One thing that it’s taken e-bike manufacturers a while to figure out is how to best integrate a battery into the bike frame. On early e-bikes batteries appeared as afterthoughts, usually either integrated into the pannier rack (bad for balance and handling) or, literally, bolted onto the frame, which may have been better for balance but didn’t do a lot for the looks of the bike, especially if a large capacity battery was used. Current designs look a lot slicker, usually integrated into the frame in varying degrees, and they also afford the battery better protection and give the bike better handling. To show how far the concept has come Van moof released their latest take on battery design with their completely frame-integrated main battery now supplemented by an optional range extender. With several electric assist systems offering range extender options this could be an idea taken up by more manufacturers in future.
In this week’s news:
- Van Moof Launch Range Extender
- Ein and 1Drive Powered Bike Trailers
- Solar Powered SunRider eCargo Trike Announced
- Revonte’s Innovative Mid-drive Explained
- Domino’s Trial E-powered Bots
- New E-bike Hire Scheme for NYC
- E-bike Subsidies Analysed