Happy New Year 2024 (and sorry for the forum being offline some hours) /DM
CEO Dai Wei, a 26-year-old entrepreneur who named his firm Ofo as the letters look like a bike, revealed that figure in a conversation with CNBC. It's about double the last reports of the company's value — which came out less than two months ago. ...
A worker from the bike share company Ofo puts a damaged bike on a pile at a makeshift repair depot for the company where thousands of derelict bikes are being kept after coming off the road on March 29, 2017 in Beijing, China.
A startup working on a new low-cost solar and human-powered vehicle has received funds from the Energy and Environment Partnership in order to bring the vehicle to Africa and contribute to the continent’s economic development in remote areas.The vehicle called Solar-E-Cycle functions as an e-bike, but it is assisted by both a battery pack and a solar panel. Roger Christen, a Quebecer who spent the last 28 years in Africa, saw an opportunity to solve with a single product several important problems that Africans living in remote areas face every day: having to walk long distances to get water and lack of access to electricity.He told LaPresse that he was mainly inspired by those who have to walk miles every day just to get water, but Christen sees more opportunities for African to have access to a product with both a solar panel and a battery pack:“You can charge your phone, plug a lamp or a water pump. You can even plug a sewing machine and start a business.”...
“In a country like India, electric two wheelers will be a more natural choice for consumers and will lead the way to transforming mobility,” says Tarun Mehta, co-founder of Ather Energy, a Bangalore-based startup brewing a solution to India’s urgent electric needs. Ather’s concoction so far is a prototype scooter called the Ather S340 that first cruised on-stage at the Surge startup conference, driven by Mehta himself. After an 18-month delay on the launch date, the company is presently working on certifications for the e-bike, and Mehta expects the assembly lines to be in place by December.
Southern California’s beachside city has unwittingly become a test bed for a new electric-scooter rental system run by local start-up Bird Rides. The scheme is delighting tourists and many residents as much as it is unsettling the local authorities and some pedestrians.The Birds have handlebars but no seat, like a hot-rod version of the Razor or Micro scooters beloved by toddlers. They go at speeds of up to 15mph — faster than many cars can move in Los Angeles’ congested streets.Visitors need only spend a few minutes on the Los Angeles beachfront that runs from Santa Monica to Venice to see dozens of the black-and-white Bird scooters whizzing along the boardwalk and bike path. I have not seen a local community embrace a new transportation service like this since Uber launched its ride-sharing service in San Francisco in 2012. ...
SAN FRANCISCO — An electric-scooter rental startup led by a former Uber and Lyft executive that has sparked a legal battle in Santa Monica, California, has landed $15 million in funding to expand across the US.Bird is a startup that lets customers rent dockless electric scooters (or "Birds") with the tap of an app and then leave them on the street when they're done. It first launched in Santa Monica, the ocean-facing city near Los Angeles, in September — sparking disruption, hundreds of traffic stops, and a criminal complaint against the startup and its founder.The startup has since expanded to neighborhoods in Los Angeles and San Diego, and on Tuesday it announced it had raised $15 million in venture-capital funding led by Craft Ventures to support its expansion throughout the US.The company says it has 50,000 active users and has seen 250,000 rides on its platform. (It isn't disclosing its valuation or revenue.) The startup aims to have a presence in 50 US markets by the end of 2018, its founder and CEO, Travis VanderZanden, told Business Insider....Dockless bikes have caused mayhem — but Bird argues it's differentDockless bicycles booked via an app are growing fast in popularity, pushed by a new flock of transportation startups. They give city-goers a new, healthy, and environmentally friendly way to get around, advocates argue, and can be left wherever is convenient once the user is finished with them, ready for the next customer.But their rapid proliferation has caused headaches for some cities, as they clutter up public spaces and sidewalks, making it harder for people to get around — particularly those with access needs or who use wheelchairs.VanderZanden argues that Bird's scooters are unlikely to cause many problems. This is because they're used nearly constantly, he says, and are collected up by the company at the end of every day to be recharged before being redistributed to prearranged spots on private property. ...
Bosch brings its proprietary PowerTube 500 in-frame batteries to US ebike market, signaling design shift
Quote from: Sigmetnow on April 16, 2018, 07:03:01 PMBosch brings its proprietary PowerTube 500 in-frame batteries to US ebike market, signaling design shiftI'm not sure if this is such a good idea. In Israel, where e-bikes are a major commuting option for many people, there is the problem of theft, as e-bikes are highly desirable and quite expensive. A typical solution is to lock the e-bike on the street, but carry the battery with you to your office/workplace. With in-frame batteries, if you lack somewhere secure to park, it is simply begging for theft.
VanMoof has also included a “stealth lock” that is built into the rear chain stay of the frame. The lock consists of a metal bolt that is pushed into a recess in the rear wheel’s hub, either manually by the rider’s foot or electronically by the accompanying app, and physically prevents the wheel from turning until unlocked by the owner. All of the important bits on the bike are also secured with anti-theft nuts and bolts.If someone tries to steal the bike, it will sound an alarm from a hidden speaker.Sure, that may stop thefts of opportunity, but a determined thief can simply walk or drive off with the bike. That’s where VanMoof’s GPS integration comes in. We’ve covered electric bikes and scooters that allow you to GPS track your stolen ride before. But VanMoof goes one step further.In true “don’t call the fuzz” style, they take matters into their own hands. VanMoof employs their own teams known as BikeHunters that physically track down and presumably steal back your bike for you, all for a nominal fee of $98. And if they can’t get it back, they replace it. In the past they’ve even crossed international borders to hunt down and return stolen bikes. ...
You’ve likely seen or heard about the massive fleets of rental electric scooters that have been taking over US cities. Even if you don’t have the rental electric scooters in your city yet, you’ve probably seen the news coverage, especially regarding the backlash against riders dangerously and illegally zipping around sidewalks and crashing into pedestrians.San Francisco decided to put a stop to the madness in their city last month, issuing cease and desist orders while they developed a plan to reign in the wild scooter companies.Now they have offered five permits to electric scooter companies to operate in the city, and heavyweights Uber and Lyft have thrown their hats in the ring to face off against other already established electric scooter companies. ...
Compared to an ice cream e-bike, an ice cream truck would cost 10 times as much to set up and would use 100 times more energy each the day – a critical cost for a new business. Energy costs for the e-bike with freezer would be around $0.35 per day, versus $35 per day for an ice cream truck....The business can be quite profitable, with a full freezer of 240 ice cream tubs clearing about $1,200 per load. Not too shabby.
And just like that, less than 12 months since they first rolled into town, Seattleites have taken more than one million carbon-free rides on Lime smart pedal and e-assist bikes.
Tough little folding electric bike. Speeds up to 18 mph (29 km/h)?2018 Oyama CX E8D II review: probably the nicest folding electric bicycle I’ve ever riddenhttps://electrek.co/2018/08/03/2018-oyama-cx-e8d-ii-review-best-folding-electric-bicycle/
Quote from: Sigmetnow on August 05, 2018, 04:08:37 PMTough little folding electric bike. Speeds up to 18 mph (29 km/h)?2018 Oyama CX E8D II review: probably the nicest folding electric bicycle I’ve ever riddenhttps://electrek.co/2018/08/03/2018-oyama-cx-e8d-ii-review-best-folding-electric-bicycle/Does it have an "electrocute anyone trying to steal it" function? Here in Waterloo, Ontario (Canada) the bike thieves seem to be breeding like bunny rabbits.
Easy to fold, OYAMA folding bikes are also easy to set-up, getting you on the road or off in minimal time.Folds up small, which means it’s easy to bring to the office, classroom, restaurant, shop, apartment, dorm, or even on the bus or train.
But electrocution would be so much more fun! But I take your point, although a lot of restaurants etc. may not have room even for a fold-up bike.
According to an announcement made today, Piaggio will begin producing the Vespa Elettrica next month.Sales of the Elettrica will begin in October through a dedicated website, which is yet to be announced. Piaggio says that initial sales will be limited, and will expand throughout November, timed to coincide with EICMA 2018, also known as the Milan Motorcycle Show. ...
The first electric Vespa, the Elettrica, to finally enter production next monthQuoteAccording to an announcement made today, Piaggio will begin producing the Vespa Elettrica next month.Sales of the Elettrica will begin in October through a dedicated website, which is yet to be announced. Piaggio says that initial sales will be limited, and will expand throughout November, timed to coincide with EICMA 2018, also known as the Milan Motorcycle Show. ...https://electrek.co/2018/08/27/electric-vespa-the-elletrica-production/
Personal urban transportation, including one-person electric vehicles designed for cities, is a rapidly growing industry. Though cars are great multi-use vehicles for suburban and rural environments, commuters are now discovering that densely populated urban centers can be better served with smaller, purpose built transportation solutions such as electric bicycles and e-scooters. Now with an increasing number of options in the market for affordable personal electric transportations, these little EVs are becoming popular alternatives in cities around the country. ...
A self-sustained vehicle powered by the sun is something of a holy grail for electric vehicles, but is difficult to achieve due to the limited surface area and high power requirements of full size cars. However, a smaller EV such as a solar powered electric bicycle has an advantage here due to its drastically lower energy demands.Over the last few months, a group of solar powered e-bikes raced nearly 13,000 km (8,000 mi) from Lyon, France to Guangzhou, China. Electrek caught up with Jack Butler, who placed 6th in the race, to hear how he succeed on such an extreme trip. ...
Electric scooter share programs continue to expand at a rapid pace across the United States and the rest of the world. Uber, known for its ride-hailing service, doesn’t want to miss the boat. Seeking its own piece of the pie, Uber has just rolled out its Jump electric scooter share program in Santa Monica.Uber recently purchased Jump, a dockless electric bicycle sharing company, in a deal reportedly worth over $100 million.Jump bikes are available in 10 cities. Now Uber is leveraging Jump to add electric scooter sharing to their portfolio of services, in addition to ride hailing and electric bicycle sharing.CEO Dara Khosrowshahi recently stated that the company expects electric bicycles and scooters to become the future of urban transportation. He believes that Uber believes it will offer just as many rides on electric bicycles and scooters over the next decade as they do in cars. ...