Product: Eneloop bike, a hybrid electric assist bicycle by Sanyo.
Features: It’s a normal bike, until you turn on the motor. Using battery power, it gives the rider a boost of power while pedaling. Features include a mode to automatically boost pedal power when going uphill and a mode for assist when transporting a heavy load. The bike weighs less than 50 pounds and comes with a headlight, brake light, bell, rear carrier rack and three-speed gear control. Light-weight battery lasts about 40 miles, recharges going downhill. Battery is removed with key and comes with wall charger.
Price: $2,299.
Ups: I love how the battery’s wall charger won’t kill the battery by over-charging if it is plugged in too long. Once the battery is full, charging stops. The bike is lightweight and well balanced because the battery sits below the seat. A control panel on the handlebars indicates how much juice is in the battery.
With the help of the engine, the rider only needs to pedal with a third of the energy normally required. The engine makes up for the rest with a 1:2 human-to-engine assist ratio.
Downs: Pricey for a bike. (But if you use it to commute or run errands, I suppose you would be saving money on gas for your car in the long run.)
Bottom line: It won the Best of Innovations award for the Consumer Electronics Show 2010 in the Eco-Design and Sustainable Technology category. It’s good if you want an everyday commuter bike to go to work or the store. You can save gas and the Earth by cutting back on driving, and save yourself from getting tired and sweaty.
It’s also an option for less athletic riders who want to get out and bike but could enjoy it more with a little push from the battery.
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