Acer, yes that Acer, is having a break from laptops and venturing into the world of electric bikes with a new take on urban mobility.
The Taiwanese computing firm has unveiled the lightweight, 35lb “ebii” e-bike that, it says, is an “AI-driven smartbike for city dwellers looking to make their commute easier.” We don’t have a release date yet, so if you need some electric wheels right away, check out our best electric bikes guide here.
With a suitably futuristic-looking design (crafted from aluminum alloy) the ebii boasts a top speed of 20mph and a 70-mile range on a single charge. Acer says it’ll take about two-and-a-half hours for the bike to charge up.
According to Acer, the AI comes into play by learning riders’ preferences and shifting gears for them depending on road conditions. Other features include the ability to auto-lock when a linked phone goes beyond a certain distance from the bike.
Airless tyres mean riders shouldn’t have to worry about punctures and Acer has also fitted the ebii with collision detection sensors and built-in lights.
“With auto-lock systems and GPS positioning, you’ll never have to worry about where you parked your bike again,” Acer said. “ebii is also designed to send immediate alerts whenever someone tries to move ebii without you.”
Acer ebii electric bike: Price and availability
An accompanying smartphone app will give you information on battery life, recommended routes, and your current speed. You’ll also be able to use the ebii’s removable lithium-ion battery as a (somewhat) portable power pack to charge your phone or laptop.
A few accessories, like fenders or a rear rack for pannier bags, aren’t included as standard but can be purchased as optional extras.
Acer hasn’t revealed a price tag for the ebii yet, but we wouldn’t be surprised if it landed somewhere around the $1,500 premium e-bike benchmark we’ve seen from other manufacturers. At least it should be cheaper than the $10,000 asking price from Audi for its recent e-Tron electric mountain bike.
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