Development of climatic testing techniques for e-bikes, and cross-wind aerodynamic studies

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General Motors Canada (or GM) has recognized that the significance of e-bike use as an integral part of the urban mobility of the future can no longer be ignored. To promote mass adoption of the integration of e-bikes with cars, GM has identified that issues of comfort, riding stability, handling, wind loads, drag, safety, power output, efficiency, etc. under different climatic conditions need to be addressed. This project intends to address the above issues in order to promote the integration of e-bikes with cars. The objective of the proposed project is therefore to develop full scale climatic wind tunnel test techniques to investigate the effects of cross-wind loads on cyclists and the human power output under different climatic conditions. Additionally, the ride stability and comfort of cyclists under different cross-wind and climatic conditions will be examined. To achieve this objective, the applicant plans to conduct the studies in the full scale climatic wind tunnel at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, which is well suited for these types of studies. The project will first integrate a high precision bicycle ergometer and bicycle computers as well as pressure and flow sensors including flow angle probes. The system will be calibrated and tested to ensure that it is accurate and reliable for the studies. It will also be used to measure a rider's power output, heart rate and cadence as well as simulate different road elevations. Furthermore, pressure, and flow sensors including flow angle probes will be used to accurately measure pressure, flow velocities and directions; which can be used to estimate wind loads on cyclists. The insight from the proposed project will help to improve and optimize the design of e-bikes and the comfort of cyclists. It will also promote the integration of e-bikes with cars and its mass adoption for the urban mobility of the future. This can in turn reduce traffic pollution with a positive impact on the health, environmental and economic conditions of Canadians. The collaboration between scientists/engineers from industry and academia will provide an additional opportunity to train students with the essential skills needed by Canadian industries.