E-bikes come in some pretty strange shapes and sizes these days, and compared to some that fold up to fit into backpacks or feature vertical drivetrains, the newly announced Kvaern could be seen to take a somewhat conservative approach. But still, with a missing seat post, the BMX-inspired e-bike does have some points of difference, and also comes with an optional solar-powered charging pack so you can get on the move without tapping into the grid.
The Denmark-based creators of the Kvaern e-bike so named it for its Danish definition of "cool ride." Such things are always going to be subjective, but from where we're sitting the bike is nicely designed, with a bold aluminum frame, five-spoke magnesium alloy wheels and thick top and down tubes.
It's driven by a 250-W motor, which is standard for street-legal e-bikes around the world, and a 36 V battery affords it 50 km (31 mi) of range. It can apparently accelerate from 0 to 25 km/h (15 mph) in 4.5 seconds, and also uses a torque sensor that adapts the electrical assist to suit the user's riding.
Other technological tidbits include front and tail lights, a built-in Bluetooth speaker and a trip computer on the handlebars that displays speed, battery level and mileage.
Once the removable battery is depleted, you can recharge it by plugging it into the wall outlet. But if you're willing to fork out for it, it can be hooked up to the solar charging system, which draws power from the Sun's rays and stores it in a Tesla Powerwall-like battery.
"No doubt Tesla has been a great inspiration for Kvaern, and like pretty much the rest of the world, we are very impressed with what they have managed to do to the car industry," says Jonas Gissel, Kvaern founder.
The Kvaern will be launching on Indiegogo later this week, and according to The Verge, will be priced at €999 (US$1,220). If you're after the additional solar charging pack, that will set you back €449 (US$550). There's no word yet on when the company plans to start shipping the bike, but it's worth pointing out that there's still a successful crowdfunding campaign to pull off before that can happen, and these things don't always go to plan.
Check out the promo video for the Kvaern below.
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