Californian ebike maker Hi-Power Cycles has not only launched a new 80-mph beast, but has also established a brand new Defense Division to get the Revolution W into the hands of military, law enforcement and local government personnel.
It's certainly not the first or only time we've seen ebikes used by soldiers or police. But where street-legal pedal-assist ends at 28 mph in the US (though off-roaders can offer more), the Revolution W's monstrous 10,500-watt hub motor powers this military-grade model to 80 mph (128.75 km/h) and produces "a mind-blowing mountain conquering 280 Nm [206 lb.ft] of maximum torque."
HPC's latest model, and the first to launch under the new HPC Defense Division, has been co-designed with former Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman/TASC and Jacobs Engineering executive, Bryan Maizlish – who will also lead the newly launched wing.
The Revolution W has been developed to tackle "hard to reach, steep, and uneven terrains, and hostile environments where time, speed, accuracy, reliability, safety, and performance are critical." It sports a Schlumpf High Speed Drive for pedal-assist to 50 mph, but there's a 2.5x overdrive feature onboard to "maximize your efficiency at high speeds."
Detailed specs are in short supply, but the ebike is reported to feature a long-range custom battery that's reckoned good for up to 100 miles (160 km) of throttle-only range. At its heart is a hand-crafted frame fashioned from aerospace-grade aluminum and carbon fiber, and the W comes with a camo and black finish as standard (though custom colors can also be had).
Full EXT squish is cooked in to soak up the kind of uneven terrain encountered in military service, with HPC boasting 9 inches (228.6 mm) of travel at the front and 8 inches (203.2 mm) in back. There are "state-of-the-art" display and controls too. A red light shines on a rear wheel wrapped in a 2.75-inch-wide Shinko Golden Boy knobby tire, and a blue-white strip throws light from the lower frame to the front tire. The headlight in the promo shot is surrounded by a moto-like fairing. Disc braking looks to provide stopping power.
HPC actually has three models available in its new Defense Division: the 2025 fat-tire Titan, a version of the Trailblazer and the Revolution W. Pricing for the military models has not been revealed but the consumer-level Titan starts at US$4,995, the Trailblazer at $6,400 and a Revolution mid-drive from $10,000.
Source: HPC Defense
