ELECTRIC BIKE 2000 PROJECT

The Electric Bike 2000 Project is part of an initiative to promote the use of electric bicycles (e-bikes) and to document their performance to assist the federal and Quebec governments as they prepare to regulate the use of this new mode of transportation. A pioneer in evaluating e-bikes, the Centre for Electric Vehicle Experimentation in Quebec (CEVEQ), together with the Tremblant Resort Association, organized e-bike tests at the world-renowned tourism site in the summers of 1997 and 1998. In 1999, aware that this transportation method has relevance for cities because it reduces traffic and greenhouse gases, CEVEQ suggested to the City of Montreal and other partners that they participate in an e-bike evaluation project. For four months, 120 cyclists assessed the first e-bike built in Quebec - the Elektron, manufactured by Groupe Procycle in Saint-Georges-de-Beauce. The final evaluation report attracted the interest of Transport Canada and the Socit de l'Assurance Automobile du Qubec (SAAQ). With strong support from major partners, the Electric Bike 2000 Project quickly expanded worldwide, attracting some of the world's most prestigious manufacturers in Quebec, Canada, the United States, Japan, and Europe (Honda, Ford, Yamaha, Peugeot, Renault, ZAP, EV Global Motors, Groupe Procycle, etc.). Products new to the market (Ford's TH!NK Bike Fun) were tested by the general public for the first time. The prospect of legislation in Canada generated considerable interest in the evaluation. CEVEQ succeeded in expanding the testing to include four Canadian regions and close to 400 cyclists. The evaluation was held from June 12 to October 7, 2000. Each participant had to complete a detailed questionnaire. A communication strategy was also implemented to raise awareness of the project and to provide the public and governments with general information on e-bikes and their advantages in urban environments. The resulting heavy press coverage helped to increase public awareness of e-bikes. Various government authorities and participating organizations were also brought into the project and reaped various benefits, depending on their interests and participation.

• Record URL:
  http://data.tc.gc.ca/archive/eng/innovation/tdc-summary-13700-13732e-681.htm
• Corporate Authors:

  Transport Canada

  Transportation Development Centre, 800 Rene-Levesque Boulevard West, Suite 600
  Montreal, Quebec  Canada  H3B 2X1

  Center for Electric Vehicle Experimentation in Quebec

  Saint-Jerome, Quebec,   Canada 
• Authors:
  • Lamy, V
• Publication Date: 2001

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 69 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bicycles; Cities; Cyclists; Electric vehicles; Environmental protection; Greenhouse gases; Highway traffic; Legislation; Mass media; Public information programs; Tests; Urban areas
• Identifier Terms: EV Global Motors; Ford Motor Company; Groupe Procycle; Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha; Peugeot; Renault S.A.; Yamaha; ZAP
• Uncontrolled Terms: Motorized bicycles
• Geographic Terms: Canada; Europe; Japan; Quebec (Province); United States
• Subject Areas: Energy; Environment; Highways; Law; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00936872
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: TP 13732E
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 23 2003 12:00AM