Designers around the world collaborated on an eco-friendly ebike to be used in Kathmandu, Nepal.
Lance Rake, a professor at the University of Kansas and a professional industrial designer, received a Fulbright scholarship to work on an electric cargo bike in Kathmandu to deliver food and packages while cutting fossil fuel emissions and traffic congestions. Rake then worked with students and faculty at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia to create the design. Rake has worked with bamboo as a primary material before, including on a bikeshare project in Mumbai, and a bamboo paddle longboard.
Finally, in Nepal he worked with architect Nripal Adhikari and his architecture firm, Abari, plus students from the University of Kathmandu. Abari specializes in projects using local bamboo to make strong and sustainable designs, like a bamboo water tank and plans for rural housing. The Habre Eco Bike, also made from bamboo, gets its name from the Nepali word for red panda, animals native to the area.
After testing and finalizing the ebike design, local craftspeople in Kathmandu made the finished product, which debuted this year. Here's how it works.