It's clear that electric bikes and other lightweight electric lightweight vehicles are paving the way for future mobility. They're clearly not taking the place of cars or motorcycles anytime soon, but they sure make a compelling alternative especially for folks living in the urban jungle. The fact that a lot of major car and motorbike companies have been dabbling into the e-mobility scene is solid evidence of this.
Indeed, we've talked about new e-bikes from the likes of Porsche, Yamaha, and Ducati. In fact, even Mercedes-AMG unveiled a new electric scooter not too long ago. As you'd probably guess, more and more car brands are venturing into the e-mobility space, the newest of which is South Korean automaker Hyundai. Just like most other automakers, Hyundai isn't relying on its own technology to come up with a new e-bike, it's teamed up with Spansih e-bike brand Rayvolt for a special edition version of the popular eXXite Next electric bike.
Interestingly, the Hyundai-branded eXXite Next electric bike will be sold exclusively in the French market, a country known for its very aggressive e-mobility program. Hyundai already has quite an impressive selection of electric cars, and so adding this stylish electric bicycle to its portfolio is a surefire way to gain the attention of city-dwellers. It's priced at a rather premium 3,490 Euros, or about $3,767 USD.
In terms of performance, the new Hyundai eXXcite Next electric bike is powered by an EPAC 250-watt hub motor with a torque rating of 50 Newton-meters. It should be good for an assisted speed of about 16 miles per hour. Even better, the e-bike incorporates a torque sensor, ensuring seamless and smooth power delivery tailored to every pedal stroke. The battery consists of a removable 36-volt, 14-ampere-hour battery pack concealed neatly within the seat post. This should be good for about 50 miles of range on a single charge.
Other techie features consist of what Rayvolt calls the Intelligent Regenerative Brake Sensor (iRBS), as well as a handy back-pedal braking system. Up front, the handlebar gets an intuitive control panel, enabling riders to toggle various settings on the bike, as well as monitor essential riding data like speed, battery life, and assist mode. Last but not least, the bike can also be used as an at-home fitness trainer with the RegenFit accessory and Eiva app.
