Database / I I I I
Design Resources: Digital Archive
Holdings Classification (Registered Name)
PAS (Power Assist System)
PAS (Power Assist System)
- Holding Institution
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (Iwata, Shizuoka, Japan)
- Category
-
- #Product
- Year of Production (First Edition)
1993（試作・初号機）
- Release Year
1993（日本国内販売開始）
- Designer
Nobuyuki Sugano (Concept Originator), Hiroyuki Koyama (Project Leader), ELM (Exterior Design and CMF)
- Manufacturer
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.
- Distributor
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.
- Dimensions
-
W580 × D1800 × H1050mm
- Materials and Techniques
Frame: Aluminum alloy Assist unit: Brushed DC motor Battery: Nickel–cadmium (Ni-Cd) battery Techniques: Welding and painted finish; electric control technology (torque sensor)
- Design Registration Number
0911799
- Portrait and Publicity Rights Holder
Not applicable
- Copyright Registration Number
Unknown
- Related Links
- Inquiries
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.
For design-related inquiries: Creative Division
For product-related inquiries: Public Relations Group
- Data Source
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.
For design-related inquiries: Creative Division
For product-related inquiries: Public Relations Group
The world’s first electric power-assisted bicycle, PAS, introducing assistance that closely matches human sensation.
Description
Reason for Selection:
By creating the entirely new category of electric power-assisted bicycles, PAS revolutionized everyday mobility and lifestyles, embodying a design that brought about significant social change.
Description:
At the time of its release in 1993, PAS addressed key challenges of conventional bicycles—namely their heaviness and the difficulty of starting to pedal—by incorporating the world’s first electric power-assist technology, thereby establishing a new mobility category. The design seamlessly integrated the battery and motor into the frame, achieving both ease of use and functional beauty. PAS dramatically expanded mobility options for older adults, families with young children, and people living in hilly areas, while also encouraging healthier lifestyles and broader social transformation. Infused with the creators’ strong commitment to “enriching people’s lives,” PAS represents a landmark fusion of technology and design and stands as the origin of the global electric power-assisted bicycle movement that continues today. The product has received numerous awards, including the Good Design Award Gold Prize.