- MOREMORE
For some auto manufacturers, it’s the ultimate ‘holy grail’: to design a vehicle that emits no carbon in its construction, as well as its operation and maintenance. At Savic Motorcycles, however, we like to err on the side of realism. We know that everything has some carbon footprint – even if it uses no petrol and produces no exhaust emissions.
So we’ve started with the bits we can fix. Instead of steel and carbon, our frame, which makes up 70% of the C-Series’ volume, is made from cast aluminium, which is one of the most recyclable metals on Earth. The casing of our battery cells is also aluminium, and using the latest high-performance lithium-ion cells means we’ll benefit from the exceptionally high recovery rates for the metal oxides in their cathodes. Plus, the sheer quality of our battery pack means that once its vehicle life is over, it will be relatively simple to repurpose it as an energy storage system in someone’s home.
But we’re not going to stop there.
Our latest sustainability partner is an inventive Bendigo native called Tobias Wilson, who’s been making a name for himself in the dynamic recycling sector of Indonesia. Following a long career as an advertising executive in Singapore, Tobias has established two businesses in Bali: Shiva Industries, which transforms organic waste into fertiliser; and BUMI, a recycling business that aims to create high-end products from ‘ocean plastics’ recovered from Indonesia’s waste flows.
Exceptional durability
Bali is already making waves with its creative recycling, but Tobias’ goal is to use his corporate nous to link high-tech plastics recyclers with companies keen to explore the potential of this uniquely bright, strong, exceptionally durable material.
So it was no surprise that one of the first companies he visited was a Melbourne motorcycle manufacturer with a keen eye on the future.
“Plastics are one of the most resilient materials known to man,” says Tobias. “In the right composites and thicknesses, they’re extremely hardy. In the case of Savic Motorcycles, we’ll need to use every bit of technology and ingenuity in the recycling space to make sure we can make incredible parts for an incredible bike.”
Those parts are likely to include the tank cover – the most visible part of the C-Series – together with the bellypan under the bike, and the cowling behind the seat. (Savic Motorcycles is separately exploring ‘leathers’ made from mushrooms, cactuses, and other natural materials for our trims.)
Head-turning products
While BUMI is a relatively young venture, Tobias has already cemented strong partnerships with a number of established recyclers in Bali – including Dutch-born Martijn Huizing, whose company r•Plastic has made a name with its eye-catching ocean-plastic creations.
Tapping into this rich vein of recycling wisdom, BUMI has been turning heads with its first two collaborations with r•Plastic – a robust bodysurfing hand-plane, and a rack for transporting surfboards on motorcycles.
“I know it’s a bit corny having two surf-related products from an Aussie inventor,” laughs Tobias. “But I figured you have to start somewhere!”
As an electric motorcycle rider himself – his BUMI-liveried Gowow dirt bike is a regular sight in the laneways around Denpasar – Tobias is pumped about the potential of a partnership with Savic Motorcycles.
Starting small
To begin the process, BUMI will build a one-third scale mould of the C-Series’ tank cover, and create several composite samples to demonstrate the strength, flexibility, and finishes that can be obtained from different plastics.
“We’ll be formulating a high-end composite from PET/HDPE plastics fished out of the weighing centres in Bali and Java, which could be augmented with some construction waste to give it extra strength,” explains Tobias. “We can also mix in amino acids to deliver greater UV resistance, which has proven very effective in the recycling industry – helping recyclers make a broader range of products that stand the test of time and the elements.”
PET refers to polyethylene terephthalate, the strongest, most versatile of the polyester plastics used in bottles and containers, which is renowned as the easiest plastic to recycle. PET is a ‘thermosetting’ plastic, which breaks down at relatively low temperatures, and Tobias says the advanced heating and compression technologies now available in Bali can mould these plastics into “virtually anything”.
Once the team have landed on the right composite, BUMI aims to refine four or five different styles – reflecting different patterns and “colourways” in the plastics – so that customers can personalise their motorcycles.
The perfect mix
“The finished blend will depend on the process and what the perfect mix of strength and flexibility is,” he says. “These parts aren’t load-bearing, so we’re not talking about strength per se – more about longevity and aesthetics.
“We only use the highest quality materials in the market, ensuring that the finished product will be just what the client wants.”
Tobias believes so much in what Savic Motorcycles is doing, he’s even putting his own money into the project. “We really believe that Savic Motorcycles has an incredible product,” he says, “but as it’s our first automotive customer, we’re putting in some extra legwork and are happy to have some skin in the game.”
Ralph Johnstone
Ralph is a seasoned writer and journalist, with more than 30 years’ experience as a reporter, editor and technology writer on five continents. He’s been writing about the C-Series since it was “the framework of a brilliant idea” back in 2019.
