Schaeffler & Mocci: Premiere for chainless bike drive Free Drive

Costs & Maintenance: No Chain, No Wear

The Free Drive is designed to realize an optimally coordinated drive system, consisting of a pedal generator, drive motor, customer-specific battery solutions, and human-machine interface (HMI), marketed by Heinzmann. The heart of the system is Schaeffler's pedal generator. It generates a consistent resistance when pedaling and provides the energy for a rear-wheel electric motor. The generator is designed to require significantly less muscle power when pedaling compared to traditional chain drives—a significant advantage, especially for long delivery tours with cargo bikes. Excess energy is stored in a quickly replaceable and powerful battery and used for propulsion when needed, outlines the manufacturer. Overall, the Free Drive provides a drive power of the legally stipulated 250 watts. Most importantly, the serial hybrid drive for bicycles operates without mechanical drive components such as chains, sprockets, pinions, or belts.

“With the Free Drive, time-consuming chain changes are a thing of the past. This particularly benefits operators of cargo bike fleets, as their bikes are now operational for longer and experience significantly less downtime,” explains Jochen Schröder, Head of the E-Mobility Division at Schaeffler.

Fewer mechanical parts also mean reduced wear and less frequent maintenance. A positive side effect of a chainless drive is higher cleanliness. While conventional bike drives adhere to a rigid design schema due to the mechanical connection between pedals and motor, the "Free Drive" significantly increases the design freedom.

“With the chainless drive, entirely new bicycle architectures and pedal configurations are possible, even for applications with three or four wheels, with or without a roof,” explains Jochen Schröder.

Gear changes or mode changes work thanks to the digital bike-by-wire drive via software. All Heinzmann system components communicate via a CAN connection. The Munich-based e-bike provider is targeting companies that want to operate flexibly, quickly, and environmentally friendly in urban areas with their so-called Smart Pedal Vehicles. The system is also adaptable to the rider, safe, and fully networked. Another innovation is the use of a construction made from a recyclable and extremely robust plastic instead of steel or aluminum frames. The manufacture of front and rear wheels, as well as the frame from just one structural component in a scalable injection molding process, also results in about 68 percent lower CO2 emissions compared to the production of a conventional aluminum frame.

“In 2023, we will deliver to a variety of B2B customers and significantly shape urban mobility,” says co-founder Dimitrios Bachadakis.

Thanks to various individual transport solutions for customers, a wide range of urban and operational mobility scenarios can be realized, which are also cost-effective for commercial customers due to low downtime and a long lifespan of five years. The highly durable bikes for last-mile logistics can be used for grocery deliveries, courier services, as a compact service vehicle with an additional trailer for urban areas, or for modern campus mobility, the provider outlines. The pedelec can also be ridden without a driver's license and without additional costs for taxes or insurance.