Germany-based design studio\u00a0DING3000\u00a0<\/strong>and the\u00a0chemical company BASF<\/strong> have rebuilt the 19th century velocipede<\/a> as a modern e-bike with state-of-the-art technology.\u00a0The e-bike draws reference from the year\u00a01865, when\u00a0BASF\u00a0was founded and also\u00a0when Karl Drais’ wooden “Dandy horse<\/a>” was given its first pedals, which launched the bicycle on the road to global success. “Concept 1865”<\/strong> is an answer to to\u00a0DING3000 and\u00a0BASF’s question:\u00a0\u00a0How would the first pedal cycle have looked if the pioneers of the bike had had today’s advanced technology and materials to work with?<\/em><\/p>\n

“Concept 1865”<\/strong>, an e-velocipede is a\u00a0ready-to-ride prototype featuring an electric drive.\u00a0The bike is developed with 24 high-performance plastics,\u00a0speciality foams, epoxy resin and polyurethane materials from BASF. The bike construction features a\u00a0bearingless all-plastic pedals made of \u2018ultrason\u2019 and puncture-proof tires made of \u2018infinergy’.<\/p>\n

“By implementing this design study DING3000 obviously does not intend to reinvent the bicycle, let alone the wheel. Under the slogan \u00bbRethinking Materials\u00ab, the unusual e-bike is in fact an invitation to customers to join the company in developing new applications and product ideas utilizing advanced plastics. It is an invitation to question the status quo and create something new – just as the pioneers of cycling did in their time.”<\/p>\n

Before you scroll down to the images, do check out the ‘e-velocipede in action’ video below:<\/p>\n