Sanyo today unveiled the Eneloop electric hybrid bike [JP], which will be on sale in Japan in early February 2009. The company is following Toshiba, Yamaha (Yamaha even sells two bikes) and Panasonic with their new addition to its Eneloop series of particularly “green” electronic products.
The bike is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and harnesses energy from braking when the bike goes downhill while being able to double the rider’s pedal force when going uphill through powering the front wheel. Sanyo claims their bike can travel 1.8 times faster than non-electric bikes.
The bicycle will cost $1,400 and is available in white, green, black or grey. Sanyo aims to launch the new bike overseas “at some point in the future”, according to a company representative. Its seat height is adjustable from 24-inch to 26-inch framing (the adjustable saddle range is 18cm).
I’m not a cycling fan myself, but this kind of bike is probably expected. They should probably launch it in China.
I don’t see credit to AFP, as your article clearly took mistaken information from them. The bicycle doesn’t travel 1.8x faster, but 1.8x further than conventional models.
These have been around forever in Japan. They are great for people who have diminished physical capabilities, such as the elderly.
We love our cars too much here in the USA, so I don’t know. Maybe in cities where parking is limited.