Carsten Astheimer launches SO1O bike at national technology exhibition

Published by

Peter Davison

The SO1O

Industrial design firm Carsten Astheimer and advanced engineering group Prodrive have helped launch the SO1O bike – a unique pedal assist, zero-emission electric vehicle that’s been designed to bridge the gap between bicycles and car – at the Cenex-LCV exhibition in Bedford.

Warwick-based Carsten Astheimer worked with Banbury-based SO1O Bikes founder Jamie Richards on the design of the interior and exterior, and built the prototype. The chasis and drive train was engineered by Banbury-based prodrive.

The bike aims to bridge the gap between bicycles and cars. The 'urban transport module' comes with an electric motor to assist pedalling, and has driving aids like GPS, front and rear lights, indicators, and brake lights - as well as a phone charger.

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With e-bike and scooters predominantly used by men 18-35 years old, the four-wheeled SO1O was designed to appeal to other groups. Below the single driver's seat is a bench seat for children, pets, belongings or shopping.

Peter Davison

Peter Davison is deputy editor of The Business Magazine. He has spent his life in journalism – doing work experience in newsrooms in and around Bristol while still at school, and landing his first job on a local newspaper aged 19. By 28 he was the youngest newspaper editor in the country. An early advocate of online news, he spent the first years of the 2000s telling his bosses that the internet posed both the biggest opportunity and greatest threat to the newspaper industry and the art of journalism. He was right on both counts. Since 2006 he has enjoyed a career as a freelance journalist. He lives in rural Wiltshire with one wife, two children, and three cats.