Mike Burrows' 8 Freight - the 2-wheel van used by AV2Hire
Submitted by MikeWhelan on 8 June, 2009 - 17:10
Designed by an ex-Lotus engineer to be fast and light, yet strong - electric-assist is deemed unnecesary. Use cycle lanes to avoid traffic jams. No parking fees, low maintenence and interchangable wheels.
A bicycle's performance, in both biological and mechanical terms, is extraordinarily efficient. In terms of the amount of energy a person must expend to travel a given distance, investigators have calculated it to be the most efficient self-powered means of transportation.
From a mechanical viewpoint, up to 99% of the energy delivered by the rider into the pedals is transmitted to the wheels, although the use of gearing mechanisms may reduce this by 10-15%. In terms of the ratio of cargo weight a bicycle can carry to total weight, it is also a most efficient means of cargo transportation.
