[REPORT]
Electric PTW presented in the context of eSUM Project
BMW Motorrad presents concept vehicle for urban mobility
In the context of the European safety project eSUM BMW Motorrad developed the C1-E study. This is what a safer, environment-friendly and highly practical single track vehicle for city traffic could look like in the future, according to the German PTW manufacturer. This study unit is based on the concept of the BMW C1. It is characterized by a very high level of active and passive safety and is driven by an electric motor.
The eSUM project follows an integrated approach, seeking to identify features for safer vehicles, best practices for targeted enforcement and appropriately designed infrastructure, as well as ways of improving driving and riding behaviour.
The BMW C1-E provides exemplary protection for its rider. This is ensured by the safety cell with the conspicuous roll-over bar which dynamically spans the rider seat in combination with the energy-absorbing impact element at the nose end. A further special point is that the C1-E rider wears a seat-belt. In the study this safety feature is highlighted by red belts and belt buckles.
The electric motor employed in the study has been designed for city use and is based on components by the company Vectrix. The motor obtains its power from a lithium-ion battery and thus possesses sufficient power for mastering most inner-city traffic riding with ease. Alternatively the vehicle could also be equipped with an efficient, low-emissions internal combustion engine.
The safety features of the C1-E have been taken from the former BMW C1 and further enhanced. Series production is currently not planned. Nevertheless, findings from the project will find their way into other future developments in the field of single-track vehicles.
Within the eSUM framework a diagnosis will be made on collision prevention, accident avoidance and mitigation of accident severity. The analysis of the gathered data will allow to identify guidelines which will be transferred to other cities.
Now in its advanced operational phase, ESUM is performing urban road safety benchmarking and accident analyses in view of collecting best practices to increase PTW safety in cities.
The advantage of two-wheeled transportation is that it offers a great opportunity for improving the flow of traffic in urban locations. Moreover, it is environmentally friendly and lends itself to individualisation. However, the vast majority of accidents occur in urban traffic, in areas where 80 percent of the population live. The idea behind eSum is to look into ways of countering this trend. The joint goal is the identification, development, and practical demonstration of measures which are able to guarantee safe motorcycle and motor-scooter transport in the inner-city traffic of the future.
[INDEX]
EESC PUBLIC HEARING ON EUROPEAN PTW INDUSTRY
THE PTW SECTOR AND THE ECONOMIC CRISIS
SPAIN'S STRUGGLE TO FIGHT THE CRISIS IN THE PTW SECTOR
WHO ADOPTS DECLARATION ON ROAD SAFETY
Save the date:
The eSUM Midterm Workshop will take place on January 28, 2010 in Brussels
For more information, please contact Veneta Vassileva, ACEM Safety Coordinator v.vassileva[at]acem.eu