The Solar Bike: A Sustainable Innovation to Transform Transportation

As more green innovators are redesigning the automobile industry to use solar energy, one man is looking at a smaller vehicle: the bicycle.

Designed by Jesper Frausig in Demark, the Solar Bike is powered by solar panels, which deposits its energy into a small battery connected to the bike’s frame. The lights to the bike are also integrated into the bike’s power system, meaning increased visibility at night and in traffic. The bike looks and feels like any other bike, and lacks a bulkiness that would make it seem like a burden than a useful too. From harvesting the sun through its own solar panels, the bike is eco-friendly, cheaper than owning or driving a car, and can move at a faster pace than the biker’s ability.

For the employee that’s not looking forward to biking a long commute or up a hilly landscape, the Solar Bike can help them escape those obstacles. First of all, it demands less work from the biker, as its speed can be adjusted to as fast as 30 miles per hour. This translates to a less sweaty commute as well. And by being able to power itself up inclines and reducing the need for pedaling for as much as 40 miles, the reluctant employee might change his or her mind about a car-free commute. In addition, the bike potentially provides more travel options for individuals facing physical challenges, either due to age or disabilities.  

While it is currently not sold on the market, the Solar Bike invites new ways to think about sustainable transportation in cities. If more solar-powered bikes became a trend in city commuting, it’s possible to also re-imagine the infrastructure that would make biking easier, such as a solar array bike lane. CO2 levels in a city would decrease, and less traffic jams from a heavy use of cars coming and going to a city center will also make the city an eco-friendly place to live.

While it is currently not sold on the market, the Solar Bike invites new ways to think about sustainable transportation in cities. If more solar-powered bikes became a trend in city commuting, it’s possible also to reimagine the infrastructure that would make biking easier, such as a solar array bike lane. CO2 levels in a city would decrease, and fewer traffic jams from a heavy use of cars coming and going to a city center will also make the city an eco-friendly place to live.

In all, the solar bike, along with other solar-powered vehicles, can transform transportation into a greener practice.