Sanyo landed a huge hit with its eneloop brand that includes a number of “green” products, such as lamps, batteries or even Wii controllers. In the past few months, the company also introduced electric bikes that featured eneloop technology, one of which it wanted to sell outside Japan as well.
Now Nippon gets another two eneloop-branded bikes [JP], a carbon fiber model and a foldable bicycle. The way both models work is the same: Every time you drive downhill or decelerate, the electric motor switches to a dynamo, allowing for regenerative charging. Both bikes are pretty cool but have one disadvantage: The hefty price tag.
The CY-SPK227 (pictured above), is the world’s first electric bike with a carbon fiber frame. Targeting sports fanatics, the bike weighs 19.5kg and is 1,830mm long. Charge the 25.2V/5.7Ah lithium-ion battery for 3.5 hours, and the bike will let you drive for about 100km (assisted travel range). Available in black only, Sanyo plans to start selling the bike on October 1. The price: $6,700.
Sanyo also presented a foldable electric bike today, the CY-SPJ220, which is less spectacular but also way cheaper. That bike’s 24V/3.1Ah lithium-ion battery is good for an assisted travel range of up to 46km with a single charge (which takes 2 hours and 15 minutes).
The CY-SPJ220, which isn’t made of carbon fiber, weighs 18.5kg and is available in black, red or white. Sanyo will start selling the bike in Japan on September 21 fo $1,100.
The company hasn’t said yet if these bikes will ever make their way outside Nippon as well.
It’s electric, but $6,000 is alot for a bike that doesn’t even have a motor.
It’s expensive because its frame is made of carbon fiber used on many racing bike which the price starts at around $2000.-.
There are mamachari (Japanese word, utility bikes) power assisted models from Sanyo sold at around $1000.-
The idea of power assisted bicycles is for the people with less than ideal physique such as elderly, people in hilly area, people needs to haul heavy cargo. It is already used commercially for bike taxi and package delivery service in some area outside the US.
What it’s not is it’s not a powered wheel chair, it requires you to pedal, in return, you get longer milage between the charges.
Another feature other electric vehicles don’t have is that the battery is light and easy to replace, with a spare, you can use it continuously.
And yes, it has a front wheel drive hub motor.
Now if they will only come out with a 4 seater.
That performance is on a par with some current EVs, and the bike has far lower manufacturing and maintenance costs. Give me the bike. Regarding the 4 seat comment above, what’s the bet they already have one? I bet in China and India such a 4 seat bike would be extremely popular. Hell, give it 4 wheels and you’ve pretty much got an electric car.
Those batteries are *tiny*; the story doesn’t have the motors’ wattage, but to get the listed range levels, they can’t be remotely close to higher-powered ebikes (many of which near the 1hp CSPC limit several states’ laws comply with) American consumers are accustomed to.
i wonder what is the life capacity of this bike and how would they able to fold and used whenever they want to used it.