On Friday, December 2, local time in the United States, General Motors released two electric bicycles. The design and engine system of these two bicycles are completely developed independently by General Motors and use a general proprietary power system, but more details about price, weight, size, battery, etc. will not be disclosed until 2019, but one of them can be folded.
General Motors enter the electric bicycle market. According to Statista.com, global electric bicycle sales are expected to reach about 40 million by 2023. China will remain the most important market for electric bicycles in the world, with an estimated sales volume of 34.3 million. General Motors will invest a lot of money in the growth of the Chinese market in the future.
GM said that both electric bikes are "innovative, integrated" and can be highly connected to the Internet and smartphones, but General Motors did not disclose what functions will be activated after connecting to the Internet.
One of the foldable ones can save space for users or provide convenience for those who need to connect with public transportation. Another one is perhaps a more traditional electric bike.
Also, since these bikes are designed by GM designers, they have a car-like feel. They have rechargeable front and rear LED lights to help users alleviate safety concerns when riding.
Usually, electric bikes have both traditional foot pedals, as well as a small battery pack and electric motor. electric motor provides additional power to traditional foot pedals. Some electric bikes simply don't need traditional pedals. In this regard, General Motors kept it a secret, and it did not announce whether the new electric bicycle has foot pedals.
"When you ride this e-bike, you will feel wind from both front and rear." said Jennifer Cathcart, GM's e-bike marketing manager.
General rewards up to $10,000 to solicit the name of the electric bike from consumers. A spokesperson for
General Motors said that the company's team of engineers in Canada led the development of the electric bicycle, which is rare because there are not many bicycle manufacturers in North America, and most of the electric bicycles in the US market are imported from China and other regions.
At present, automakers are working hard to use their experience in batteries, manufacturing and power systems to build more two-wheeled electric vehicles, such as motorcycles, bicycles, etc. For example, BMW is producing electric bikes and motorcycles, Audi is producing electric mountain bikes, and Ford is helping launch an electric scooter sharing project at Purdue University.
Currently, most large and medium-sized cities in the United States already have bicycle sharing services, and consumers can rent bicycles with credit cards within an hour or a day. Meanwhile, many bike manufacturers, including Giant and Trek, have begun offering e-bikes with pedal assistance, which can help riders pedal faster over long distances and reduce fatigue.
