By Salina Marshall
Among cyclists at the University of British Columbia, Brannen Bell attracts attention for his Superman-like ability to zip from building to building. While the bicycle he rides looks like a regular bike, it’s actually an electric version with a battery built into the frame.
The lithium iron battery boosts his speed up to 25 kilometres an hour. “You definitely get some puzzled looks from the other cyclists, like ‘How is he going so fast?’” Bell says, laughing.
Bell is a project coordinator in the construction office of UBC Building Operations. He’s one of the many Building Operations workers—including engineers, landscapers, and custodians—who have access to the department’s two electric bicycles, which are helping them do their jobs in a more sustainable manner.
David Woodson, managing director of Building Operations, explains that UBC pedestrianized many of its core public roadways last fall, limiting traffic to the campus perimeter. While the plan aims to reduce vehicle use and emissions, Building Operations employees still need efficient ways to travel between campus calls.
So last November, the department acquired two Stromer electric bikes as an alternative to regular bikes. “The idea was to break the barrier of bike use for the purposes of providing services on campus, and to do it in a exciting, unique kind of way,” Woodson explains.
The electric bicycles are part of a broader revamp of the department’s fleet, in part to help the University achieve its goal of reaching zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. (Low-carbon vehicles, such as electric cars are also part of this plan.) “Every time somebody uses a bike, that means a conventional vehicle is not on the road,” notes UBC fleet manager Adam McCluskey. These electric bikes could pave the way for more, or bridge the transition to conventional bikes.
While some trades people, such as plumbers, need a vehicle to transport their equipment, others are well-suited to two wheels. “It’s perfect for some electricians, who don’t travel with a lot of equipment and often head out to buildings because people have blown fuses,” Bell says.
The bikes have the power to haul a small trailer, and they plug in and charge overnight. With the short distances covered during the day, the batteries never run too low.
Significantly, the bikes don’t require much sweat to ride. Unlike a motorbike, there is no handlebar throttle for power; instead, the battery kicks in automatically. “The bike is very intuitive,” Bell says. “It senses what you’re doing and it supplies an amount of power based on how much effort you’re putting in.”
That makes choosing a bike over a car more attractive. So does a bike’s ability to travel the shortest path from A to B. “We’re constantly on the go between buildings, and they’re definitely the fastest way to get across campus,” Bell says. “Having these bikes really saves us time and makes us more efficient.”
Plus, they’re just fun to ride. “People always want to take the bike for a spin when I have it out,” he adds.