Hello dear readers and riders! Did you know that spring is less than a month away? For many of us, longer daylight hours and milder temperatures mean more time at the handlebars. In other awesome news, the last week of February was stuffed with plenty of electrifying stories. From e-Bikes that cater to cycling enthusiasts to an EV making a big splash in the boating industry, here are the EV news stories that matter most to you. As always, if you see something that deserves our attention, drop us a line at stephanie@thevintagent.com. Let’s roll.
Three e-Bike Models Perfect for Cycling Enthusiasts
The Rebeld street racer with a little electric kick. [Rebelde]If you’re an avid cycler who’s on the hunt for an e-Bike that can truly go the distance, look no further than the three e-Bike models designed by Pablo Baranoff Dorn and Rebeld. The series, including the ‘FIXIE,’ ‘MTB,’ and ‘URBAN’ models, were developed with cycling enthusiasts in mind, including urban commuters and off-road adventurers. All of the models are built on the Shimano Steps e8000 frame but feature their own distinct design and amenities.
Electric Hydrofoil Boat’s Maiden Voyage Makes Waves for the Future of Boating
A badass electric hydrofoil pleasure boat. [Candela]
Almost a year and a half after development, Swedish watercraft manufacturer, Candela, dropped a video of the maiden voyage of its C-8 electric hydrofoil boat. Silently and smoothly moving above the water’s surface on computer-guided underwater wings, the vessel successfully completed its first flight outside the company’s headquarters in Lidingö, Stockholm. The C8 uses 80% less energy than traditional boats. Merging aircraft technology with cutting-edge software, the C8 can lift itself above the water’s surface after reaching speeds of 16 knots, or 18.4mph. And the electric direct-drive means no noise, no oil changes, and no maintenance.
Z-Triton Drops an Electric Camper, Boat, and Trike Fusion
Just when we thought EV concepts couldn’t get any wilder, Latvian design and prototyping company, Zeltini, released a market-ready amphibious trike-camper vehicle that truly blew our minds. The EV has room to sleep and ride two and features integrated solar roof panels with a lithium-ion battery pack, an electric boat motor with cabin steering, two days worth of range, and even a spot for your favorite houseplant. It’s an extraordinary machine – have a look at the video!
The Axiis Liion Electric Supermoto Inches Closer to Production
Almost ready for the road…the Axiis. [Axiis]Portuguese Axiis Engineering Art, known in the motocross world for its superior CNC machined products, unveiled a mind-boggling concept electric superbike dubbed the Liion that promised to crank out 134 ponies and 177 lb.-ft. of instantaneous torque. However, after an exciting initial debut, the Liion seemingly slipped off the radar. Until now. While the Axiis Liion isn’t available just yet, the company has made its concept a reality. While the real-world details have yet to be revealed, we’re excited to see this design come to life.
A Steampunk-Inspired Wooden e-Scooter
A woodie hybrid e-scooter [Kalpa Taru]What’s more eco-friendly than an EV? An EV made from wood. The custom one-off-built e-Scooter from Kalpa Taru, a Bali-based bespoke furniture design studio, is called the NIU NQi GT/S and is made entirely from brass and wood. Every component of this scooter is made entirely by hand from blocks of wood that were thoughtfully finished, assembled, and topped off with brass accents.
Electric Motorcycle with Top Speeds of 250mph
A 250mph street legal Lightning? Don’t count them out, they’ve proven themselves over and over again. [Lightning]Here’s one for all of you speed demons out there. Lightning Motorcycles recently joined forces with CBMM to create the fastest production motorcycle on earth. The targeted speed is 250mph. Lightning has been the world’s fastest production motorcycle before, with their LS-218 of 2008, which definitively proved its top speed claim at Bonneville…quite unlike the usual top speed claims by manufacturers. And, they kicked butt at the Pikes Peak hillclimb with an LS-2018 in 2013. So, if Lightning says it will make a 250mph street legal motorcycle, I’d say that’s very likely. The question is, will you actually be able to buy one? [And if you want a look at the LS-218, one was included in our Electric Revolution exhibit of 2019]
Stephanie Weaver is the EV Editor of The Current vertical on TheVintagent.com, and a Philadelphia-based freelance writer. When she’s not locked to her laptop, she can be found riding horses and motorcycles. Her Instagram is here.
‘ Real ‘ cycling enthusiasts don’t need no stinking motor .. electric or otherwise ! The whole point is exercise and self propulsion … not being carried along like some old cripple pretending to be riding a bicycle .
And did ya hear the one about the burning ship in the middle of the Atlantic filled to the brim with high end Porsche , Audi , Bentley and Lamborghini EV’s
The fire no doubt started by one or more of the cars Li’s self emulating ( oh the joys of salt air and Li coming together Chemistry 101 ) … the best part being … since to date there is NO way to mitigate an Li fire …. them expensive little toys is gonna probably end up burning themselves into the very depths of Davy Jones’s locker
Yeah … fireproof ( referring the previous article’s header ] in yer dreams ! More like fire starters
Which kind of begs the question … what kind of person mixes wood and Li’s in the same package ? Brilliant ! If yer a pyromanic !
😎
Thank you for the Lightning tip, wonderful machines, with their real-world specs coming together. Hope their tech trickles down into commuters someday \(^v^)/ Cheers!
And the Jay Leno test ride on their website is particularly tasty to watch. Very elucidative, as he asks the right questions and gets honest answers. watching this one, I start believing (minus the charging infrastructure problems worldwide) that we’re almost there!