For it's 10 year anniversary ExtraEnergy welcomed more than 80 guests from all over Europe at it's headquarters in Tanna (Thuringia) on June 21 - 23rd, 2002. Alongside an entertaining programme, over 100 bikes and scooters were available for extended test rides.
The open house at ExtraEnergy, with the large collection of historic and current bikes and scooters, fields and woods around and wonderful summer weather was the perfect opportunity for test riding. The well-known ExtraEnergy Try-out-Track was set up in its maximum performance with different riding surfaces and a slope. Hannes Neupert, President of ExtraEnergy, guided the visitors through the large collection of historic and current models––a timetravel through the history of the industry. The 10-year story of ExtraEnergy was presented in impressive pictures of early solar racing, the first tests and exhibitions. It was especially exciting to have some of the electric bicycle pioneers in the audience who obviously enjoyed sharing their experiences. Talking about the current ExtraEnergy projects, Mr. Neupert pointed out a fleet test which is planned in cooperation with the German Post. In this test batteries of different manufacturers will be applied for every day use in the Post pedelecs. Right now, the German Post is using around 4,000 pedelecs made by Biria to deliver the mail. Who does not want to know how much the electric motor acutally contributes to the rider's input? Frieder Herb, Test Manager, and Reiner Oberheim from o-tec electronic company presented the solution: a new measuring equipment which is positioned on the bike and can display the pedelec assistance rate as well as the hill range. This will be new usefull data for this year's test results. The designers of the ExtraEnergy Testseal, Max Neupert and Sascha Hermann, introduced the philosophy of such a test seal: Reduced to its key message it should tell the consumer that he can trust in the products quality. As a key project for the future the ExtraEnergy Website was presented in its new design. Fuel-cell technology - also a future issue - were explained by Frieder Herb. In addition the festival included the so-called “Landmaschinensynfonie”, music played on agricultural instruments, performed by the “Stelzenfestspiele”. Also, a barbeque night with coctail bar, sunbathing at a lake nearby and ideas from Taiwan in a slide show presentation by Susanne Bruesch. Thank you ExtraEnergy would like to thank our guest who have traveled to Tanna, some of them from a long distance. And, of course, a big thank you to everybody who has helped to make the festival happen, Max Neupert for the excellent catering, Martin Springer and his team who tansformed the warehouse from dark and nasty facility into a bright white presentation room. It has been 10 years ... It has been 10 years since Hannes Neupert published the first market survey for Electric Bicycles in ECOregio Magazine and therewith layed the cornerstone for ExtraEnergy. What happened next is history and was experienced by most of our customers and friends or can be read in the publication “Das Powerbike” and on our internet page. 10 Years - Many tests, congresses, exhibitions, races, articles, traveling, company visits, meetings, ideas, people and friends. 10 Years - Volunteer work, lots of support from some Manufactures. Thanks so much! 10 Years - Momentum for new culture in transportation and energy. The ExtraEnergy team is excited for the years of teamwork still to come in the future. The club should continue to be a panel for everyone who is engaged or has ideas to this subject. “It is my goal”, says Hannes Neupert, “to further cultivate the independence, honesty, critisism and promotional position of ExtraEnergy so we can continue to be a source of impartial information in the future”.
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