Smart e-bikes

This EPSRC-funded research project, ‘Understanding how commuters and communities engage with electrically-assisted cycling’, is led by Dr Frauke Behrendt with Dr Sally Cairns and Dr David Raffo.

This project focuses on electrically-assisted bicycles – also known as pedelecs and e-bikes – that have a small electric motor powered by a rechargeable battery to help propel machine and rider. The amount of assistance reduces with increasing speed and cuts out altogether once the rider reaches 25kmph, or if pedalling ceases.

See also a further project using the smart ebikes in Eastbourne -  University campus ebikes

Project timeframe

The project ran from 2011 to 2014.

Smart E-Bikes project was funded (£442,845) by the Research Council UK’s Energy and Digital Economy programmes through the EPSRC grant EP/ J004855/1. In partnership with Brighton & Hove City Council, the project had additional funding through the Local Sustainable Transport Fund.

Project aims

The aim of this project was to understand how people engage with (smart) e-cycling and the issues for policy, design/product development and research that could lead to a higher uptake of e-bikes in the UK, and thereby potentially reduce carbon emissions.

This project was positioned at the intersection of more traditional cycling research, mobile media studies and user-centred design, and aimed to understand electric cycling as a unique mode of transport, with distinctive potential and challenges in the UK context.

Working with two major employers a series of surveys were undertaken and 80 participants were loaned an e-bike for six to eight weeks after which they completed final surveys and took part in interviews and group discussions. Community groups with older participants and those not necessarily commuting also trialled the bikes, in all over 100 participants, most of which did not previously cycle (regularly). Specific e-cycle training was developed.

A ‘smart’ monitoring system was developed (implemented on 30 e-bikes) that autonomously recorded and transmitted the bikes position, route and level of assistance (open source, open hardware) in real time, feeding an online interface for both research analysis and participant review, turning singular e-bikes into a networked fleet.

Smart-ebike-technology
e-bike-graphic

Project findings and impact

Project updates and conference presentations are at the Smart ebike project website. Journal papers with results are currently under review.

Research team

Lead researcher:

Dr Frauke Behrendt, Senior Lecturer at the University of Brighton

Co-researchers:

Dr Sally Cairns, Senior Research Fellow, TRL (Transport Research Laboratory) and UCL (University College London)

Dr David Raffo, Senior Lecturer in 3-D Design, University of Ulster

Chris Kiefer, Research Fellow, University of Brighton

Project Administrator:

Jenny Embleton, University of Brighton

Output

Project updates and conference presentations are at the Smart ebike project website. Journal papers with results are currently under review.

Partners

Co-Is at the Transport Research Lab/UCL and the University of Ulster.

Project partners:

  • Brighton & Hove City Council
  • Raleigh
  • Bupa International
  • M-Cycles
  • Baker Street Bikes

We have an advisory panel for this project with five members:

  • Dr Andy Cope, Sustrans
  • Derek MacAuley, The University of Nottingham
  • Professor Nanette Mutrie, University of Strathclyde
  • Dr Lynn Sloman, Transport for Quality of Life
  • Dr Walter Vogt, University of Stuttgart