ExtraEnergy is moving to Schleiz. Schleiz, Germany, to become the centre of the Light Electric Vehicle industry.
 

 
ExtraEnergy is moving to Schleiz. The newly formed company ExtraEnergy Services GmbH & Co. KG, along with ExtraEnergy e.V., EnergyBus e.V. and its subsidiary EnergyBus GmbH, plus the world’s oldest museum of light electric vehicles, are all relocating to this new setting.

Driving forwards the promotion of Light Electric Vehicles (LEVs) by disseminating information is the founding principle of ExtraEnergy e.V.. This is also the mission of the new company founded in September 2013, ExtraEnergy Services GmbH & Co. KG, headquartered in Schleiz.

ExtraEnergy Services GmbH & Co. KG
The main activities of ExtraEnergy Services GmbH & Co. KG are special exhibitions at all relevant trade shows worldwide, and the development of a business park for manufacturers of light electric vehicles at the Schleiz location.

The first of the trade shows is to be the Taipei International Cycle Show in March 2014, where the company will display components for light electric vehicles, for example motors, batteries and displays, to the international audience. Alongside this, the ExtraEnergy Test IT Track will invite visitors to try pedelecs for themselves. Visitors will find the LEV Components Special Exhibition in the Nangang Exhibition Center, 4F, at Exhibits Entrance N. The route to the ExtraEnergy Test IT Track is also here, on Cargo Ramp 4F.

The subsequent trade shows where the LEV Components Special Exhibition will be on display are CeBIT in Hanover, Germany, and then the China Cycle Show in Shanghai, China. Then in the autumn the Special Exhibition is scheduled to be on show at EUROBIKE in Friedrichshafen (Germany), Interbike in Las Vegas (USA), INTERMOT in Cologne (Germany), Asia Bike in Nanjing (China), and at Electronica in Munich (Germany).

For further details and registration, please download the following brochure:

>> Information and registration form (PDF)

Exhibit worldwide - now
LEV Components manufacturers who want to secure their participation at Taipei Cycle Show 2014 can register until 24 February 2014 at the latest. Please contact Ms. Isabel Wolf by phone ore e-mail:

phone +49-36646-3298 0 (ExtraEnergy office)

>> Isabel.Wolf@ExtraEnergy.org

The founders and directors of ExtraEnergy Services GmbH & Co. KG are Hannes Neupert and Jean Chen.

Hannes Neupert has been heavily involved with the concept of electric mobility since 1982. In 1989 he was a co-founder of Stuttgart Solar e.V. and of the Solar Bike Working Group. In 1992 he published the first German-language market overview of electric bikes. Since 1993 he has conducted electric bike product tests as part of the ExtraEnergy project and since the foundation of ExtraEnergy e.V. he has been its Chairman. In 1995 he began the organisation and implementation of the international LEV Conference and he also organised additional supporting programmes for leading cycle shows on electric bike sector subjects. He studied Industrial Design at the Hochschule für Kunst und Design in Halle/Saale, Germany. From 2001 onwards he developed, as part of a collaboration with Deutsche Post AG, the foundations of EnergyBus and BATSO, two standards organisations on whose management committees he has also been active since their foundation. From 2014 he has represented the German mirror committee DKE/GAK 353.0. and EnergyBus e.V. in the IEC/ISO/TC69/JPT61851-3 Joint Commission, which is developing technical standards for charging infrastructure for light electric vehicles. In consultant roles Hannes Neupert has also made a decisive impact on the pedelec industry: in 1993 he persuaded Yamaha to become active in Europe, in what was at the time an effectively non-existent electric bike market. In 1996 he convinced Panasonic Cycle Tech to export their pedelec drive systems to Europe and from 2004 to 2008 he encouraged Bosch to make pedelec drive systems. Hannes Neupert has also worked tirelessly to convince numerous cycle manufacturers take pedelecs seriously to the extent of at least attempting sales on a trial basis.

For Jean Chen the development between 1995 and 1999 of a charging methodology to extend the life of various battery types despite fast charging was his introduction to the light electric vehicle sector. Then from 1999 to 2005 he lead the Chinese subsidiary of the American consultancy company Cycle Electric and he developed a set of service guidelines for light electric vehicles. Alongside this he also founded his first company, Electric Vehicle Maintenance Service Co., the first of its type in China, working with five electric bike brands and an electric bike fleet for the Papa John’s Pizza delivery service. In 2002 he joined the Chinese cycle industry association and worked as translator for international visitors and for China Cycle Magazine. From 2004 to 2007 he worked for BionX. In 2005 he came to ExtraEnergy in Tanna for a study placement, and in 2006 he gave a presentation on his experiences of electric bike repair servicing in China as part of the LEV Conference in Taiwan. Since 2011 he has been an active member of the ISO TC149 SC1 standards group for the cycle sector and in 2013 he became co-founder and director of ExtraEnergy Services GmbH & Co. KG.

Schleiz Centre for Light Electric Vehicles
Currently the former location in Tanna is being rebuilt and extended under the leadership of the Managing Director of ExtraEnergy Test GmbH, Ms. Sandra Winkler. ExtraEnergy e. V., EnergyBus e.V. and EnergyBus GmbH are planning their move to Schleiz, the regional capital of the Saale-Orla district. This joint headquarters, which will host ExtraEnergy Services GmbH & Co. KG (already based in Schleiz), EnergyBus e. V. and EnergyBus GmbH, is to be located in the immediate vicinity of the Schleizer Dreieck, a traditional motor racing circuit with a 90-year history.

At this location there is a still largely unbuilt-on industrial estate with a development-ready area of over 11 hectares, situated right next to the A9 motorway exit. It is the intention to attract leading LEV component manufacturers to locate here. The State Development Corporation of Thuringia, the House of Reuss and the Mayor of the City of Schleiz have all welcomed this proposal. Already two leading suppliers to the pedelec industry have incorporated this Schleiz location in their expansion plans for future manufacturing facilities.

Taken with the move of the LEV Museum from Tanna to Schleiz, the fullest possible know-how on mobility through light electric vehicles will be clustered at this new location.

The inauguration of the new Test Centre at the premises of ExtraEnergy Test GmbH in Tanna is planned for March 2014, perfectly timed for the start of the ExtraEnergy Pedelec and E-Bike Spring Test 2014. The next riding test will start on 25 March 2014. The ExtraEnergy Test GmbH is looking for female test riders. If you are interested in participating as a test rider, please contact Ms. Sandra Winkler (MD, ExtraEnergy Test GmbH) directly on Tel. 0049 36646-3298-0 or by e-mail to: Sandra.Winkler@ExtraEnergy.org.

Pedelec enthusiasts are also very welcome to visit the building on the Open Day, on the 24th May 2014, from 10am to 4 pm, at the ExtraEnergy premises.

>> read the press release

>> LEV Components Special Exhibition - World Premiere

>> Team growth at ExtraEnergy Services GmbH & Co. KG


Text and pictures: ExtraEnergy Services GmbH & Co. KG

20 February 2014