mighty and gentle on earth

As the future promises a need for more sustainable and responsible agriculture, designer Fanny Johnson offers an electric, self-driving mountain bike that takes the human out of the picture. Agriculture relies crucially on biodiversity, and especially on regenerative ranches – especially with multi-crop fields, careful supervision is needed to maintain a sustainable balance. The newly designed CAKE Kibb aims to keep regenerative agriculture thriving at a time when soil resources are already depleting.

The Kibb takes its name from a word meaning “ox” in Gutniska, a dialect of the Swedish island of Gotland. This name symbolizes the powerful force of the vehicle and its gentle existence on nature.

pictures of Fanny Johnson

the ‘cake kibb’ autonomous mountain bike

Transportation designer Fanny Johnson (see more here) comes up with the self-driving CAKE Kibb ATV to prioritize the use of natural resources whenever possible. With environmental protection at the forefront, it is intended to plant and harvest responsibly, autonomously or semi-autonomously. Traditional agricultural and farming machinery is powered by fossil fuels, an idea that contrasts with the spirit of caring for the land and the animals that live there, all without affecting delicate ecosystems. Instead, Kibb is designed to respect, not damage, the earth’s biodiversity while of course helping farmers at the same time.

Fanny Johnson comments: ‘We must harness the generative power of the earth itself. The power is in biodiversity, and we can no longer run farms and ranches with just one type of crop or animal..’

While emphasizing the importance of regenerative agriculture, the designer’s spotlight must traverse these ranches and farms, move livestock and transport crops without disturbing the grass.

the electrical solution

The electric mountain bike offered by Fanny Johnson will gently cross the terrain with or without a human driver. The design is all about modularity – with such a range of tasks on a farm, Kibbs technology can be easily replaced or updated, ensuring it is always up to date, throughout its lifespan.

The creator explains: ‘The simplistic design captures the essence of what is needed for the vehicle. With that keeping an honest expression. The vehicle is designed to have the least possible impact at all times, while providing the user with the necessary power and capabilities.

‘It moves around the farm in a gentle and confident manner respecting the soil and its surroundings.’

responsible materiality

Keeping a holistic spirit, the Scandinavian CAKE Kibb Self-Driving Mountain Bike is built with locally sourced materials. Soil Savers tires are produced from dandelions common throughout the region, while vehicle plastics are made from flax plants grown locally in Sweden. The main material is aluminum, which is used on both the mountain bike frame and its details. Aluminum is, of course, a sustainable choice because it is recyclable and will not degrade over multiple life cycles.

Fanny Johnson continues: ‘The main actors in this project, with the exception of the human user, are the animals. Both those who live in the ground but also those who live on the farm. If you keep the soil covered and a healthy root system, a diverse ecosystem of insects and organisms can thrive there..

‘Above ground, the quiet, non-polluting electrical transmission will keep the environment around farm animals physically and chemically undisturbed..’