The maker, Gogoro, is far from a newcomer: the Taiwan-based company has been delivering scooters and battery swapping programs since 2011, and is a leader on the local market. As of the end of last month, though, Gogoro is branching out into electric bikes, with a product that promises to deliver incredible performance in an almost unprecedented light form factor, unique looks and a novel approach to building e-bikes.
This sounds like a lot, so let’s unpack it.
Eeyo 1 is a premium e-bike that steers clear of an already crowded segment of the e-bike market, that of cargo, all-terrain-capable bikes. Instead, it focuses on the commuter and leisure segment, and is a product that is very light (even compared to regular, non-electric bikes), nimble, fast and very easy to maintain. It makes no compromises on build and materials used, so it’s priced accordingly.
“Ebikes don’t all need to be heavy cargo haulers or feel like you’re riding a battery, so we created the Eeyo 1 to be ultralight, quick, responsive, and fun,” Horace Luke, founder and CEO of Gogoro Inc, said at last week’s launch of the new e-bike. “With its iconic open-frame design and new powerful Eeyo Smartwheel, Eeyo 1 is an adrenaline time machine bringing back the pure joy of riding we all once had.”
Eeyo 1 comes in two models, Ultralight (Eeyo 1, in cloud blue and lobster orange) and Ultralightest (Eeyo 1s, in warm white), with the difference between the two being that the latter uses carbon fiber for most components to further reduce weight and increase performance. Pricing also differs: $3,899 and $4,599, respectively. It’s not cheap, but this is meant to be a premium product.
The idea behind this e-bike was to put the fun back into biking, and this was achieved by stripping it down of all non-essentials: fenders, racks, you name it. A seat tube was also deemed non-essential, so the open-frame design came to be. Kevlar reinforced carbon fiber is used for the fork and frame for the cheaper model, and for the rims, seat post (with five different seat post lengths) and handler for the lighter, more expensive variant.
At 26 pounds (11.7 kg), the bike is literally so light you can throw it over your shoulder and carry up the steps, and this was the stated goal.
It’s not just in the weight department that Eeyo delivers a serious punch: it’s also quite smart. Unlike most electric bikes out there, this one comes with the proprietary Eeyo Smartwheel, which packs the 123Wh battery, the motor, the controller and the sensors in the rear wheel, virtually hiding them from view. What this means is that e-riders may actually be able to avoid the occasional “Cheater!” insult when riding past non-motor-assisted bicycles on the road.
Thanks to the Gates carbon belt drive transmission with a torque sensor, riders know that their effort in pedaling is met with equal power application. This takes the bike to a maximum motor-assisted speed of 19 mph (30 kph) in the U.S. and 25 kph (15 mph) in the EU – the difference is down to current legislation. Two riding modes are available, Sport and Eco, and estimated range is dependent on them since they imply different levels of power-assist: 40 miles (64 km) and 55 miles (88 km), respectively.
Because the battery is not removable, charging is done either with a proximity charger, which snaps around the hub, or with a Stand charger. In both cases, a full charge can be achieved in 2.5 hours. A proximity lock is included with the Stand charger (sold separately), preventing theft by locking the motor as soon as the owner walks away from the bike.
Wireless connectivity is standard on both models. Gogoro insists that the same policy of keeping only the bare necessities applies to the LCD display, so that riders aren’t distracted from the fun of riding the Eeyo.
“Easy to ride and simple to own,” Gogoro says of its first foray into e-bikes, the Eeyo. “Every part has been chosen for durability and to be nearly maintenance-free.”
Pre-orders for both models are now possible, with deliveries scheduled this summer for Taiwain, the U.S. and Europe.
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