CQ27_FINAL_SPREADS (1)

THE LAVO BIKE
A Toolkit for a New
Emission Free Mode of Transport
Trevor Gornall
Photography by Maarten van der Wolf
Long-distance transport without
batteries, particulates or CO 2
emissions. What if the LAVO bike
could actually make that possible?
Many reading this might
agree that bikes are a great
transport option offering
multiple benefits to individuals
and society alike. Affordable
and accessible, convenient,
environmentally friendly and
offering a source of regular, low
impact exercise whilst reducing
traffic congestion. What’s
not to love? Electric bikes
have made cycling even more
accessible and attractive to a
wider audience, enabling more
people than ever to experience
the benefits, freedom and
convenience of two-wheeled
travel. However, there remain
some concerns about exactly
how environmentally friendly
the production and disposal of
e-bike batteries are. And they
are heavy, adding considerable
weight to the bike. But are
there any viable alternatives? Is
it time to have a complete rethink
about how we power our
e-bikes and other vehicles? The
guys at LAVO think so, and they
have come up with a thoughtprovoking
concept that could
challenge the assumption that
the switch from fossil fuels will
automatically mean a move to
electrically powered vehicles.
Anyone old enough to recall
the Betamax brand name and
the ‘videotape format war’
of the mid-to-late seventies
may remain similarly cautious
about the early adoption of
new tech. Back then a cloud
was but a mere cumulonimbus
and watching a movie of your
own choice in your own home
required considerably more
effort than scrolling through the
‘Marvel Cinematic Universe’,
whatever that is.
Oh no, the simple act of
watching a movie often
required a good half day to be
allocated to the endeavour. It
involved a journey to a local
rental store (big shoutout to
the Blockbuster massive) and,
in my case, several hours of
staring at the covers of empty
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