Convert a normal bicycle into an e-bike. That’s what Jodi Kooijman and Samuel IJsselmuiden do in Den Bosch. With their start-up Swugo they want to enthuse as many people as possible to leave the car and get on a bicycle. “You can have an electric bicycle within fifteen minutes,” says Jodi while tinkering with a so-called Heyfiets.
Jodi, who is originally from Dubai, and Samuel who was born in South Africa, got to know each other during their studies in the Netherlands. In two years they wanted to make ‘something in traffic’ more sustainable.
“We want fewer or no cars in Dutch cities. During our research we noticed that the electric bicycle is already a good alternative, but it can be improved”, says Jodi. “When the battery of an electric bicycle needs to be replaced, people often buy a new bicycle. Logical, because a battery costs hundreds of euros. But there is often nothing wrong with the bicycle itself. That can be done cheaper and more sustainable.”
“Our battery can be placed on any bicycle.”
So the boys started designing batteries themselves. “We first wanted to optimize the batteries of electric bicycles so that they last longer. But that is very difficult, because every electric bicycle has a different battery. Just like smartphones, for example,” explains Samuel. “That’s why we designed a battery ourselves that is a lot more durable and therefore lasts longer. And: it can be placed on any bicycle.”
So two birds with one stone. A battery that lasts longer and can also be mounted on any bicycle.
In a workshop in Den Bosch they show how they do it. Samuel replaces the front wheel of the old bicycle with a new one with motor. He also attaches a battery to the bicycle frame and a sensor is built into the pedals. Within fifteen minutes the bicycle is transformed into an e-bike.
They have now built fifty test batteries. These have all already been rented out. “It was very difficult to promote our idea in the middle of the corona time. I went to a supermarket, because they were allowed to stay open, and I had people take a test drive. With success,” says Jodi.
“The best bikes are bikes that work well.”
In the first months they made all the batteries on the bicycle themselves, but now they work together with bicycle repair shops in Utrecht, Delft and Rotterdam. “The best bikes are bikes that work well. If your bike is broken, we are not just here to fix it. A local bicycle repair shop does.”
The start-up of Jodi and Samuel, along with eighteen others, has been chosen for the Mobility Lab of the province. The aim is to improve and make everything related to traffic and transport more sustainable. “The Mobility Lab allows startups to run a pilot with large customers. The province has many contacts, so we hope to get in touch with major bicycle rental companies in this way,” explains Samuel.
The pilot will start in September. “We are already taking the bike much more often. We hope that more and more people will do so.”