Two German engineers have managed to develop (without any external technological help or financial support) an electric bike that looks like a mix between a motorcycle and a mountain bike. The so-called Elmoto is powered by a 2KW engine and boasts a driving range of up to 65km with a single battery charge (which costs around $1).
Weighing just 45kg (the frame is made of aluminum), drivers can go as fast as 45km/h. The lithium-ion battery-powered Elmoto is being marketed as a “green” vehicle since it doesn’t emit carbon dioxide. German customers don’t even need to have a driver’s license to use it, but this may be different in other EU countries (the owners currently try hard to internationalize their invention, at least in the EU).
The developers of the e-bike hope to ship 100 units by the end of this year and then significantly boost sales in 2010. The Elmoto costs $5,700.
Via Der Spiegel [GER]
Looks like a great Idea. I would buy one.
Would mod the seat though thing is a real nut splitter. :D
This bike is a great concept, though there’s on on the market today that’s an actual mountain bike, and it’ll compete handily with the ElMoto. Pls contact me for more info if your desire is to shred the woods – NOW – or go to http://www.optibike.com.
$5700? I can buy a used car or even a practically brand new motorcycle for that much.
The opti bikes are $10,000 !!! and they are FUGLY. get a life
The Zero bike is the BEST atm
http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/
about 10k too
I happen to be a fan of the Zero, and believe it has a place in the market both on and off the road, with a price tag of $10,000. I believ ethe weight is pretty good at a bit over 200 lbs.
There are 3 levels of Optibike with the least expensive being at $6,000, and like the Zeor it’s all high quality components, just smaller and handles like a mountain bike – not a motorcycle. Oh, it weighs about 1/3 of a Zero so one person can throw it in a car or truck – by themselves.
Once again; http://www.optibike.com for the details
The zero looks big and cumbersome and too powerful for town riding. Not everyone is happy to hop on a 200lb death machine nor is the Zero appealing to cyclists, at least not this cyclist! This Elmoto, however, looks like something I would be happy to boot around town on when I am not into pushing my pedals around. It also looks light and like it would blend in locked up at the bike racks!
The price point is too high. If you want an electric motorcycle go with a http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/
If you are looking to modify your bicycle for about $400 goto http://www.ampedbikes.com
Product endorsement by a manufacturer…I didn’t realize ZERO and AMPED were the same company. So, how the ZERO came to be???
But then again, with a price point 2-3 times more per CC of power than standard MC, Zero should be a bit less argumentative???
Sorry for spat on your post ELMOTO…it’s those Zero guys … again.
Oops! I looked at Optibike after my earlier comment and I have to say they are looking pretty amazing! It looks great, they have customization available for people who are taller or shorter or have suffered various injuries. With the added bonus of having pedals plus electric – You can ride or cruise. Awesome! Sorry Elmoto, what you are making certainly has a place in the market but as a cyclist already, I really love the idea of still being able to pedal when I want to. Keep up the great work though!
They wouldn’t be able to sell it in Australia with our stupid law which states the max power be under 200 watts.
Stupid laws. I just don’t know what they were thinking with this law. My electric bike is street legal. The local police have pulled me up and gone through it. http://www.ausebike.com/products/street/chopper.html
The New South Wales Roads and Transport Authority have recently decided that the pushbikes that look like moped/scooters are illegal. They are determined to keep us in our cars.
My chopper has been my main transport for a year now. I rarely take the car out. We still need it for long trips but most of the in town errands and shopping is done with the chopper. I bought a trailer for the bigger jobs.
Yes your chopper is legal.I have read the laws many times and I generally agree with you.
I ride a 2 stoke powered mountain bike which I purchased from eziridecycles.com.au
Both of our motor assisted bicycles have their pros and cons.They are both better than cars and a great deal more fun plus I get unintentional exercise.
Last Saturady I rode for 2 hours.As a man with poor health I could not have done this without a motor.I afraid that an electric motor would not have been able to have been able to have handled my heavy body and hilly terrain.So the 2 stoke motor does the best job for me.
QLD transport are quite particular about not wanting an internal combustion engine on a pushbike so I can’t go that way. (Just re-read my post – didn’t mention that I’m in QLD not NSW)
It is a shame that I can’t go longer distances and faster. The laws that they have put in place are really stopping this idea from getting off the ground. I have been musing about putting 3 of the motorhomes batteries into the trailer and cabling them all up to see how far I could go.
Hopefully lithium ion batteries will develope an economy of scale in the future. That would give me a better range for the same weight. Or small fuel cell units might replace batteries. That’d be cool.
http://www.jmbadditions.com/newfuelcell.php
Cruising along leaving a little trail of water. Stop to top up on methanol. A little ethanol for the driver on gold days. Aaaaaah :)
My chopper can only replace 95% of the short trips I used to make with the car. I’m not looking to get rid of the car, it just means I can leave it at home most of the time. The car (and the motorhome) both have their uses. Next job is to make a rack to carry the choppers on the motorhome so we can take the fun with us.