smart E-Bike

Smart Received the Red Dot Design Award

Smart is owned by Daimler motors, the maker of the now popular small urban two-seat cars called smart cars you see across the parking lots and on the roadways. Daimler has decided to also get into the e-bike industry. They spent a lot of time on design on this first model, and the end result looks both practical and futuristic, which is rare in the electric bike world. Because the design is so good it has been awarded the “Best of the Best” prize for the top design quality at the Red Dot Awards.

The first models of the Smart Electric Bike are being delivered in Europe as you read this, and the e-bike will also be available in the U.S. pretty soon as well, though no confirmation on an official shipping date has been given from Daimler Motors yet.
The operator of the smart e-bike can decide on how much power they want the rear hub electric motor to deliver to support there own lung power by a button they can press on the handlebar. There is the option of four different power levels with the fourth of the levels providing maximum power. The amount of time the battery charge can last for is up to 100 kilometers but is obviously dependent on the power level selected and the manner of pedaling.

The new lithium-ion battery is one of the most powerful batteries in the electric bike environment. And the designers have attractively integrated it into the frame of the Smart e-bike. The battery is portable and can be charged either at a normal electrical outlet or while riding. The latter means that while riding the wheel hub motor becomes a power generator when you apply the brakes. The braking energy is captured and stored, or re-generated. It is then converted into electrical energy and stored in the smart electric bicycles lithium-ion battery.
The Smart electric bike is priced in Germany at 2,849 euros, which includes their 19% VAT tax, so hopefully the price in the U.S. will be a bit lower.