Cosworth and Storck collaborating on advanced electric bicycles

Andy Warr, responsible for the Storck relationship at Cosworth, said the partnership will bring together some state of the art mechanical and electronic developments to create lighter, more powerful electric bikes. "Our diversification into developing clean technologies has identified cycling and more specifically the electric bike as an exciting area for Cosworth," he explained. Cosworth Group will be focusing on a number of aspects of the electric bike, including making the bike's electric engine lighter, more powerful and more efficient. This process will draw on technologies that have been developed by Cosworth Group for a range of high performance industries including F1 motorsport. "The economics of commuting are already changing for many people, reflecting rising fuel costs and we believe that there will be an increasingly large space for electric bikes in the transport market," noted Warr. "The savings available by cycling are significant and electric bikes can make this option available to commuters who may travel distances that are considered too far to cycle." Ian Hughes, UK distributor for Storck RADAR bicycles said the UK electric bicycle market was an emerging one that presented many opportunities. "We've seen strong growth in bicycle sales particularly for commuting purposes in the UK with over a million extra units sold in 2010," he said. "This has coincided with increasing interest in the electric bike market driven by rising fuel prices and changing lifestyle trends. Cosworth's vast knowledge of high performance engineering will help develop more efficient and lighter electric engines, batteries and control systems along with other potential new applications." The partnership plans to release a Storck electric bike with lightweight carbon fibre frame and Cosworth branding – the Storck Cosworth EFV – in May.