Back in 2019, imaginative and much revered motorcycle designer Erik Buell launched a long-range ebike on Indiegogo under his new Fuell brand. Now the original Flluid is getting two siblings that boast Valeo's latest auto-shifting mid-driver motor.
As we noted in our coverage of the Flow electric motorcycle and original Flluid ebike, the man behind the brand is regarded as one of the motorcycle industry's greatest innovators. Initially engineering under Harley-Davidson's wing, he went solo until 2015 and then went a bit quiet until launching Fuell (formerly VanguardSpark) and successfully crowdfunding the first Flluid ebike.
The Fuell team has improved on the long-range formula for the latest additions, with the Flluid-2 step-over model sporting two 1-kWh battery packs that can be removed for charging indoors, and offer a combined per-charge pedal-assist range of up to 225 miles (362 km) – five miles more than the triple-battery Eunorau Flash we covered just yesterday.
The more accessible step-through Flluid-3 rolls with a single 1-kWh battery for up to 110 miles (177 km) before needing to plug in. Either way, the included charger will juice up each battery pack to 80% in four hours, or all the way to full in six.
Each ebike features a Gates Carbon Belt Drive along with Valeo's new 750-W Cyclee mid-drive motor, which produces 130 Nm (95.8 lb.ft) of hill-flattening torque and features automatic shifting between seven gears. Riders can also opt to manually switch gears if preferred.
In standard configuration, pedal-assist up to 20 mph is on tap plus throttle up to 20 mph. But Fuell is also producing 28-mph (45-km/h) S-Pedelec versions with a 1,000-W motor for those who want Class 3 riding. Regulatory restrictions in Europe will see lower-powered ebikes being made available for that region.
The new models rock a similar aesthetic to the original, with arresting aluminum alloy frames supporting rider heights from 5.08 to 6.39 ft (1.55 - 1.95 m). Embedded connectivity wirelessly links each model to a smartphone running a companion mobile app for remote unlock, anti-theft alerts, GPS tracking and deep dives into ebike data.
The Flluid-2/3 long-range urban explorers benefit from a suspension fork, roll on 27.5 wheels with Pirelli Angel GT Urban tires, and stopping power comes courtesy of Tektro hydraulic brakes. They each include a 900-lumen Roxim Z4E Pro headlight and a braking tail-light for daytime visibility in traffic or after-dark riding, as well as a rear cargo rack, full fenders and a side kickstand.
"The creation of the Fuell Flluid-2 & 3 e-bikes was a complex and demanding journey that took many years of research and development," said company CTO, Buell. "We faced a lot of challenges on our way such as creating e-bikes that comfortably fit customers from 5-ft tall all the way to 6ft4 tall, packing 2,000 Wh of battery into the frame without getting it too massive, providing a 'just right' balance of agility and confident handling to the riding experience, etc. I am proud to announce that we have successfully overcome all these challenges, developing ebikes that meet the needs of today's urban commuters."
Fuell has set Indiegogo pledge levels for the Flluid-2 step-over ebike at US$3,999 and the step-through Flluid-3 at $3,699. The usual crowdfunding cautions apply, but if all goes to plan with the already funded campaign, shipping is estimated to start in July. The video below has more.
Source: Fuell
