Cycling is hard. There’s a lot of pushing and pulling involved, which often leads to shortness of breath and even a few beads of sweat forming on your brow. That sounds dangerous. We love the outdoors as much as anybody, but does getting from A to B have to require such discomfort?
Not anymore. E-bikes, essentially bicycles with an electric motor bolted on, are becoming more and more popular every day. Feeling tired? Sit back and let the battery do the work. Want to get your heart rate up? Clamp down on those pedals and feel the burn.
Of course, motorized bicycles have been around since the late 19th century, but e-bikes are relatively new. Terra Motors, an electric vehicle manufacturer from Japan, says its upcoming S750 e-bike is the world’s first to be designed by a Japanese company.
Scheduled to be unveiled March 17th, the S750 is the successor to the brand’s smartphone-connected A4000i and entry-level A2000 e-scooters, which have no pedals at all.
Maximum speed on the S750 will be a hair-ruffling 24.8 mph, and the vehicle will be able to travel around 31 miles before recharging or switching to human power.
The S750 will debut in Vietnam first at the end of March for just under $1,000, where buyers will have the choice of white, blue, or red finishes. Terra Motors claims it will open 50 showrooms by the end of 2015, so this little thing might be popping up near you in no time.
The S750 may be the first e-bike to come out of Japan, but it’s certainly not the first. Earlier this month, Ford debuted the MoDe: Pro, a folding, 200-watt two-wheeler that can hit 15 mph.
Unlike other units that can power themselves for long amounts of time, Ford’s variant is designed to kick in when it senses you need the help. Using a heart rate sensor, the MoDe: Pro has got your back when you get a little winded.
