Our electric future: Visionary designer Kar Lee peers into his crystal ball
You may have been surprised by my choice of the electric Zero DSR/X as my bike of last year, but not as surprised as I was.
However, with Government threats to end the sale of petrol bikes and scooters by 2035, our electric future is getting closer, so I’ve had a natter with Kar Lee about it.
Kar’s a visionary designer who’s been working with bike specialist insurer Bikesure on just that – although to be honest he really should change his name from Kar to Bike to be taken seriously. You can see his stuff at kardesignkoncepts.com.
Our chat is pretty topical after one of the Dutch journalists on the Zero launch had just come from a big energy convention at which one leading expert said there’d be a big breakthrough in battery tech in a year and a half.
Wacky - But bikers will shy away from designs that are too different, says KarAnd that will presumably mean more range, since lack of range, high prices and lack of charging points are the unholy trinity of current electric machines.
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Kar said the Government and manufacturers need to work together to:
· Develop batteries so they are smaller, lighter, and better integrated into the bikes’ design.
· Improve charging infrastructure to make it easier for riders to recharge their bikes.
Beauty - The lovely electric Maeving RM1 goes for the retro look· Help relieve range anxiety by ensuring that rural areas as well as cities and towns have access to charging points.
· Consider adding engine sounds, much like you can change the ringtone on your phone, since for many bikers, the sound is part of the pleasure.
· Make electric motorbikes look like traditional petrol ones.
Preview - Details of what innovations are likely in electric machines“While there is a market for unique standout machines, the electric bikes that get the most positive reaction from bikers are generally the ones that look like a mildly futuristic spin on an existing internal combustion engine design,” he said.
“There are actually dozens of smaller electric motorcycle companies around the world making innovative bikes, and in an effort to stand out it is often these start-ups that are the bravest and the boldest when it comes to making the most unique-looking EV bikes, such as Swedish firm Cake and Ultraviolette Automotive in India.
“I reckon there’s plenty of room in the market for both distinctive, creative design solutions, and also more conventional aesthetics.
Traditional - The Zero SR/S electric sports tourer looks pretty much like a petrol bike“There’s a fine line between making something look and work differently, but if it’s too unfamiliar prepare for it to be rejected by the public.
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“There are high-end electric bikes coming to market that celebrate looking different – Arc Vector and the Curtiss One spring to mind – but these are not meant to be high-volume products.
“The big sales are coming from the smaller bikes designed for city use, and while the bulk of these aren’t meant to push boundaries in terms of aesthetics, they do utilise a freshness in their design.
Popular - Commuter bikes such as the easy-to-ride Zero FXE are the biggest sellers“Removable batteries in the smaller bikes, built-in immobilisers, regen modes and other features that are more commonplace in the car sector are trickling down.
“In terms of aesthetics, I see emotos beginning to look more like traditional ICE machines, and certainly on the more premium machines the batteries themselves moving away from looking like huge bricks.
“Integrating the battery into the design of a bike is already becoming more seamless, and that’s a trend that will continue.
Visionary - Designer Kar Lee looks at the future of electric biking“Battery development for range improvement, size and weight, and a charging infrastructure are the two main obvious advancements that would benefit the emoto market.
“Thanks to the car world, these are making steady progress, but we’re still not there yet in the bike sector, which lags behind around five years. With that technology improvement should come a reduction in build cost.
“With regards to infrastructure, at the time of writing, there are 21,378 locations with 35,778 charging points across the UK – 35% up on this time last year.
Winner - The Zero DSR/X was Geoff's 2022 bike of the year“James May of Top Gear fame estimated that the UK would need 1.2 million charge points if the population decided to convert to EVs.
“Range anxiety will always be a barrier when it comes to electric bikes becoming mainstream, hence why electric take-up is better in cities, where ebikes are perfect for the commute and convenient to recharge at home.
“There are currently four different types of charging port depending on where your vehicle comes from, none of which are interchangeable without an adaptor. It’s a mildly confusing hurdle to current EV ownership, and a modern universal fast-charging solution as a standard would be ideal.
Pulsing - The Harley LiveWire makes a sound even at rest“To most riders, the sound of a throbbing engine is also a major part of motorcycling’s joy. Harley Davidson think so too, so their Livewire has a ‘haptic pulse’ feature at idle to remind you that it’s switched on.
“Perhaps motorcycle manufacturers will add engine sounds to their ebikes, much like you can change the ringtone on your phone.”
Browse more than 19,000 new and used bikes for sale at Autotrader.co.uk/bikes
Browse more than 19,000 new and used bikes for sale at Autotrader.co.uk/bikes
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