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Cake's Future Electric Motorcycles Might Have Paper Components Instead of Plastic

Swedish company Cake has been making electric, sustainable two-wheelers for years now, with its anti-poaching and work series being tough competitors to beat. Now the manufacturer wants to take environmental responsibility even further by replacing plastics in its motorcycles with paper.
Cake electric motorbike 7 photos
Photo: CAKE
CAKE rolls out new Osa AP bikes in its anti-poaching seriesCAKE rolls out new Osa AP bikes in its anti-poaching seriesCAKE rolls out new Osa AP bikes in its anti-poaching seriesCAKE rolls out new Osa AP bikes in its anti-poaching seriesCAKE rolls out new Osa AP bikes in its anti-poaching seriesCAKE rolls out new Osa AP bikes in its anti-poaching series
Unlike combustion engine motorcycles, which are expensive and unsustainable, Cake’s electric motorcycles are silent, lightweight, flexible, durable, and with a reduced impact on the environment. But as Stefan Ytterborn, the company’s CEO says, Cake was founded to inspire the switch toward a zero-emission society, which is why is constantly looking for the best materials to use in its electric bikes. To that end, it teamed up with PaperShell, a startup that makes various components using a natural fiber composite, “building paper back into a more resistant version of wood.

According to PaperShell, its fiber composite is stronger than plastic but with a lower climate impact, with a carbon footprint of 0.65 kg (1.4 lb) CO2e per functional unit (kg/lb) of material. Plastic, on the other hand, has a carbon footprint of 4.95 kg (10.9 lb) CO2e, while fiberglass has 25 kg (55 lb) CO2e. Despite being made from 100 percent cellulose, PaperShell’s composite boasts of being weather-resistant, fire-resistant, UV resistant, stretch and impact resistant.

It is why Cake decided to evaluate the properties of this material to find out how it can use it on its premium electric motorcycles, as an alternative to certain plastics in the bikes. But aside from telling us it aims to eventually eradicate the use of conventional plastics in its products, Cake doesn’t offer any other details yet on how and where it plans to use PaperShell’s paper-based material.

In other news, the Swedish bike manufacturer launched some new models of anti-poaching bikes two months ago, namely the Kalk AP, Osa+ AP, and Osa Flex AP. The wheelers are designed to help rangers in Africa patrol in silence and approach poachers without being detected.
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About the author: Cristina Mircea
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Cristina’s always found writing more comfortable to do than speaking, which is why she chose print over broadcast media in college. When she’s not typing, she also loves riding non-motorized two-wheelers, going on hikes with her dog, and rocking her electric guitars.
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