Greg Clausen (the HybriPed inventor) rode his prototype Traveller Bike for a year. It clocked up 5,000 commuter kilometres at 0.66 litres per 100 kilometres travelled (358 miles/gallon(US)).
What would this mean in Greenhouse gas emissions for a 10,000 kilometre annual usage, and how does it compare with other modes of motor transport?
Here's the basic assumptions:
- Prototype is a 2-stroke motor; 30% of the fuel is unburnt and does NOT add to greenhouse emissions.
- The 2-stroke motor uses fuel:oil mix of 20:1
- Gasoline (Petrol) creates 2.6 kilograms of greenhouse gases for every litre consumed.
- Annual commuter journey: 10,000 kilometres
- Light sedan fuel consumption: 6 litres gasoline per 100 kilometres.
- Modern 125cc scooter/moped fuel consumption: 3 litres gasoline per 100 kilometres
The calculations:
- Traveller Bike: 10,000/100 x 0.66 x 0.7 x 2.6 x (1 + 0.05 ) = 126 kg greenhouse emissions
- Light sedan: 10,000/100 x 6 x 2.6 = 1,560 kilograms greenhouse emissions
- Scooter: 10,000/100 x 3 x 2.6 = 780 kilograms greenhouse emissions
- Traveller Bike/light sedan ratio: 126/1,560 = 1/12
- Traveller Bike/scooter ratio: 126/780 = 1/6
Of course, the comparison is not that simple. What if the average number of passengers in the sedan is 2.5? Then the sedan looks more attractive, but the greenhouse gas load of the Traveller Bike is still only 20% that of a light sedan with 2.5 passengers.
It is worth noting that if the light sedan is used efficiently, such as car-pooling or car-sharing, then it can be as climate-friendly as a scooter.
Another interesting observation is that 10,000 on a 2-stroke light motorized bike might consume as little as 66 litres of gasoline and only 3.3 litres of oil.
The bottom (greenhouse) line is this:
If you must have a car, don't use it for personal transport. Leave it in the garage and take your Traveller Bike instead.
(if it is legal on road where you live)
