assistance? The criteria for what lane to ride in should be solely decided by the outward characteristics of the vehicle; size, mass, speed, etc. The things that actually can be other peoples concern. Where the energy is coming from should not matter in the slightest.
I definitely agree with nutzeeer as well. It's quite inefficient when it's a generator instead of direct connection. I wonder why they didn't go with pedal assist like on a conventional ebike with gears?
deezynar What is the rationale for banning series hybrid ebikes as long as no one will notice the difference? The speed, acceleration/power, and assist limits are all regulated by technical requirements.
Tinted glass and some kind of air cooling system would be nice as an option. In the winter you’ll have to take care of frosty windscreen caused by your own breath. I like the concept.
Initial launch from standstill is too dangerous. It needs a lot more power! It's so much slower than a person on a regular bike when taking off!
Yeah, there must be another way to control the throttle. Direct linkage to the wheels makes so much more sense and is more efficient. Series hybrid barely works on cars and almost no one is doing it, and here it's you who are paying for the electric transmission, not a range extender which can be optimized to work in an efficient range.
This can easily be tuned with software. Don't worry. It's just a prototype.
@@HNedel Actually after reading Per's thesis "velomobile redefined" I realized the generator / series hybrid drive is cheaper. Consider this:
* A geared hub motor for e.g. the front wheel costs about $100. So about $200 for both generator and second wheel
* No need for a freewheel or differential
* A derailleur gear type thing would require much more manual labor for the installation and be more maintainance
* An integrated gearbox like the Pinion would be nice, but then you need to combine it with a motor for e-assist
* There are bottom bracket motor / gearbox combinations now but they are expensive (e.g. Kervelo Quartz-12, Continental 48V revolution).
So all in all they can tune how direct and good this drive will feel. In the video it did look terrible but I'm sure they can fix that.
It's probably by far the cheapest option to build like this. This is important to get the Podbike cheap enough.
But there are big transmission losses with this hybrid so you won't be able to go faster than 25km/h and need more batteries. While that isn't great, it's also not a huge problem for replacing a bicycle but with good weater protection. Few people will drive faster on a bicycle.
The other smart thing done here was building with a cheap to make and assemble folded aluminum frame and rivets, and a thermoformed plastic hood.
But I too am hoping for a "GT" version (gear transmission).
@@bjornnyland Yay. Bjorn replied! Hi Bjorn! I love your video's! :D
@@bjornnyland Yes and no. The peak force a human can deliver to get away at standstill isnt easily matched by electric motors. Electric motors can output a lot of energy at high rpm and there they easily put muscle to shame in terms of energy density; but I get the feeling that with the motors currently on there, theyd need to be beefed up 10x to be able to burn some rubber. Perhaps they could squeeze more torque out of the system, but to an extent I do think this is an inherent compromise of such an indirect drive. Which I still believe makes a lot of engineering sense regardless. People often come at this with preconceived notions of 'what a bike/car ought to be' in their minds. But in terms of being a practical and affordable commuter vehicle however, I am very excited about this; and I like that they are aiming for mass production from the start, instead of positioning this as yet-another hand crafted niche electric velomobile that costs more than a Tesla. The past decade has seen plenty of those already.
When will you do the banana box test?
huggybear9922999 dang you were too quick 😄
Yup, that was MY first thought too!
Exactly 5 bananas.
That thing fits in a banana box.
Great idea, I've been waiting for someone to do this. BTW, I think a reasonable output for someone who's in decent shape is more like 200-250W.
I think something the engineers might consider in the final product is some way to ventilate with necessarily using power. Could just be a little flap that opens and lets air in at speed.
I'd use one. It's brilliant.
I sure hope they fine tune the electronic transmission to make it feel more direct. The electronic transmission isn't ideal but after reading Per's thesis "velomobile redefined" I realized the generator / series hybrid drive is a very smart way to go:
* A geared hub motor for e.g. the front wheel costs about $100. So about $200 for both generator and second wheel. This is really cheap.
* No need for a freewheel or differential
* A derailleur gear type thing would require much more manual labor for the installation (production cost and overhead) and have more maintenance with a chain
* An integrated gearbox like the Pinion would be nice, but then you still need to combine it with a motor for e-assist
* There are bottom bracket motor / gearbox combinations now but they are expensive (e.g. Kervelo Quartz-12, Continental 48V revolution).
So all in all they can tune how direct and good this drive will feel. In the video it did look somewhat terrible but I'm sure they can fix that.
It's probably by far the cheapest option to build like this. This is important to get the Podbike cheap enough to mass manufacture, and get people to actually want to buy and use bicycles that offer weather protected instead of heavy cars.
There are big transmission losses with this hybrid so you won't be able to go faster than 25km/h on even road. And you'll use more batteries. While that isn't great, it's also not a huge problem for replacing a bicycle since few people will drive faster on a bicycle anyways.
The other smart thing done here was building with a cheap to make and assemble folded aluminum frame and rivets, and a thermoformed plastic hood.
But I too am hoping for a "GT" version (gear transmission). All in all it's a brilliant design. Now if the governments would just easy the legal restrictions to allow e-assist up to 50km/h in cities!
I started to think making my recumbent trike a serial hybrid, it has like 4,5 meters of chain. It can go over 40km/h though by pedaling only. :D
@@Bot.number.69420 Yeah that's definitely better :D But more manual labor and part costs to build and more maintenance. So it's not a stupid decision for the podbike.
I fell in love with this thing... although the first thing I would do with it when I got my hands on it is install a larger (at least 40Ah) battery pack and possibly a stronger (at least 1kw) motor with a throttle. It might make it illegal in the EU, but E-bikes are all about comfortable riding, why not give the driver a little more comfort and possibility of resting without having to stop? That's how I ride my current E-bike, when I get sore legs, just hit the throttle and keep going until I get back to pedaling again. And sure I will get pedaling again, as the bike goes faster that way...
Looking forward to the Geilo test!
😂
@@FieryToast1 9o , lo
😂😂😂
classic bike design with two wheels is just perfect
It is, certainly while you're younger. As you get older this gets more attractive. Hopefully the production model will be quieter and not sound like you're rolling down the road in a plastic drum.
Glad you rode the Podbike to give some independent views and footage. Been waiting to see more about it for some time. Still some concerns but good to see they have belt drive and a few other great features. Will they let you try a production-ready model once they've got to that stage, for a full review? ;)
So fun to hear Björn. I heard you when you did Tesla reviews. The velomobile world is a sportive intake on how to be clean, make speed and have a lot of fun. Try even those which do not have any engine than pedals, so fully driven human powered. It becomes in between a car and a bike.
How much does it cost ?
If someone can bring out a less rough edged version of this, quieter, easier in and out, summer running with the hood open, with a longer range and a little bit better security for around €30 lease per month you could start to transform transport in towns that haven't welcomed bikes.
Some work on the 28kph EU limit needs to be done though. In the UK bikes that go above this need licensing and plates, plus car like insurance (that very few people offer) and you're also not allowed to use cycle lanes as a result, which is bonkers.
If the bicycle categorisation can be moved to 50kph, perhaps with some cheap mandatory insurance the world could be a nicer, and more equitable, place.
Problem is, can you imagine a 50 kph bike between the 15 kph leisure cyclists? That is extremely dangerous and a good reason why the fast e-bikes are not allowed on the bike lanes. I do cycle myself quite a bit (something like 7 to 10.000 km a year) and wouldn't want that on the cycle lanes to be quite honest. And yes, one of my four bikes is a similar configuration tricycle (HPB Scorpion) and that already is questionable on bike lanes even though it is completely human powered.
This kind of vehicle is good, but the limit for insurance and plates is not to low. When I see what happens on the road, the war between bicycles and cars. there should be an identification and insurance for absolute every vehicle that drives on the road.
Maybe you predicted the podbike version 2 ;)
It will only fuck up the traffic completely by being in the way.
Bjorn and his E-toys!
We need a banana box test. This could be a nice tourer bike, especially for colder countries.
Hope the soften the suspension and/or fit schwalbe balloon bike tyres. They would really help smooth out the bumps and jolts.
strap some larger batteries and some better motors and you've got yourself the best ride sharing city bike in the world
Metal wheels and better suspension too.
Yeah, electric wheel-hub motors designed to push a motorcycle 85 mph
Or 4 pot with turbo...
that motor is enough power push whole thing n upgrade motor is no no because will draw a lot of power n reason they put eco motor in there for easy pedals
if u upgrade motor u be feeling that pedal so heavy n hard
think what u upgrade it
i put electric tint on window block sun from shining on ya whiles pedaling it because sun can heat it up inside n like white tint block off sun keep it cooler inside
n upgrade battery more amp n more mah for long ride time no time to stop n charger n 2nd love have solar panels on it help it keep it charger n upgrade pedal motor more amp when battery almost died it will pend on pedals feed it power at low speed pedals so dont have pedal faster get it moving n add more softer to seat
You can't put bigger motor than 250w, because it's the legal limit for bicycle in Europe. Bigger than that and it's no longer a bicycle.
Now that is the future. How cool would a line up of those be haha. I want one
In Europe like in Ireland, it's called motor propelled vehicle. Not allowed on pedestrian area and needs documents if you are going to use it on public roads; like insurance and certificate of confirmation that it's safe to be used on public road like some kind of vehicle registration document. That's why the electric boards didn't succeed as you can only use them on private property/land
Thank you for this video.
Hopefully we get anotherone when the production version is out!
I think, the blue indicator-light at the handle-bar´s end is for the high beam. The visibly from inside is incredible! I wish other vehicles have at least a little bit from that.
i preordered one a year ago. very nice to see this here.
It's really nice. It just needs a few refinements -- a quieter belt like you said -- maybe some gauges or HUD on the windscreen, bigger battery, safety features like a strong, but lightweight roll bar and/or seat belt, braking lights when pedaling backwards, etc.
Sinclair C5 from the 1980's with a hood :)
Yeah and they were banned from UK roads as they were too low for cars to see. This is no different and will ultimately fail.
Yeah, it has definitely the same feeling, but a bit safer
@@jafuk A stick with a flag high enough to be seen vill fix that 😊
@@SniperSnake50BMG Sinclair's nephew has designed an up-to-date Velomobile called the Iris.
www.grantsinclair.com/en/all-products/iris-silver.html
You might find it interesting.
Personally I prefer the Quattrovelo from velomobiel.nl in the Netherlands. Not as easy to get in, but has more room!
en.velomobiel.nl/quattrovelo/
@ nakfan100 I've seen images of Sir Clive using a stick and flag but a hoop with high level light was available as an option :)
Love seeing these innovative products, thanks!
I love your pronunciation man 😂❤️ bike is dope af also
These will be the competitors:
IRIS e-Trike (3 wheels, so legal in the USA and available with 1000w. About same price as Podbike and with similar features)
Schaffler Bio-Hybrid (you sit tall and visible in traffic, but it is heavy and slow uphill and super expensive)
Podride (will be the most affordable and easy to upgrade to more powerful motors. Will also be the lightest, so fastest uphill. It is also quite tall and visible.)
Podbike (will be somewhere in between in price, but will be faster than both on the flats because of its aerodynamics.)
Canyon Future Mobility Concept (super expensive, but fast and a great design)
It needs a throttle for quick starts, especially if you are in traffic and need to accelerate quickly.
That thing is sooo cool 👍
I'm really looking forward to seeing these on german cyclepaths 🚲
For a shorter commute it keeps you out of the weather.
Is it your own invention?
Just a small sugestion:why dont you make it convertible?
this instantly reminded me of the scene in Ace Ventura 2 when he is in that robot Rhino lmao
^^
The pedaling and the noises of the plastic chassis rather reminds me of paddleboat-ing 😁
We are working on the production version now. That will get new belts, motors and a refined body which will in sum be much less noisy.
@@Perbear Looking so good. Very exciting project from you guys.
I loved the original 4 wheeled version but dumb laws at the target market mean it has to be 3 and lose a fair bit of boot space. Glad to see they've got a mass marketable version out at last it looks good
Awesome 🤩I can’t wait to buy one!
Great video, but there's no way I'd drive that on the road, and I don't think it is suitable for cycle paths in the UK.
I like it, and very well priced, I have more money into my recumbent FatTad Trike then it's cost. Needs a better suspension setup and more positive pedal engagement at low speeds. Cool product!
They will also sell an off-road kit for it.
So Cool I want one!
thats the size most vehicles should be. At least in cities.
The guy that made that Bike is my naiboor
Wow! Cool!
Neighbor
Looks alot safer than the 80's Sinclair C5.
Looks Amazing
This will be the most affordable velomobile on the market, 5K€ they are promising, compared to the 8k that most other costs, and 4 wheel versions are closer to 10k
Battery made in Canada! It's about time to build own cars here!
Maybe not built in Canada exactly, but 100% Canadian company. electrameccanica.com/
@The Monster Under Your Bed look it up
Wind is a killer with a regular bike. That, I've been told, allows this MUCH heavier bike to easily pass standard bikes on the trail. Wow! When will it be available in the USA? I wonder why they don't make these velo's a bit longer so one could sleep in it if required.
3:33 Left hand blue light would be to flash "head-lights" at car or slower bicyclists :)
That is the high beam indicator. The bike has high and low beam headlights as standard.
I need to workout. I would like to buy one in USA
Wow you really put it through its Paces. There was no curb or pothole you missed. LOL if it could take a beating like that I may buy one.
Video was quite interesting to me. I'd very much like if I see content similirar to this in future.
Its a fast convenient commuter, that would make up to 10 mile trips around congested towns and cities a lot faster than a car. I'm a serious cyclist, but even I have to admit that getting wet and cold/hot and sweaty before a day in my work/leisure clothes is not great. This will surely be developed more but the ideas around the variable electric drivetrain are very good and better than the other designs I've seen.
Charging and distance between charges are not an issue for a commuter like this. It only needs15- 20 miles range, which will vary depending on how much pedalling you do. FYI - an unfit leisure cyclist can comfortably produce 100watts for 20 minutes or so, as long as there is some cooling in warm weather.
Go for an electric bicycle, and proper clothes, don't push too hard.
I've been doing that for 10 years, I'm pretty much wet or sweaty (I do like to push hard from time to time).
But I totally understand the appeal of being protected from the weather, it's way more convinient than suiting up for the rain.
You finally found the really smart urban transportation! The "serial hybrid" is however a no no! Too much losses. You need direct drive (chain) to make it really usable.
I got a similar velomobile with 3 wheels 10 years ago with a hub-motor in the back. Electric consumption (measured at the mains outlet) in summer is around 6-8 Wh/km and in winter with moderate snow 12-15 Wh/km. (Compare that to the Ioniq at 120 Wh/km...)
Typical range with medium assist 60-80 km but if you turn the assist down and peddle more you can go really long distances. I once drove 180 km with 25 kg camping gear and had something like 10% charge left when I arrived. It is powered by a 550 Wh Bionix assist.
One of the main points about this serial hybrid is to get as much speed as possible for as little pedaling as possible, yet stay inside the crazy EU legal requirements. Yes, you lose some of your mechanical input power. However, the batteries supply the power to compensate for this loss and are large enough to still give you more than enough range. In This bike is made for commuting, so super long range is not important. 300km range with the optional batteries is more than enough for almost everybody. I just don't get your obsession with mechanical efficiency!? I would much rather choose to have 2kg of extra batteries for the much better convenience, lack of maintenance and reliability of a serial hybrid.
@@tarmacaddict3923 I hope you are right, but my first impression is that it's to slow an in responsive. Hope the real product will improve these things. I heard Bjørn talk about 20 km range, hope that is wrong, it would not get you any were. Remember this bike will compete with cars and bikes. I'm really looking forward to the finished product, have pre-ordered :) . But think the performance in this video was disappointing. Podbike has been developing this for many years now, so they have to step up their game. I'm not buying this for 50000nok not even cheaper.
That's a great concept but it should be a lot more responsive to your pedaling input... seems unsafe now. Also would be nice if you could have a button that lets you pedal while standing still so you charge the batteries while waiting for a traffic light.
No problem programming it to be more responsive. Keep in mind that this is a prototype.
A Higher Offroad Version would be fine and a sunscreen. Looks very cool!
6:30 A Taycan made a cameo. Nice. I’ve yet to see one on the road.
Tesla will never save the Planet but this might ,🤯
How are your welding skills for converting it into a street vendor Thai-food cart?
That's nice man.! Wow!
Okay I watched the demo for the PodRide and I would choose the PodRide over this one. This one doesn't seem to have any suspension and its louder than the PodRide, also the PodRide is very fast, drives in snow and over dirt without a hitch.
Shieeet, I should be testing that 😄
I agree!
After a few drives in this, Bjorn will start pedalling in MC HAMMER and wonder why it doesn't move...
Lol
Perhaps a hybrid 49cc. engine in place of peddles could enable a more applicable application.
Interesting concept.
Not sure where one would park that thing, though.
It can be parked upright taking up less space also :)
I have stroke related disabilities , would it be suitable for me? Are you bringing them to Adelaide, Australia? I’d love to check one out.
Cool comme voiture!!!
Ma TM3 sr+ est presque aussi bien!!!!
je vais acheter ce VE et rouler sur les piste cyclable prés de chez moi
Merci beaucoup Bjorn
awesome bike, but the clear cockpit window needs to be easily changed to a tinted one so you won't roast in the summer heat. at a bare minimum have the very top reflective so sun is not hitting your head all the time.
As far as I can tell from available information, they do intend for the canopy to be easily replaced should you find the need for it. The canopy comes with different coatings depending on what kind of sun conditions you face in your area. I dunno though, I could be totally wrong on this.
You’d have to remember that the ground clearance would be an additional hinderance for snow weather.
If its easy to change shoes inside the cockpit I would use clip in pedals and leave the shoes attached as they do in triathlon.
You could buy a edapter ccs for and type europ outlet they sell it for Reno twizy
I like the idea. I like many things in it. I don't like that it's too low that means it could scrape in a hole, when you are getting down from somewhere or something on something and it's with little cushioning. I don't like it is slow to go too. How will it hold in wet situations or in rain or cold? Will you be able to see from the windshield from condensation or water (there are no wipers)? Will you freeze if there is no heater? Is there a filter for everything that may come from the air intake including water? I think it should be able to move only on foot power if the batteries are down from some reason. Imagine if you are left in the middle of the road because of that!
Thankyou Bjorn, the best review so far for the Podbike!
1:07 There are 3 motors.....Not really, the first is a GENERATOR which is charging the batteries
As far as the test is concerned, it seems: very NOISY, quite RIGID and very HOT inside 😎
Generator is also a motor.
@@bjornnyland I think it's hard to homologate a bike with 3 motors 😀
Podbike ดีไซน์สวย สัดส่วนดีครับ เห็นแล้วสะดุดตาเลย
Man. This is perfect for my 10 years old kids that don’t have driving license yet😂
Will it come with an accelerator like a motorbike?
The battery needs to have energy to provide immediate acceleration. Pedalling without going anywhere is no different to one of those pedalo boats except I would rather sink than be hit by a car. Hope s/ware fixes that :)
The bike seen here is only a prototype. The final product will give you electric assist immediately when you pedal. The only exception is when you turn the Podbike on. In that case you will have to pedal a few turns to confirm that you are safely in the bike and ready to go.
At least this is what I can tell from what I have read.
Looks great...but expensive the assist seems laggy without a direct drive/go with the battery, 25ishkm/hr slow for the states too, but eu regulation I understand :/ especially in the states or just getting it to the states. Any chance to change the steering to a more joystick/steering wheel design between the legs?
Cool idea, but I can't see this being very practical. As a Dutch guy, I'd say this is quite unsafe on regular bicycle paths, and the 15-20km battery is really not enough at all to make it worth it.
Just put in more batteries. Lots of space there as shown in the video.
@@bjornnyland Indeed! If they can get the range to ~40-50km, could be a lot more useful, but I think for the safety of regular bicyclists, it probably should be on the road unfortunately.
I have searching for this video, not the exact video i have watched years ago but essentially same design. I want to build my own .
I'm waiting for 1000 km challenge of this thing ))
or a race vs the 2020 ioniq..
@@esenel92 well that just wouldn't be fair to the Ioniq, would it.
A good consept but air intake at exhaust height
In the future farting will be the only exhaust anyway.
Can it be plugged in? I'm sure that can be added. What about a transmission so it can get some nice speed? Can I step up the gears on the generation pedal like a bicycle so get some decent power after I get momentum?
More content like this please!
LOVE this concept. Wish they would make and market them in the USA. Hopefully they will be affordable. I would even go for a regular pedal car/bike with electric assist. Would love to see a tandem version. I am in my mid 60s and love bike riding. I could use one of these.....
nice, here you can see in what a bad shape of bicycle roads are , the crossings, the repairs, manhole covers etc. We have to take them all. Here is al lot of work to do!
Norway is notorious for being hopelessly behind on infrastructure designed for bicycles. The good news though is that they are now working on improving this, and fast. As early as late 2021 they are planning on finishing the first highway dedicated to bikes only, which is completely separated from the cars. The only cars that will be allowed to use this bike road, are emergency services, as it will be designed to serve as an extra road in the event of an emergency.
As for the rest of our country, it varies significantly. Some cities like Kristiansand are way ahead of the crowd, whilst cities like Oslo have a long way to go still.
yes it's cool and all but the price... bro why but that if you can buy a car with the same price?
I understand why they design vehicles with 'roofs' like this, but I'd like to see how you manage in the 'snow' without a wiper or any heating/air con to demist the interior. My guess is that you couldn't really use it in the cold and wet and see out safely.
Although you have to wear outdoor clothing, I think it is more sensible not to enclose the operator in such a small space and then expect them to exert themselves.
A professor at our uni had a similar designed bike and would drive it all year round. The snow/rain on the windshield is apparently not a problem as long as you are moving at least at walking speeds. Below that, you won't clear the shield.
Some canadians ride their classic bicycle during their harsh winter. Cold is not an issue when you're pedaling. Heat is one though.
I really like this and the design is well done. At the start up...could there be an idling mode that allows you to peddle for a couple of minutes to charge the batteries before the motors are engaged? This could provide a quicker and smoother initial acceleration that gets you up to speed without worrying so much about peddling and handling the vehicle while joining traffic too slowly.
When you're cycling, you're not constantly peddling, you're also coasting...constant peddling could become tiring if your speed is directly affected by how fast you are peddling at that moment. Are the batteries also being charged by the spinning wheels or just the peddles?
Very cool. I think the cockpit needs to be more open so you don't burn up.
That's possible to spec up.
@@bjornnyland you'd better hope so, or the 90 kph range test is going to be a killer. 😊
Will there be a L6e (45 km/h) Version dir Germany?
Seems a bit pricey (EUR5000?) but a great design, and hopefully will become less expensive in future.
@@stuka78 Right. A high quality e-bike is the same price in Germany.
This looks cool. How long will it be until we can buy them and how much will they cost?
Technically you can buy them already now, in a pre-order fashion. They are expected to enter series production sometime by the end of the year, and their goal is to push out into Europe in 2021. The cost will be around 5.000Eur. Expensive, but still way cheaper than a car.
You should talk to the people at Twike in Munich and borrow one of their two-seaters. A bit more like a car (higher speed) but very comparable in appearance and feel. The Twike can go on highways and autobahn (barely) and has a crazy good range when maxed out with its battery options.
But for a TWIKE you need a driving licence while the Podbike is a bike, like the Velomobile. No licence needed and no „Your papers, please“.
@@michaelh.gerloff3659 True, true. I'm not saying these are comparable, I'm just suggesting he should also test drive a Twike. For the shear fun of watching Bjørn testing yet another weird electric vehicle.
I don't see wind shield wiper. How can you see the road during bad weather? How about wind shield defuger during cold weather?
Hope they make an offroad version of this. With higher ground clearance, larger dampers and fatbike wheels.
Looking good, but I don't understand how pedaling a generator vs pedaling a direct drive is more efficient. I cannot see any advantages, only disadvantage.
Awesome how much are they going to cost I want one