CES 2019: Schaeffler Bio-Hybrid – the missing link?
Schaeffler has introduced a quadracycle, Bio-Hybrid, in near-production form
At a conference in Milan last year, Walter de Silva noted that quadricycles could be the future of the car in the city. Quadricycles are the area of overlap between the micromobility movement and the traditional car. Currently the Renault Twizy is the standard bearer for the quadricycle.
But we are still looking for a breakthrough vehicle that establishes the quadricycle as a vehicle meriting serious consideration by both micromobility enthusiasts and automotive diehards.
Now Schaeffler has introduced the Bio-Hybrid in near-production form. Could this be the missing link?
In short, No. The Bio-Hybrid is a clever e-bike with four wheels but it is still a bicycle, at least as classified by European regulators.
It is human-powered, with electric power assist. It has a 48-volt battery with a capacity of 1.2kWh, and has two 250-watt electric motors. It weighs just 100kg in its basic form, but a second battery is available.
The Bio-Hybrid comes in either a two-seat version with a rear cargo shelf, or a pick-up/delivery version. All versions come with Bluetooth, wifi and GPS. It is 1500mm tall, 850mm wide and 2180mm long. Four of these could easily fit in a standard or compact car space.
It’s not a quadricycle just yet, and not the missing link we are looking for. But it is evolving in the right direction and we look forward to seeing more developed versions in the near future.
