A new hydrogen-fuelled electric bicycle prototype is going to play a big part in South Africa's future green transport economy, the science and technology minister has announced. "The bike will inspire invention and innovation among young South Africans," Minister Naledi Pandor said at the Tshwane University of Technology, where the e-bike was unveiled. The 'Ahi Fambeni' (Tsonga for ‘let's go’) bike, was designed by Pierre Terblanche, who was design director for Ducati from 1997 to 2007. It was built by students at the university and contains fuel cells that combine oxygen and hydrogen to create a clean source of power and heat. The plan was to start with the bike, progress to a trike and then a car using the same technology. Pandor said the future of e-bikes could be seen in what had happened in China over the last decade. "The growth in the number of electric bikes in China has been spectacular... in 1998 there were a mere 400 000 electric bikes...in 2008 there were 21 million... now that is something". E-bikes were cheaper than other motorised modes of transport in China and were now being exported to the world. She said some had doubted the e-bike would ever take off in South Africa, as cars were more popular and it was not in the country's culture to use bikes. She disagreed and said the transport department had encouraged bikes as a mode of transport in 2007, when launching the Shova Kalula (Pedal Easy) project, which aimed to give one million bikes to school children by 2015 and construct dedicated bike pathways.
Hydrogen power was attractive because it emitted zero greenhouse gases and other pollutants. It was however difficult to store and distribute.
"It is what we need now in a global economy threatened by the consequences of climate change... that is why the hydrogen economy is a billion-dollar research industry."
Currently, South Africa was a bit players in the industry, but the department had ambitious plans.
The bike's fuel cell was developed by Hydrogen SA, using unique hydrogen-storage technology. The design was customised to increase heat exchange efficiency as space on the bike was limited.
Last month the department and Anglo Platinum signed a deal with a US company Altergy Systems Corporation, to set up a fuel-cell manufacturing facility in South Africa. Fuel cell energy was invented in the 1830's but has never been widely commercially successful.
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