Vello wins German Sustainability Award for Design 2022

Viennese folding bike manufacturer and mobility provider Vello has won the German Sustainability Award for Design 2022.

Folding bikes are part of the sustainable mobility solutions for cities – in a few steps, a Vello bike can be folded and transported onto a train and stowed away. As an ultralight folding bike, the Vello bike is part of an intermodal transport concept.

The electric Vello Bike+, with its efficient energy recuperation thanks to Formula 1-tested KERS technology, ensures a theoretically infinite range, said Vello, therefore offering solutions for a car-free and green future.

For the production of Vello bikes, only recyclable and environmentally friendly materials are used. Great importance is attached to the repairability of the bikes and reuse of components, the manufacturer said, for example, the motor including the battery is installed in the rear hub of the Vello bike and can be replaced or repaired without affecting the rest of the bike.

The German Sustainability Foundation (Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis e.V.) stated that the Vello bike is “a bike perfectly adapted to the needs of environmentally conscious people in urban areas, which contributes to the reduction of car-induced traffic through its flexibility. In addition, it impresses aesthetically with its clear and functional design.”

Vello produces locally in urban areas – urban manufacturing revitalises city spaces, creates local value, shortens distances and saves resources, it said. In an industry characterised by long supply chains, urban production placed closer to its consumers presents itself as a viable and ecologically friendly alternative.

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Valentin Vodev, designer and founder of Vello, said: “If we want to master the mobility revolution for urban transport successfully, not only do we need better infrastructure but also creative design solutions that encourage people to change their mobility behaviour.

“Only then will the 60% of car journeys currently made for short journeys of less than 5 km be replaced by a clean alternative.”