Delfast, maker of 380 km range electric bicycle, has a new bike for deliveries

Delfast is no stranger to long-range e-bikes. Now the company has a new model out that is specifically designed for delivery riders. It seems with these specs though that there could be a lot of commuters lining up to purchase the bike as well.

Delfast currently holds the world record for the longest distance on an electric bicycle on a single charge.

They set the record with their 380 km (236 mi) range Prime electric bicycle.

While that’s pretty impressive, most people don’t need quite so much range for an every day e-bike. But one group of riders will never say no to more range: delivery riders.

That’s who Delfast was thinking of when they designed their new electric bike, the Partner.

Delfast Partner electric bicycle

Delfast’s new Partner e-bike doesn’t have quite the same range as the Prime. But with a rated 150 km (93 mi), it’s still way above the competition.

That impressive range comes from a large 48V 26Ah battery sporting over 1.2 kWh of capacity. The battery also has a Bluetooth BMS, meaning you can check your battery capacity and health on your phone.

The Partner tops out at 45 km/h (28 mph) which makes it a Class 3 e-bike in the US or a speed pedelec in Europe.

And while Delfast doesn’t come right out and say it, no one should be expecting to get that 150 km range while going 45 km/h. You’ll have to slow down to achieve peak efficiency.

The rear hubmotor is listed as 750 W, but it’s definitely one of those wink wink scenarios. With a 32A controller, the system will be pulling over 1,500 W of peak power during acceleration and hill climbing. That will certainly make for a wild ride, but could also be a range killer if not managed properly.

The bike itself is built on an enduro-style frame with long travel suspension. There’s an XCM fork up front and DNM shock in the rear. It also features a built-in GPS tracker, though you’ll have to provide your own sim card for the tracking service.

The disc brakes are mechanical, not hydraulic, which is a bit surprising. For a $3,899 e-bike, I would have expected juice brakes. But I guess that 1.2 kWh battery and high power motor/controller combo are expensive, and don’t leave much room for too many fancy features with a price still under $4k.

The bike is designed to appeal to companies that need fleets of motorbikes for deliveries. Delfast also created an app with tracking features and other integrated abilities that delivery companies will find useful for fleet management.

We caught up with Delfast to ask about their pivot towards the delivery sector. But as Delfast’s Head of Communications Dima Buhanevyc explained to Electrek, it isn’t as much a pivot as a return to its roots:

“Regarding our B2B move, Delfast itself was created as an eco-delivery company. We used third-party bikes to deliver tech items, gadgets, books, etc in Kyiv, Ukraine and expanded to Poland. We had to find a bike that would be effective for our purposes and since there weren’t really any on the market (we tested dozens of models), eventually we made it ourselves.

So we know the business and mindset of a logistics, delivery company – and we believe this bike fits well with their typical needs. It is important because, by various estimates, you can save up to 1.5-2k USD every year by switching from a petroleum car/bike to an electric one. So eventually this will become the preferred mode for transportation to various companies that work in delivery and governmental services like postal. On top of that, obviously, you get an ecology-friendly vehicle.”

What do you think of the new Delfast Partner electric bicycle? Let us know in the comments below.