White Bike Ideas (WMC) and Zero Bikes have collaborated to prototype the world’s first electrical sports activities bike with WMC’s patented aerodynamic duct, decreasing drag by 10%.
The businesses first related on the 2023 EICMA bike present, the place they shared a imaginative and prescient targeted on advancing electrical automobile effectivity and efficiency. The design of Zero’s SR/S mannequin made it a perfect candidate to combine WMC’s aerodynamic expertise.
The ensuing WMCSRS idea encompasses a bespoke bifurcated duct that channels air from behind the entrance wheel and exits above the rear wheel. To reinforce airflow by way of the duct, WMC additionally designed a brand new aerodynamic entrance fender and fork shroud.
“The entire business is at the moment dealing with an enormous technical and business problem to provide an electrical bike with efficiency near its petrol equal,” stated Robert White, Founder and CEO of White Bike Ideas. “This drawback requires a mix of improvements to bridge the hole, not simply counting on battery expertise alone.”
Based on White, when he first noticed the Zero SR/S structure, he acknowledged the chance to retrofit WMC’s patented duct expertise. The ensuing proof-of-concept demonstrates the potential advantages of integrating aerodynamic enhancements into electrical bikes.
“Aerodynamics is a scorching subject, particularly in MotoGP, the place winglets and different gadgets enhance lap instances, although this effectivity profit doesn’t all the time translate to retail bikes,” White defined. “Our clever aero duct enhances aerodynamic effectivity, positively impacting energy consumption, particularly at excessive speeds.”
The WMCSRS encompasses a vertically bifurcated duct that picks up air behind the entrance wheel and navigates the present Zero SR/S construction, exiting just below the seat. Utilizing F1-style aero rakes, the engineering workforce analyzed the airflow to optimize the duct’s efficiency.
“From our preliminary assembly at EICMA, we have now been to grasp the potential impression of WMC’s aerodynamic duct,” stated Abe Askenazi, Zero Bikes CTO. “We’re dedicated to innovation, and whereas battery growth is advancing quickly, we imagine a mixture of applied sciences is the important thing to growing the electrical bikes of the longer term.”
The ten% enhance in aerodynamic effectivity from the duct can be utilized to both prolong the bike’s vary or cut back battery measurement and weight, chopping down on prices and cost instances.
“This proof of idea has given us beneficial insights into the potential advantages of integrating an aerodynamic duct into electrical bikes,” Askenazi stated. “We’ll proceed to discover complementary technological developments to ship market-leading merchandise for our clients.”
The collaboration between WMC and Zero demonstrates the potential for modern partnerships to handle the challenges dealing with the electrical bike business.
