We think far beyond the car as such, with a focus on mobility in general. We do this regularly in concept teams made up of specialists with a mission to look into the future and give up existing conventions. – Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg
The two wheeler above is Volkswagen’s latest bid in their mission to become the most innovative and environmentally friendly car maker in the world. Of course the VW Bik.e looks just like a bike, though I didn’t notice the lack of pedals at first (indicates how often I ride a bike). This folding contraption is battery powered and has a range of 12.5 miles, with a top speed of 12.5 mph (apparently allows legal helmet-less riding). Given these specs it’s definitely intended as an supplement to your car. In its collapsed state, it easily fits inside the spare tire compartment in your vehicle. Check out the video below for the animation showing it going from bike to tire. Sounds like it might actually be for sale too, eventually.
As an idea I am skeptical. I don’t like the reliance on cars to get you to a place where you can practically bike about. If you don’t live in a dense city or a city center, this solution is always going to be a car + bike situation. While the design is obviously a step in the right overall direction, I prefer urban mobility solutions that remove cars from the equation completely. That said, this is definitely the coolest looking folding bike concept I have seen. (Here is another one if you are interested, this one with pedals.)
VW should start including the bike for free with the purchase of a car.
Great idea. I like that VW is thinking out of the box.
I also love that it fits where the spare goes. Here’s a folding bike my husband designed. http://speedstudiodesign.com/transportation/zoomla-bike-folds-2-seconds/
Bromptons fold weird. Strida bikes are also very sweet. They fold super fast. I take mine on the subway w/ me all the time cause it rolls when its folded.
It’s a decent idea! I like how it folds away in a spare tire area although that’s not always convenient to get to in some cars. The only beef I have with it is what do you exactly do with it once you reach a destination? Lock it up? Take it inside? In that case, it should almost fold into a rolling suitcase-like configuration.
I think this is a perfect replacement for a folding bike, assuming it does not weigh to much and can be moved while folded easy. As far as I can tell, a folding bike is for those who take public transit but have a considerable distance to travel before and/or after they get on the transit service. Other than that I would imagine a bike built for the kind of ride you want is what you would buy. I can’t see why you would get a bike made to supplement car travel since a car can get you places faster and more comfy.
Hey! That’s a really great post. I’m very certain I’ll suggest it to my co-workers.If you submit more posts please e-mail them to me.