Smart Electric Bike From Vanmoof

Originally published on Bikocity.

Redefining is the catchword for our progressive bicycle landscape. It is not lip service. As part of that, companies are rapidly redefining bicycles, and consumers now have a grand wave of bicycles to choose from. Gliding over and around the entire globe has never before been so diversely accommodating. The electrifying Vanmoof “intelligent” bicycle, Vanmoof 10 Electrified, is the latest innovation. The bicycle has intelligent electric assist, GPS, and more. I love this captivating video sparking with Vanmoof’s new electric activity:

VANMOOF 10 – ELECTRIFIED from VANMOOF on Vimeo.

The distinctive-looking traditional Dutch bikes of Vanmoof have a fine and elegant quality. This is quite a bit more. Its latest innovation combines smart sensors, an on-board computer, GPS tracking, and an electric assist system capable of boosting the power you put into the pedals by 80%. Sleekly styled, it is the “smartest bike in the city.”

Derek Markham of TreeHugger points out how ambitious this design is:

“The Vanmoof frames are anodized aluminum, and the Electrified has an integrated 209Wh battery system built into the top tube, as well as a dashboard with a battery meter and power indicator (which also functions as a remote control).”

The bike is driven by a 250W electrical motor on the front hub, which has a range of 30km to 60km, depending on riding conditions. According to Vanmoof, it takes just three hours for the battery system to be fully charged from an empty condition, and the bike is said to be easy to pedal in freewheeling mode as a traditional non-electric-assist bike.”

“Specifically developed to address the demands of urban commuting, the bike’s onboard computer monitors your cycling behavior via a sensor, adjusting the bike’s electric power – supplied via the small, lightweight motor in the bike’s front wheel – accordingly.” – Vanmoof

Looking like wings from an aerial view, the handles fly over electrified disk brakes on the front and rear, using a two-speed automatic drivetrain that includes a fully-enclosed chain. (No more gears and grease on your pants from the chain.) Illumination is part of the deal with a 40-lux-bright LED headlight and tail light for better visibility. – Find out more about hybrid bicycles.

Forget where you parked last night? (Probably not with this baby.) What if you do forget or if someone decides to move and park it in a nether-world without your knowledge? Vanmoof 10 has an innovative feature to help you find her. Vanmoof 10 has a built-in GPS tracking system that allows owners to trace the location of their bikes.

Derek adds: “Vanmoof initially opened up sales of the bike during a pre-production period, but because all 200 of those are already pre-sold (at a cost of €1998 (~ $2598 USD)), the rest of us will need to wait until April of 2014, when the Vanmoof 10 Electrified will be available at select bike dealers.”