It has been 28 years since the world's first electric assisted bicycle, also named Pedelec, went on sale in 1993. As the birthplace of Japan, Pedelecs have become very popular, and they are one of the most common means of transportation for Japanese residents to commute, shop, and pick up children to and from school. As the center of bicycle culture in Europe, the sales of bicycles have gone from bad to worse in recent years, and only electric-assisted bicycles have grown against the trend.
Question 1: What is the Pedelec?
"Pedelec"is the word for electric assisted bicycle, which is a combination of pedal and electric. It specifically refers to a bicycle equipped with an electric motor that needs to be driven by a pedal. "Electric bicycle = bicycle + power assist system (PAS)", and PAS is the abbreviation of Power Assist System. Therefore, electric assisted bicycles are based on the addition of PAS to the bicycle, the purpose is to make cycling easier.
Question 2: Why is the technical threshold of PAS high?
Through the PAS producer’s names of Yamaha, Panasonic, Bosch, and Brose, We believe that everyone already knows that the development of PAS requires considerable scientific research capabilities. Human-computer interaction is considered to be the fifth information revolution, and the most critical basis for human-computer interaction is the "sensor". Only by being able to read and recognize people's intentions can they control the machine to understand and help humans. The purpose of the PAS is to use the power of the motor to help people achieve easy riding. Therefore, it is first necessary to identify how much force the person uses, and then calculate and judge how much power the person needs.
Question 3: What is the technology of the power assist system?
The core sensor of the PAS is called the "torque sensor". The meaning of the name is that it is installed on the center axle of the bicycle. The bottom bracket is connected to the crank, and it happens to form a torsion bar structure while riding. When the bottom bracket is subjected to torsion, the surface will produce subtle deformations that are invisible to the naked eye. The amount of manpower can be calculated according to the mathematical model by measuring deformation.
Question 4: What is the difference between the Japanese market and the European market?
Japan’s Pedelec are mainly 24 inches and 26 inches, and there are many products with baby seats and tricycles. This is because the Japanese market is mostly for housewives, students, and elderly users. But in recent years, more people and classes have begun to choose Pedelec as a means of transportation. Therefore, many brands have begun to introduce smaller or larger models. For example, Yamaha has also launched electric Assist road bikes and developed the sports market.
The European market is very different from the Japanese market. Most of them are mountain or station wagons, and they basically use a frame size of 26 inches and above. This is largely related to the taller heights and different aesthetic cultures of Europeans. There are also many differences between the standards and Japan. Relatively speaking, Japan has stricter restrictions on the time, power ratio, and speed of the PAS.
Question 5: What is the development direction of Pedelec?
In the future, Pedelec may have more breakthroughs in "human-computer interaction". In addition to connecting the vehicle to the Internet through Bluetooth and APP to enable the vehicle to have social, positioning, navigation and other functions, the deeper level lies in the collection of each user. The PAS is optimized based on the actual data, and the user experience is continuously improved through remote firmware upgrades.
