Cleanest Dirt Bike Ever information release

Sharing the calculation methodology of the Cleanest Dirt Bike Ever

Following the last announcement of the Open Source project between Vattenfall & CAKE, with the aim to commercialize the first fossil free vehicle to be launched 2025, CAKE releases the calculation methodology (Life Cycle Assessment) behind the project.

The ambition is to minimize the CO2 footprint to as close as zero as possible without offsetting. The process will combine success with disappointments that will be shared transparently with the aim to inspire and accelerate the obligation and transition of the industry towards zero emissions.

Sharing the methodology to inspire stakeholders

Since 2021, the project team has taken the complete Kalk OR apart and analyzed each component to conclude the total production footprint of 1,186 kg CO2e as a starting point. The methodology behind calculating this footprint by performing a life cycle assessment (LCA) has been openly released to the public on the CAKE website. The system boundary for this Cleanest Dirt Bike Ever project, which defines what is taken into consideration and what is excluded, includes every single part and process of the bike. It also restricts all offsetting.

Helping general public to grasp environmental impact

So how much is 1,186 kg CO2e? Buzz words like carbon footprint and environmental impact when talking about our bike, and products in general, may be abstract for the general public to understand. To bridge this gap, CAKE and Vattenfall launched THE CUBE to visualize the equivalent volume of carbon dioxide, 1,186 kg CO2e, that the CAKE Kalk bike emits during production, and thus what the project aims to reduce to zero.

In addition to visualizing the CO2 footprint with THE CUBE, the partners of the Cleanest Dirt Bike Ever are taking the next step to explain the calculation methodology behind the numbers; Life cycle assessment (LCA). As only a handful of stakeholders know what an LCA is, and how to perform one, the published article takes the reader step-by-step through the process of performing an LCA and its results.

Learn more about the steps behind an LCA and how the project partners calculated the footprint of the Cleanest Dirt Bike Ever.

About the project

Going fossil free isn’t just about how things are powered, it’s about removing the carbon from how things are sourced, made, transported and assembled. So while electric vehicles are a good start, they don’t take us far enough.

Solving the greatest challenge in human history demands that we rethink conventional ways of doing things. It demands that we break silos and collaborate far beyond industry borders. And it demands we do it today, because the future can’t wait. The project essentially combines CAKE's expertise in innovation and engineering with Vattenfall’s expertise in electrifying industries and decarbonizing entire production chains.

Together we will reinvent the wheel, the suspension, the saddle and every other part of the CAKE Kalk OR with the aim of making the first truly fossil free vehicle. We’ll reduce its current estimated carbon weight of 1,186 kg CO2e to an absolute minimum by 2025 to make the cleanest dirt bike ever. And we’ll share every single setback, breakthrough and finding along the way to inspire others.

About CAKE

CAKE is a Swedish maker of premium lightweight, electric motorcycles and mopeds, with a clear mission to inspire towards a zero-emission society, by combining excitement and responsibility. The model range currently consists of three different platforms – the versatile offroader Kalk, the modular utility bike Ösa, and the urban commuter Makka. Thanks to an extensive range of accessories and configurations, CAKE is addressing a wide matrix of users and applications, including commercial use for last-mile delivery and other short-haul urban transportation. Along with numerous awards and recognitions for its design and innovative approach to mobility and other societal challenges, CAKE was identified as one of the world’s most innovative companies by Fast Company in both 2020 and 2021, and received the Time Magazine 100 most important inventions award in 2021. Learn more about CAKE at: www.ridecake.com

About Vattenfall

Vattenfall is a leading European energy company, which has electrified industries, supplied energy to people’s homes, and modernized our way of living through innovation and cooperation for over 100 years. We now want to make fossil-free living possible within one generation. That's why we are driving the transition to a sustainable energy system through initiatives in renewable production and climate smart energy solutions for our customers. We employ approximately 19,000 people and our operations are mainly based in Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and the UK. Vattenfall is owned by the Swedish state. For more information: corporate.vattenfall.se