June 18 marked an exciting day for Delfast as they embarked on their first major experiment testing the power potential of one of their electric bike models, the Top 1.0. The mission? To see if this e-bike could pull a Yak-18T aircraft weighing around 1.7 tons (or 3,400 pounds) at the Kyiv Chaika Airfield.

While the results didn't quite meet initial expectations, the experiment proved to be highly valuable for the team. Designed primarily for long-distance riding, the Delfast TOP 1.0 wasn't built for such strenuous tasks. This limitation became evident during the trial.

Interestingly, it was noted that the motor of the e-bike had sufficient power to move the aircraft, but it simply couldn't get it moving due to the activation of the safety shutdown system. As CEO Daniel Tonkopiy put it, “I’m satisfied. We’ve got both positive and negative results. The positive part is that the e-bike does pull the aircraft, even uphill. The negative one is that it couldn’t budge the aircraft. Electronics shut the engine off at the start. That’s why our goal is to find that safety lock, remove it, and come back here to Chaika Airfield to try to move Yak-18T again. And perhaps, next time we will budge a Boeing.”

This experience has opened up new avenues for exploration within Delfast. By pursuing these kinds of opportunities, they aim to develop innovative solutions tailored to various industries, from distribution workers to farmers who handle loads exceeding 1 ton (or 2,000 pounds).

The aviation community showed great interest in the experiment, with everyone excited about the possibility of integrating such vehicles into their work processes. For those interested in seeing more, a link to the full video is available below:

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Looking forward to what Delfast comes up with next!