Impact of Increased Tire Pressure on Fuel Consumption and Environment for Fuel-Cell-Assisted Shared Bicycles

Abstract

This study evaluated the use of a fuel-cell-assisted bicycle (H-bike) in bicycle sharing. Two pertinent issues arise. First, the number of start-stops and distance traveled lead to power consumption levels so high that they exceed those of households. Second, the H-bikes are 3 kg heavier than conventional bicycles. Reduction in rolling resistance due to increased tire pressures may afford a solution to these problems. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether increasing the tire pressure can reduce the amount of energy consumed and eliminate the impact of increased weight. Energy consumption was evaluated with a bicycle-riding experiment; the net impact of increased weight on energy consumption and the environment following the spike in tire pressure was assessed. Life-cycle assessment was performed using the CML model to estimate the abiotic resource depletion potential (ADP) and the global warming potential (GWP). Results showed that increasing the tire pressure reduced fuel consumption in bicycle-sharing systems by more than 10%. The 3-kg weight gain did not affect energy consumption, and the ADP and GWP were approximately 10% and 20% lower for the H-bike. Thus, H-bikes have more environmental benefits than conventional bicycles, and considering tire pressure in bicycle sharing makes sense.