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BMW unveils the iPedelec Electric Bike concept
6/30/2012 |
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The opening of BMW's all-new "i" store in London is proving to be quite the attention drawer and the company used its eyeball-grabbing potential to tote around an all new concept e-bike called the 'BMW iPedelec'. The concept basically comprises of a foldable pedal-electric (pedelec) bicycle that can easily fit at the back of any of the BMW compact city cars from the ‘i' series. The BMW iPedelec electric bike concept is basically a three-speed pedal-friendly bicycle which also boasts of an electric motor that allows the bike to travel at maximum speeds of up to 25 km per hour (16 mph).
The electric assist provides the bike with a pedal-free range of up to 25 to 40 kilometers on a full charge. The bike is powered by a quick charge battery pack that can be fully recharged in 1.5 hours via a quick charge outlet and takes around 4 hours to fully recharge when the bike's battery pack is plugged into a regular electrical outlet. The bike can also be recharged via a socket included in the i3's trunk. The battery pack can also be replenished by using the electric hub motor as an electricity generator and utilizing kinetic energy and using regenerative braking.
The structure of the bike is made from lightweight carbon fiber and aluminum and features a 3-speed electric gear hub on the handlebars for variable biking conditions. Developed using sustainable methods, the BMW iPedelec Electric Bike features eucalyptus wood sourced from sustainable forests in Europe for the instrument panel. A natural tanning agent obtained from leaves of olive trees is used to treat the leather on the bike's seat. The BMW iPedelec Electric Bike might just be released around the same time that the company's all-electric i3 car hits dealerships in 2013.
all-electric i3 car
BMW says that two folded i Pedelec bikes can be comfortably squeezed into the trunk space of its forthcoming i3 EV, and that their batteries can be charged while in there
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