If you’re working in tech and don’t have some sort of mobility solution, like Acer’s new e-bike, then you’re probably still playing catch-up with the competition. Some companies, like Jeep, Xiaomi, Audi, and now Acer, reckon the future of mobility is small and on the ground. The rest? They’ve got their head in the clouds.
Sure, the new Acer ebii might look like a hipster bike that’s collided with a security camera but that’s a headlight and not a lens. Look a little closer and you’ll notice that there are a few unusual design choices for this urban transportation alternative.
An Acer up your sleeve?
For starters, check out the forks. Or, rather, fork. The rear wheel uses a conventional design, because that’s hard to pull off, but the front section has a single fork holding the wheel in place. Our sense of good engineering cringes a little at the sight but it apparently “…enables a smoother and controlled ride”. It certainly saves a little on weight. The aluminium alloy frame helps to offset the large central battery and control area (that big white brick between your legs) so that the ebii clocks in at 16 kilograms.
There’s an ebiiAssist companion app and a few smart features built into the bike. It’ll learn you and the routes that you take, so it can assist more intelligently. The bike itself features collision detection (but it’s up to other drivers to pay attention to that), it’s got location tracking in case someone nicks it, and the bike detects when your phone gets out of range. Because of, you know, security.
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This brings us to its capabilities on the road. You’re only going to push around 16 kilos of metal and rubber (and those tyres are puncture-proof, by the way) if it’s worth it. The 460W lithium-ion battery has a 2.5-hour charge time and up to 110km on a charge. That seems like an attractive place to start. The assisting motor will propel riders at up to 25km/h, via ebii’s 250W motor. The only restriction? Acer’s new e-bike has a rider weight limit of 120kg.
Release, availability, and pricing have yet to be unveiled but there’s loads to like here. If you live even remotely close to your office, it’ll probably prove to be a very economical option. Depending on the eventual price tag, of course. If it’s anywhere close to Audi’s R186,000 e-bike cost, it’s probably more sensible to buy a car.
