
The new foldable electric bicycle from Xiaomi could ease up traffic in crowded Chinese cities.
Xiaomi’s latest product in the works has turned out to be an electric bicycle. The Mi QiCYCLE Electric Folding Bike will be available for 3,000 RMB. The price roughly translates to $455.
The Mi QiCYCLE Electric Folding Bike is powered by a 250W, 36V motor. It also has a driving motor with a 3-speed transmission. Xiaomi guarantees up to 28 miles (45 kilometers) with a single battery charge. The battery charging system is Xiaomi’s own trademarked management system. The battery itself is a 20-pack of Panasonic lithium-ion cells. This is the same type of battery that Tesla is currently using as well.
The bicycle has a minimalistic aesthetic design, and most of its parts and casing are carbon fiber. As its namesake states, the bike does neatly fold. It weighs less than 32 pounds (14.5 kilograms). The battery does account for a third of its weight.
Like all other Xiaomi products, the electric bicycle is a smart device. It comes with a companion app that displays some well-organized information.The companion app can display speed, distance traveled, calories burned, GPS location, as well as the overall status to the bike.
Apart from the companion app, Xiaomi said that the electric bicycle comes with a system called IDbike Torque Measurement Method. The system uses several sensors installed within the bike to optimize pedaling effort and allow riders to get to their desired speed faster.
The Mi QiCYCLE Electric Folding Bike is currently being crowdfunded inside Xiaomi’s Mi Home app. Xiaomi will only begin mass production and release of the product if enough people use Mi Home to sign up and buy the product first. This tactic has been employed by Xiaomi in the past and has proven to be very effective.
Like all other Xiaomi products, if the electric bicycle does become available, it will be exclusive to China for its first months-to-a-year of release.
The electric bicycle could prove a very convenient way to let riders do their urban commute. It does have an uptime of over 25 miles, and more than enough time to recharge at the workplace. For most urban Chinese employees the 3,000 CNY price-tag should be accessible.
If Xiaomi also meets its pre-set thresholds in sales, work on electric bicycles models with higher uptimes could be on the way.
Image Courtesy of Wikipedia.