Why STEV-E ?

The ecological emergency is now on most people's minds. Yet more and more people are driving large cars, and even spending hours in traffic jams. Recent statistics show that the people of the Paris region spent an average of 6 days and 19 hours in traffic jams in 2019.

I found this figure incredible. Who is willing to spend more than 35 minutes a day nearly stationary in their car?

Another study stated that the occupancy rate of vehicles in France is between 1.1 and 1.4 passengers. In other words, a large proportion of motorists move around 1.5T of steel to move their 70kg on an average journey (often between home and work). We've seen better in terms of energy efficiency.

I quickly wondered what the alternatives to the car were, why they weren't popular and whether there wasn't a product there that could be developed.

Looking more closely at the alternatives, it's true that the car is still one of the best choices for comfort: public transport journeys are often longer and unpleasant in overcrowded trains. What about cycling? Impossible for some journeys, dangerous and terrible in winter. What's more, you spend your time breathing car exhausts. Motorbikes are already more practical, but they're still dangerous, require a licence and the purchase of a motorbike.

Is there really no suitable form of urban individual transport?

While doing some research, I came across a type of vehicle that is very rare in France, but quite popular in neighbouring countries (Netherlands, Denmark, Germany): The velomobile

At first sight, it's an extremely interesting vehicle. Much more efficient than a bicycle (not to mention a car) and almost as environmentally friendly, it allows you to travel much faster and be protected from the elements.

To give you an idea, you can average 40km/h without tiring, which is twice as much as on a bike.

Imagine that your work is 15km from home. You wouldn't even think of cycling, as it would take too long (45 minutes) to get to work sweating. But with a velomobile, you could do it in 23 minutes, even in the rain! Not to mention the health benefits.

Some are even equipped with electric assistance, which compensates for the weight when going uphill.

However, if you don't see them everywhere on the roads, there's probably something wrong.

Of course, there are some notable drawbacks:

• price

Because velomobiles are manufactured in small batches by hand, prices vary from €4,000 to €8,000 (new or second-hand), so they're not for everyone.

• Size

Unless you hang it in your garage, which risks damaging most models made of fibreglass or carbon, this vehicle takes up a lot of space. Even on the street, finding a parking space can be tricky.

• The style

Sometimes nicknamed the giant suppository, this car unfortunately doesn't appeal to all the ladies. Apart from a few isolated concepts, all velomobiles have more or less the same aerodynamic shape.

• Safety

Even though velomobiles are all brightly coloured (on purpose), they remain very close to the ground and are therefore not fully visible by car drivers.

They are also difficult to secure in the street, unlike a conventional bicycle, and you don't necessarily want your brand new €6,000 vehicle to be stolen.

So STEV-E was a tentative of answer to this question:

How can this highly promising concept be adapted for use in towns and cities, and for a larger number of people?