By Paul Ridden
December 14, 2022
Swedish electric moto maker Cake is aiming to help clean up large-scale farming operations by replacing polluting machinery with the Kibb, an electric four-wheeler that can ride like an all-terrain vehicle or serve as an autonomous cargo hauler.
“Sustainable and responsible farming is vital for healthy ecosystems and we are aiming to make Kibb the number one tool for all future farmers,” said company CEO, Stefan Ytterborn.
The Kibb concept is inspired by a Masters thesis from transportation designer Fanny Jonsson, who interned with Cake earlier this year and has since been brought onboard to help take the project into production.
It’s name comes from the word for an ox in Gutniska – an ancient language from the island of Gotland in Sweden – “representing the strength combined with gentleness and positive impact for biodiversity.” When a worker needs to zip quietly and cleanly around the farm, a short seat is strapped onto the sturdy top bar and adjusted to fit in a similar fashion to the company’s Ösa utility e-moto, and a motorcycle-like handlebar is mounted up front. The rider’s feet rest on capable-looking plates on each side of the chassis.
It’s too early for actual specs to be released, but it looks like the rear-wheel-drive Kibb can accommodate up to three removable battery packs, there’s integrated lighting for around-the-clock operation potential, plus coil suspension front and back to smooth out the terrain, stopping power comes from disc braking on each wheel, and the chassis includes small pull-out drawers on each side to the front.
Cake hasn’t yet detailed onboard sensors, but does say that an autonomous mode will be available to assist workers in the field, haul gear and cargo from A to B or tow equipment such as a planter powered by the Kibb’s battery bank.
Aimed at supporting organic, permaculture and regenerative agriculture operations, Cake is planning to get the Kibb semi-autonomous electric ATV into production by 2025.
Source: Cake
