It is no secret that sadly the world continues to battle against Coronavirus & despite the best efforts of international lockdowns; Covid19 is on the rise once again.
Having spent months flattening the curve by restricting human movement & millions of people across the globe either being sent home from work, or having lost their jobs’; as international communities attempt to re-boot their economies the ‘New Normal’ does not seem to have been adhered to.
One of the many observations made during lockdown, was the impact restricted movements made on the emissions & CO2 levels. We are aware that these are only temporary, however a recent article by Carbon Brief indicated that lessons could be learnt post Covid19 pandemic & advancing anthropogenic climate change could addressed.
“the direct impact of the pandemic response on climate change will be “negligible”. Prof Piers Forster from the University of Leeds’ Priestley International Centre for Climate (1)
“Before we had coronavirus we weren’t on track, we absolutely weren’t,” he tells Carbon Brief. But he says that the crisis presents an opportunity to change course: “If we don’t do it today, I think we won’t ever be able to, unfortunately.” Prof Piers Forster from the University of Leeds’ Priestley International Centre for Climate
One of the key phrases to come out of the lockdown & Pandemic in general, is a need for a ‘Green Recovery’ This phrase addresses the need for a global action & lessons to be learnt with regards to the need to keep global temperatures below 1.5’C
One area of economic growth post lockdown, has been in the Motorcycle Sales. As Dolphin N2 has explored before, a lot of commuters are choosing individual travel options to avoid public transport & avoid unnecessary exposure to Covid19 with a lot of people identifying the ease of which a motorcycle can transport an individual from A to B.
Having seen motorcycle sales reduce by some 83.5% in April (2) according to the RMI (National Motorcycle Dealers Association) “Scooters and motorcycle sales saw a 41.9% rise compared with July last year & the motorcycle market saw a further, strong increase in registrations, up 31.2% in August prior to a new registration plate” (3)
However, despite the sales figures showing a considerable increase in motorcycle sales, this doesn’t address the emissions & GHG’s being produced by these internal combustion engines. As Governments continue to introduce legislation banning fossil fuelled vehicles & media advertising most definitely leaning towards hybrids or electric; there is a clear shift towards the need for a mix of fuelling systems for our daily commutes, family vehicles & recreational modes of transport.
Two British companies are seeking to make considerable waves in international markets with their eMC (Electric Motorcycle) ranges.
Saietta, riding on the wave of it’s nineteen years of success, is aiming it’s Electric Motorcycle Engine at a global market. While some companies are looking at job cuts, Saietta are seeking to increase their current 29 employees by tenfold to meet demand.
Saietta have patented their Axial Flux Traction (AFT) electric motor, an alternative to the more common radial flux motors used by Zero & Harley Davidsons ‘LiveWire’ with radial flux motors, whereby rotor rotates around the stator in a cylindrical casing.
AFT140 is the first motor variant and is in low volume production. It is optimised for mid-power motorbikes and final-mile delivery vehicles. The unique AFT140 design provides class-leading performance with high torque density at low voltage and is particularly efficient on urban duty cycles. AFT140 has been designed for high automation in volume production, meaning AFT140 cost effectively delivers class-leading performance for lightweight electric vehicles. (4)
Saietta’s AFT motor (produced by Agni Motors) was used in the very first electric Isle of Mann TT winning machine back in 2009. Saietta having been formed in 2015, when Agni Motors & Agility Global combined forces, have since gone on to see their motor used in the renamed TT Zero series. (5)
Saietta’s vision is to introduce their motor into the equivalent of a 125cc petrol engine motorcycle & with current in roads to Asia in the pipeline, Saietta engines are on their way to becoming a dominant force in the EMC market place.
Another British company making their mark in the eMC market is Zapp. Zapp, founded in 2017 , is committed to producing zero emissions commuter motorcycles.
“Our first entry into the market is the i300. A radical, ground-up design to meet the needs of today’s modern urbanites. i300 is technologically advanced, addictive to ride, high quality and environmentally friendly. Our commitment to advanced design resulted in the i300 receiving multiple international design awards in our first year of market launch.” (6)
Zapp’s ethos starts in their manufacturing factory which is low energy, solar- powered, single station based & automation free. (6) Their patent i3000 Scooter boasts an Air-cooled Interior permanent rare earth magnet electric motor & it’s maximum output comes in at 14 kW (20hp) @ 3,000 rpm in Zapp mode (6)
Both of these British companies are on the cusp of a revolution in motorcycle manufacturing. But, for most motorcycle owners, the greatest concern is still range anxiety. However, as Umberto Uccelli MD of Zero Motorcycles said in a recent MCN article “In Europe the average rider covers 4000 miles a year, but the average daily commute is less than 25 miles” (7)
Motorcycles continue to be an alternative transport choice for many more people than ever, as Covid19 puts people off using public transport & the technologies & charging point advances & availability for eMC vehicles, is proving to be more of an attractive commuter alternative.
Written by Katy-Jane Mason for & on behalf of Dolphin N2.
(1) https://www.carbonbrief.org/coronavirus-green-recovery-could-prevent-0-3c-of-warming-by-2050
(4) https://saiettagroup.com/about-us/
(5) MCN 09.09.2020
(6) https://zappscooter.com/en/about-us
(7) eMCN Supplement 16.09.2020
