The Punkt Urban Mobility Project invited students from Royal College of Art (London), École Cantonale d’Art – ÉCAL (Lausanne) and Design Academy Eindhoven to create the ultimate electric bike to stimulate cycling. The brief: a bicycle specifically tailored to their local city.
DAE students from the Man and Activity department came up with ‘Bike for two’, since riding around in pairs is common in the Netherlands. The bench seat takes a passenger, while the motor powered by a concealed battery makes it an easy ride. To transform into a piece of instant furniture, simply set up the robust bike- stand. The result: conviviality à go-go.
The Royal College of Art designed EB01, a sharable urban bike. The concept could be offered as an add-on for the ever-increasing flex-desk businesses popping up all over the city. With its handy navigation system and rechargeable battery integrated into the seat, all the rider has to do is remove the seat after locking up the bike. Voilà: instant theft prevention.
Meanwhile, students from ÈCAL adapted their bike for steep hills. The E-Cal 1020 has a motor which collects and stores energy from downhill journeys, making Lausanne’s challenging upward climbs a breeze.
Prototypes of the bikes were on display during Milan Design Week, Salone del Mobile, from 4 to 9 April and visitors voted for their favourite prototype, via Instagram. Competition was stiff, but we are very proud to announce that ‘Bike for Two’ won the ‘The Punkt. Urban Mobility Project’ prize, with 49 votes! Congratulations to all the students who were part of this great project!