The electric mobility sector is rapidly changing across all its platforms. While powerful electric cars and motorcycles continue to boast groundbreaking innovations, they’re undoubtedly beyond the reach of most commuters looking to get around. The result is a proliferating LEV (Lightweight Electric Vehicle) segment that’s dominated by electric scooters, e-bikes, and mopeds.
A Hong Kong-based company called C3STROM looks to blaze a trail in the e-bike sector with its newest product. Now, e-bikes have been around for quite some time now, and most affordable ones follow a simple formula—a conventional bicycle frame with a battery mounted to the downtube, and a hub-mounted motor on the back wheel. While this setup works perfectly, it’s undoubtedly a bit dated, and lacking premium style that upmarket clientele may be looking for.
C3STROM’s ASTRO and ASTRO Pro electric bicycles raise the bar not just in terms of design, but performance, too. In fact, the ASTRO sort of blues the line between your run-of-the-mill electric bicycle and an electric motorbike. For starters, the battery is central to the bike’s construction, and is neatly integrated into the frame design. It’s tucked away right below the top-tube, and is available in two variants—780 wH in the base model, and 1040 wH in the pro model. Depending on how hard you ride, you’re looking at a range of around 60 to 80 miles on a single charge.
As for performance, the ASTRO gets a hub-integrated motor on the rear wheel with a power output of 750W and 80Nm of torque. The rider has the option of two riding modes namely C3 and Off-Road mode. C3 mode limited the bike’s top speed to 45 kilometers per hour, or around 28 miles per hour, while Off-Road mode offers maximum performance and a top speed of 52 kilometers per hour, or 32 miles per hour. The bike is underpinned by adequate tech consisting of a telescopic front fork and a pair of hydraulic disc brakes, one on either end. It doesn’t get any rear suspension, though.
Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of electric bicycles like the ASTRO is the fact that you could still pedal your way home, should you ever find yourself with a drained battery. As for pricing and availability, C3STROM looks to release the ASTRO later in the second quarter of 2022. It’ll be available in either black and gray, and have a pre-launch price of $1,699 for the base model, and $1,899 for the top of the line Pro variant.
