eBike News: Endless Lifespan Battery, New eBikes, Top eMTBs, Safer Bike Lanes, & More! [VIDEOS]

Batteries with Endless Lifespan?

Bike Europe reports that MIT and Samsung have partnered to develop a new solid electrolyte lithium battery that has the potential for an endless lifespan, improved capacity (range), and it could be significantly safer than the current technology. 

Because it uses a solid electrolyte there would be “nothing to burn” and the cost to transport lithium batteries could be reduced. 

Another improvement would be that these would not be affected by cold weather conditions. Checkout the Bike Europe report here.

Stanford researchers are also working on finding the best solid electrolyte solution as well. Here is a video that explain how they are using a machine learning computer algorithm to crunch the numbers:

New battery technology hits the news frequently but it can be many years, if ever, before this new technology makes it to market. So, stay tuned……..

e-MTB Survey Results In

ebike-mtb.com has announced the winners of its poll to find the most popular e-mtb brands amongst over 4,000 of its readers. If this were a boxing match the result would be the equivalent of a first round KO…  

With around 50% of the votes Haibike came up trumps, with Specialized and Cube a rather distant second and third, getting 10% of the votes each. In what sounds to have been a very detailed questionnaire, Bosch was rated the best motor brand and Shimano the best brake and drivetrains brand.

We should note that the website is based in Germany and no doubt has many German readers, though the website was at pains to point out the results were largely echoed by its international readers.  

New Bikes

The EF01 E-folder from Peugeot

Towards the end of 2016 it seems Peugeot slipped out news of an electric folding bike rather quietly.

The EF01’s futuristic lines and compact fold certainly look the part. Peugeot is well known as both a car and bike maker in its home country of France and they have been producing electric bikes since 2009. 

Interestingly the bike can be charged both from the mains electric supply and from a 12V outlet as found in some cars, so Peugeot clearly thinks the car + e-bike idea may appeal to potential buyers.

Claimed vital stats are 37.5 pounds (17 kg) weight, 20 km/h top speed, 30 km range and a sub-10 second fold. 16-inch wheels are fitted with powerful looking disc brakes and the bike also has Bluetooth connectivity.

Peugeot say it will be sold via their own dealer network and that of Cycleurope ‘starting in the first half of 2017’.

Another Folding Bosch Bike….this One from Gepida

EBR recently reported on the Bosch-powered, folding Tern Vektron.

Now, with a claimed headline weight of 31 pounds (14 kg), the Miliare is a newly announced folder from Hungary’s Gepida.

Powered by a Bosch crank motor it comes in two versions, the basic Miliare and the Miliare Pro.

The Pro upgrades to a Gates carbon belt drive and an electronically shifting hub gear unit plus Nyon display and Performance line motor or over Active line. Both models feature a 400Wh battery.

Here’s a closer look at the Pro:

The Miliare is priced for 2017 UK release from e-bikeshop at £2199 whilst the Miliare Pro will cost £3699.  

Check out e-bikeshop’s Miliare pages here. 

Will other major manufacturers jump on-board and announce Bosch-powered folders?

New M2S eBikes with Bafang Mid Drive

M2S Bikes has launched 4 new electric bikes that feature the new Bafang Max mid drive system. The line up of their new eBikes include the following. 

The All Terrain Kush, a full suspension electric fat bike priced at $1,850. 

The All Terrain MD a hardtail electric fat bike priced at $1,650.

The Dual Sport, a full suspension 27.5″ wheel eMTB priced at $1,850. And here is a video of the Dual Sport:

And this is the XC Sport, hardtail 27.5″ wheel eMTB priced at $1,650.

More info at M2S Bikes.

Falco eDrive Kit & Indoor Trainer

Falco eDrive: the first ever indoor/outdoor bike conversion that transforms any bike into a smart outdoor hybrid eBike and an interactive indoor power trainer. 

Here is a video with more info:

Falco states that the eDrive kit has 100+ mile range and says it can achieve speeds of up to 28 mph.

Riders can create a custom fitness program with Zwift, Trainer Road or any favorite apps, or use Falco’s intuitive smart phone app and set performance limits based on individual metrics. 

Learn more about the Falco eDrive here.

Get Inspired

Death Valley by eBike

The crew from Motostrano (electric bike shops in the San Francisco area) recently concluded an electric bike adventure in Death Valley. Here’s a report from their trip with a look at the scenes. 

An E-bike View from DownUnder…More and Younger Riders

This encouraging view from the Australian state of Queensland gives several encouraging details from a country not perhaps known to be at the forefront of the electric bike revolution. 

Retailer Daniel Whiting has 10 years’ experience distributing e-bikes and his two stores sell about 1,400 e-bikes a year, which Mr Whiting said was double the number of sales two years ago.

Encouragingly he reports “The demographic of e-bike users has shifted from mainly seniors trying to stay mobile with minimum exertion, to 30 to 50-year-old inner-city commuters and families.”

More Bamboo

Back in November we reported on some fascinating sounding bamboo bike workshops from Bali, including plans for a bamboo e-bike. Now Ewabi, the electric bamboo bike company, are at it again.

They have announced another workshop for Feb 7-16 featuring Brazil’s Klaus Volkmann. 

Ewabi are (an Earth Corporation) whose mission is to lower the ecological and economic cost of mobility and transportation. 

Hour Record at 105 Years Old!

Infrastructure

More Separated Bike Lanes

One of the UK’s largest cities, Birmingham has just scrapped plans for a large number of on highway, non-separated cycle lanes in favour of major investment in a smaller number of continental European style separated cycle lanes, or ‘cycling superhighways’ as they seem to be increasingly known in the UK. 

Details from this Birmingham Post article tell us that ‘City bosses have scrapped plans to run cycle lanes along six main roads because they do not encourage enough people to swap their cars for bikes. Instead, the council will focus its Cycle Revolution funding on creating two cycle ‘superhighways’ …..These separated lanes are thought to be safer and more attractive to new and novice cyclists.

It is the latest part of the Department for Transport-funded £60 million Birmingham Cycle Revolution project which has already seen cycle routes along canal towpaths and parks upgraded and cycle training grants to schools.’

E-bike Biz

Rad Power Bikes Team in Forbes Top 30 Under 30

The founders of Rad Power Bikes, Mike Radenbaugh, Ty Collins, and Marimar White-Espin, have been named to Forbes Top 30 Under 30 list for leaders in manufacturing and industry fields.  Here is a great article about how they got their start.  

Boom in US E-bike Market?

‘Electric bike market advisers eCycleElectric have concluded that the U.S. market for pedal assisted bikes could have grown year-on-year by as much as 70% in 2016’ says Cycling Industry News. Adding up estimated imports and US built machines they have come up with a range of US e-bike sales for 2016 of between 211,000 and 276,000. The largest importers were ebike specialists, followed by major bicycle brands.

Stay tuned for more e-bike news and thanks for reading!

-Richard

P.S. Don’t forget to join the Electric Bike Report community for updates from the electric bike world, plus ebike riding and maintenance tips!