Oxfordshire micro-mobility manufacturer ramps up safety testing

Electric Assisted Vehicles, the Oxfordshire-based micro-mobility manufacturer, is creating a series of demanding tests to ensure the complete safety of the new EAV 2Cubed eCargo light commercial vehicle and future developments which will be based on the now proven EAV platform.

Adam Barmby, Founder and Chief Executive Officer for the Upper Heyford based company, said: “We’d already completed a whole series of safety and durability tests during the development of the new EAV chassis.

“Our durability programme runs almost continuously day and night but safety for operator, pedestrians and other traffic is the real priority for EAV. The EAV 2Cubed has been designed to be incredibly stable on its four-wheel platform, but we need to prove it is dynamic in its handling and capable of avoiding a pedestrian stepping into a bicycle lane for example. This is the reason for the ‘Elk’ test. It’s really important to EAV that we set the global standard for micro-mobility safety.”

EAV is conducting tests and creating new standards at its testing facility near Oxford to including: Braking – matching the laden weight of the vehicle to the brake capacity including the future additional of ABS; Handling – each EAV model must be capable of passing a version of the ‘Elk’ test – an evasive manoeuvre test established in Scandinavia in the 1970s for cars and vans which simulates an Elk or Moose walking into the road; Centre of Gravity – each EAV cannot topple over when fully laden even if the weight is at the top of the cargo box.

“We’re receiving a lot of orders for the EAV 2Cubed and a huge number of requests to trial the vehicle by major blue-chip companies,” added Adam.

“We have a very committed internal objective that the EAV platform will be able to replace the majority of vans and cars in city centres within the next two years, so demonstrating our focus on safety and maintaining automotive level safety standards is vital.”