Hybrid2 is a transit system that encourages the use of sustainable transportation by crediting people for renting and riding bicycles. It consists of a fleet of rentable bicycles that are capable of generating and storing kinetic energy, which is then used to power the city’s hybrid electric buses.
The Hybrid2 system aims to generate energy to power public transport, while keeping people fit with a sustainable form of transport – cycling. Simply rent a bike, charge it up with kinetic energy from pedal power, and then return it to a kiosk. The station feeds energy into the city’s smart grid, and you receive a credit towards your next bus pass. Personal ID cards will be used to store credit gained from biking for future bus rides.
The core of Hybrid2 is a regenerative braking system for bikes – Hybrake – which allows riders to generate and store energy from braking and normal biking in an ultracapacitor. (A regenerative brake reduces vehicle speed by converting some of its kinetic energy into a storable form of energy instead of dissipating it as heat.) Through picking up the extra kinetic energy from braking, plus three watts from normal riding (by retro-fitting an existing drum brake hub dynamo), Hybrake provides a more efficient way to generate energy without expending an extra effort.
With Hybrid2’s day mode, users fully store the energy they create. In the night mode, three watts are spent to power bike lamps during the journey. The more energy people can store, the more credit they can gain to use on public transportation.
H Stand
Apart from the core technology described above, a physical interface is needed to link people and the system. The design of the H Stand follows the same spirit of the whole system – energy generation and reduction. The structure is a stand of 63-mm stainless steel tube, which can reduce the cost of tooling. The solar panel installed on the H Stand can maintain the needs of the system, so we do not consume more than we generate.
The turning RFID (radio frequency identification) card reader wheel is powered by users when making the first movement to unlock or lock the bike. The solenoid mechanism, with a coil inside the tube, can then make the next movement with the energy users generate. The card reader has been positioned to avoid bad weather so water will not go directly into the slot. The open shape of the structure prevents people locking their private bike with this public bike stand.
Folding Handlebar/Lock/Cable
This design not only fits the criteria of energy transfer, but also caters to the security needs of a public bike system. By folding the handlebars down, users can lock the bike and plug-in to the H Stand. When connected to the H Stand, the energy stored under the Hybrake is transferred to the smart grid (independent of the international grid) and is ready to feed hybrid buses that pass by. The bike stations are located right next to bus stops.
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