Rayvolt Tapped To Supply Barcelona-Based Scooter & Bike Sharing Network YEGO
Credit to Author: Kyle Field| Date: Fri, 23 Aug 2019 15:27:18 +0000
Published on August 23rd, 2019 | by Kyle Field
August 23rd, 2019 by Kyle Field
CleanTechnica visited Barcelona to get the inside scoop on ebike upstart Rayvolt and we happened upon some exciting news about the company building custom bikes for local bike and scooter sharing network YEGO. Rayvolt has been tapped by Barcelona-based scooter and bike sharing network YEGO to build a custom ebike and standing electric scooter to be used on the YEGO network.
A YEGO electric scooter sitting on the streets of Barcelona, Spain. Image credit: Kyle Field | CleanTechnica
The deal will see Rayvolt building 2,000 scooters and 2,000 bikes for the vehicle sharing network in the coming months, with the first 200 scooters slated for delivery on June 15th of this year. When we visited the Rayvolt headquarters, we were some of the first outsiders to see the custom scooter and bike the Rayvolt team is building for YEGO.
The close proximity of Rayvolt’s R&D lab, their design team, and YEGO’s team made it easy for the three to quickly iterate with the design to build two platforms specifically for YEGO using Rayvolt’s proven electric powertrain and components.
The prototype of the ebike Rayvolt is building for YEGO in front of other Rayvolt ebikes. Image credit: Kyle Field | CleanTechnica
We took the bike Rayvolt was designing for YEGO out for a spin around Barcelona and found it to be one of the most comfortable, ergonomically friendly, and functional bikes in the Rayvolt HQ. We talked to Rayvolt’s CEO and founder Mat Rauzier about the deal and he shared that they were putting extra effort into ensuring that these exact features were the focus on the YEGO vehicles. Bike and scooter sharing, he noted, require vehicles to fit the maximum number of riders with as little effort as possible.
The electric drive specifically was so seamlessly integrated into the riding experience of the prototype we rode that it was almost invisible to the rider, except for the nice little boost in average riding speed and top speed. As with many ebikes, the Rayvolt ebike being built for YEGO kicks in when the system detects that the cranks are moving, at which point the electric motor provides a complementary boost in power. When implemented correctly, it serves to amplify the power output of the rider seamlessly, increasing the average speed of travel which nets out to an increase in the total distance that can be traveled in any given time.
A prototype of the stand up scooter Rayvolt is building for YEGO. Image credit: Kyle Field | CleanTechnica
The specific docking setup that will be used for the custom bikes is still being finalized, but Mat was able to share the digital locking mechanism being implemented as well as some exciting details about a GPS tracking solution that will be used to provide location-based integration to the YEGO app.
Disclaimer: Rayvolt paid for CleanTechnica to fly to Barcelona for the purposes of this article series.
Kyle Field I’m a tech geek passionately in search of actionable ways to reduce the negative impact my life has on the planet, save money and reduce stress. Live intentionally, make conscious decisions, love more, act responsibly, play. The more you know, the less you need. TSLA investor.