Picture this: you’re riding your bike, and as you get to a hill, you flick a switch and a motor kicks in, boosting your torque–and it’s pollution-free.
Too good to be true? Not if you have an electric bike. Powered by a battery, the bike can go up to 20 miles before it needs recharging–in a standard 110-volt electrical outlet. That will take three to six hours, depending on the model. And the bike itself will cost you about $500 to $1,300.
The electric bike was introduced to the U.S. in 1994 via a conversion kit for standard bikes. It was marketed by ZAP, now called ZAPWORLD.COM. After the conversion kit, ZAPWORLD.COM developed an electric bike.
“Electricruizer was our first bike,” said Gary Starr, the company’s chief executive. “It’s a nostalgic type of bike–it has a big following in the Baby Boomer market. People love the looks and try it. It’s comfortable–with upright handlebars and a springy seat.”
ZAPWORLD.COM has acquired other electric vehicle companies. “Our mission is to provide a broad spectrum of EVs for on-road use–everything but a full-size car,” Starr says. “We believe electric does low-speed trips better than gas vehicles.”
Ed Benjamin, an independent consultant to the electric bicycle industry who heads CycleElectric in Pocatello, Idaho, says: “I’m not sure ZAP is a player” in the electric bike market.
“The vast majority of sales is their electric scooter, ZAPPY. The Electricruizer is the simplest electric bike. The system is cheap to build, simple. But the performance is not as good as the more sophisticated designs.”
One of the higher-end bikes is the E-Bike, sold by EV Global Motors, in Los Angeles, run by former Chrysler Chairman Lee Iacocca. The firm’s target market is older than 40 for a couple of reasons, says President Robert Holmes. “One, the product is $1,000, and we’re looking for a market for whom $1,000 makes sense. Two, they have a little more leisure time. It’s designed so it works well for people with grandchildren.” It gives them a power boost to keep up with the kids. Features include “cruise control, headlights, horns and mirrors,” he adds.
“The E-Bike’s performance is superior to ZAP’s,” Benjamin says. “It’s the best-looking bike offered, but it’s slower than I would have hoped.” Top speed is 15 m.p.h.
Nationwide, 120 auto dealers are the primary distribution channel for E-Bikes. EV Global Motors rents the bikes in Palm Springs, Calif., and Phoenix for $25 an hour.
“People don’t associate a bike with auto dealers. People guess they would buy it in a bike shop. And that has worked against EV Global,” Benjamin said.
Still, EV Global is entertaining thoughts of expanding its product line. “After two-wheel products, we plan to develop three-wheel electric products–adult tricycles and pedicabs,” Holmes says. “Then, four-wheel vehicles–short-range, low-speed vehicles.”
Another electric bike is the U.S. Pro-Drive, produced by Currie Technologies in Los Angeles. The firm was founded by Malcolm Currie, former Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and former chairman and CEO of Hughes Aircraft and Delco Electronics.
Baby boomers are the firm’s target market, Currie says. “There are 90 million bicycles in this country parked in the garage. It’s nice–the idea of exercise. But it’s drudgery going uphill.”
In addition to targetting Boomers, Currie and ZAPWORLD.COM market patrol versions of their bikes to police departments. Peddling its bikes through the Internet, Currie also has one line sold through Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club.
“They’re the total volume leader,” Benjamin says of Currie, which sold 10,000 electic bikes in 1999.
In April ’99, Giant, a Taiwan-based bikemaker, introduced the Lafree electric bike in the U.S.
“It’s recognized in Europe as the best there by industry evaluators,” Benjamin says.
The Lafree works differently than the other bikes. It’s a pedalec, a “human/electric hybrid” in which the rider is continuously pedaling but is assisted by electric power. “You control the power with your feet. There’s no switch. The sensor adds power.”
Overall, the electric bike market is global. “It started in Japan–several hundred thousand have been sold there,” Currie says. “It’s spreading to Europe, the U.S.”
In ’98, U.S. sales of electric bikes reached 25,000, according to Benjamin. Last year, that number jumped to 40,000. This year’s projection: 120,000.
Ford Motor Co. is getting into the picture, too, offering two electric bikes through its TH!NK Mobility group of zero-emission vehicles. The bikes will be sold at Ford dealers, in bike shops and on the Internet starting in July, Ford spokesman Glenn Ray said.
At this point, the Internet is the easiest way to find electric bikes. But before you purchase one, be aware that Illinois law defines an electric bike as a motorized pedacycle, Benjamin points out. “Registration and a license are required, and the operator must be 16 years old.”
BIKES WITH A BOOST
Bikers who run out of leg power can get a boost of horsepower with an electric bike. Here is a sampling of the models available.
Bike
Price Manufacturer, Contact
Weight Top speed Range Recharge Colors
(lbs.) (m.p.h) (miles) (hours)
E-Bike standard 67 15 20 4 Red, black
$995 EV Global Motors, Los Angeles www.ebike.com; 310-208-7076;
800-871-4545
ElectriCruizer DX 50 18 20 3-4 Red, black, blue
$824.99 ZAPWORLD.COM, Sebastopol, Calif. www.zapworld.com; 707-824-4150
ETC New Century Express 65 11-12 10 5-6 Yellow
$499 1-speed Electric
$639 3-speed Transportation Co. Santa Barbara, Calif. www.etcbikes.com,
805-967-1767,
888-808-4ETC
Lafree 75 20 25 3.5-4 Burgundy, blue,
silver
$995 Giant Bicycles, Rancho Dominguez, Calif. ww.lafree.com,
800-US-GIANT;
310-223-0212
U.S. Pro-Drive 58 12-13 12 6-8 Red, green, black
$899 Currie Technologies Inc., Van Nuys, Calif. www.currietech.com,
818-947-0366; 800-268-8596
Sources: Company reports, Electric Vehicle Association of the Americas
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