There’s no shortage of electric bicycles on the market. New models seem to pop up almost daily. But what we don’t see very often are electric bicycles designed by world-renowned motorcycle industry pioneers. The Fuell Fluid may be the first of its kind, and it goes on sale today. The bike features high-end components, dual batteries, and impressive range – you’ll want to check this one out.
Fuell’s new electric rides
Erik Buell is known in the industry as a pioneer of motorcycle racing technology. A former Harley-Davidson engineer, he founded Buell Motorcycles, which was eventually purchased by Harley-Davidson.
Buell’s latest endeavor has seen him team up with legendary engineer Frédéric Vasseur, the Alfa Romeo Formula 1 team principal and founder of Spark Racing Technology (which builds the Formula E racers), and successful international motorcycle entrepreneur Francois-Xavier Terny.
The team recently unveiled a pair of new electric two-wheelers: the Flow electric motorcycle and the Fluid electric bicycle.
Fuell Fluid electric bicycle
The Fuell Fluid e-bike went on pre-sale today using the Indiegogo platform. We’ve talked about how Indiegogo has been a popular option for launching new e-bikes while remaining a bit hit or miss. But in this case, Erik Buell’s name lends a truckload of credibility to the enterprise. Plus the campaign is already halfway funded in just the first few hours.
The Fuell Fluid offers a long list of high-end specs. It features the highly acclaimed Gates Carbon Drive, which uses a carbon belt instead of a chain drive. That reduces maintenance, increases efficiency, and results in a silent riding experience.
There’s also a custom mid-drive motor that is nominally rated at 100 Nm of torque and 500 W of power, as well as an EU version rated at just 250 W. I’m not saying this is necessarily the case here, but EU versions of international e-bikes often use the same motors and just label them as lower wattage. So you Europeans might be in for a surprise with how powerful the 250 W version is.
The motor is plenty torquey, but an 8-speed rear internal hub will bump that torque up even more on the low-end. Plus it’s another maintenance-free part.
There are two versions available with different top speeds. The Fluid-1 can hit 25 km/h in Europe or a slightly faster 20 mph in the US. The Fluid-1S bumps up the speed to 45 km/h in Europe or 28 mph in the US. Stopping power comes from a pair of Tektro HD-E hydraulic brakes. Again, there’s an emphasis on low maintenance here.
Other nice features include integrated high power (900 lumen) lights, front suspension, Schwalbe Super Moto tires, 3.2″ color display, 5 speed profiles, PIN code unlocking and GPS/LoRa tracker built into the frame for anti-theft.
A maximum of 200 km (125 mi) of range is possible with the dual 48V battery version, which offers 1,008 Wh. For those needing less range, you can pick up a single battery version to save some cash.
The Fuell Fluid’s multiple versions have MSRPs ranging from around $3,300-$3,700, but they are available for a 30% discount during the pre-order period. The Fluid-1 with a single battery is $2,299, the Fluid-1 with two batteries is $2,599, and the Fluid-1s with two batteries is $2,645. They are also offering extra battery packs for $299, just in case 200 km (125 mi) of range isn’t quite enough for you.
Fuell Flow electric motorcycle
While the Fluid e-bike is stealing the show, Fuell’s electric motorcycle shouldn’t be overlooked either. The Fuell Flow is designed as an urban commuter and comes in an 11 kW or 35 kW option. The max speed is around 90 km/h (55 mph) or up to 140 km/h (85 mph) on demand. That means it could theoretically take you on the highway, but is mostly designed for urban applications.
The Flow has a city range of 240 km (150 mi) from its 10 kWh battery. That’s on par with many Zero motorcycles, which need even larger batteries to reach such range. With a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) time of just 2.7 seconds, this is one quick electric commuter. And it charges quickly as well, including Level 3 DC fast charging as standard.
It also has some nice tech built into the bike, include ABS brakes, rear view camera, blind spot detection, and an anti-collision system – though I’m not sure how that last one works.
The Flow is also available for pre-order but won’t be ready for production until the end of 2020. A $500 deposit will hold your place in line for the $10,995 electric motorcycle.
What do you think of Fuell’s new electric bike and motorcycle? Let us know in the comments below.
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