The Car Hub

Those of you who have grown into grey or white haired maturity might recall in your dim and distant past of a mode of transport that never really caught on but now, maybe, could become the next green, environmentally friendly, eco-conscious, low cost method of travel – the electric bicycle.

From both Japan and China new, modern, updated electric bicycles are being introduced and indeed in both these countries have gained a substantial market share.

As with normal bikes there is a range of electric models to choose from, simple bike, off-road bike, shopping cart type etc all of which are said to comply with European standards.

Advancing technology has now improved both battery power and life while also dramatically reducing their weight. The weight Picturef an electric bike is critical to its performance. The heaviest components of an electric bike are the frame, battery and motor.

For general use a light weight standard alloy frame is normal, both battery and electric motor technology have made the choice of these items rather mind blowing as each combination can affect both performance and battery charging times. For instance batteries can be either; Sealed Lead Acid, Nickel Metal-Hydride, Litium-Ion or Lithium-Polymer; while motors can be either; Brush DC Motor, Brushless Motor or a Hub Motor.

Current technology allows the bikes to have a range from 50 to 70 miles, a top speed of between 15-25mph and a full battery re charge time of between 2 – 4 hours from a standard power supply.

How much can you buy one for, well it’s a bit like how long is a piece of string, depending on make / model and usage required for a bike costs can range between £600 to near £2000.

To those of you concerned about the environment and keeping yourself healthy then this mode of transport for short journeys can be very appealing.