This French company has designed the first e-bike that doesn’t need a battery

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🗞️ Driving the news: French innovator, Adrien Lelièvre, developed the Pi-Pop e-bike, a ground-breaking solution that uses supercapacitors, not lithium batteries, addressing the eco-concerns related to battery production
• It’s a huge step for eco-friendly commuting, avoiding the environmental damage caused by mining lithium and other rare-earth elements

🔭 The context: A supercapacitor quickly stores and releases energy through electrostatic means, unlike lithium batteries that use chemical reactions, enabling the bike to save energy during pedaling or braking and use it for challenging tasks like uphill riding

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: This new discovery provides a greener way to travel that doesn’t rely on hard-to-get materials and avoids long charging waits, promoting a more sustainable way to get around
• With its recyclable materials, this e-bike is a solid step toward cleaner, greener transit solutions in the growing e-bike sector

⏭️ What's next: Pi-Pop plans to increase production from 100 to a thousand bikes a month by 2024, with intentions to enter the booming European e-bike market by 2025, offering a sustainable alternative in the changing transit landscape

💬 One quote: “Pi-Pop is all about being eco-wise...keeping control of production is key when talking about sustainable and energy transition. We also need to create jobs in the process” (Adrien Lelièvre, Pi-Pop)

📈 One stat: The EU’s import of 1.2 million e-bikes, as per Eurostat, underscores a significant shift and growing preference for electric-powered transit options

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