Bicycles

Fat-tire ebike designed to serve as a mobile power station

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The Basalt comes with a 960-Wh Li-ion battery and power inverter that's compatible with solar panels, which allows riders to power all kinds of electronic gadgetry at camp
Mokwheel
The Basalt comes with a 960-Wh Li-ion battery and power inverter that's compatible with solar panels, which allows riders to power all kinds of electronic gadgetry at camp
Mokwheel
The inverter includes USB-C and USB Type-A ports for cabling up to mobile electronics, as well as support for AC wall plugs and DC output
Mokwheel
The Basalt is available with a step-over or step-through frame, and a more compact Scoria step-through model is also being produced
Mokwheel
The Basalt (right) offers pedal assist up to 28 mph, while the Scoria model (left) can help riders up to 20 mph
Mokwheel
The Basalt rides on rough or smooth thanks to fat tires and hydraulic fork suspension
Mokwheel
The Basalt features a 750-W hub motor and 960-Wh frame-integrated battery combination for up to 28 mph of pedal assist and a per-charge range of up to 80 miles
Mokwheel
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California-based startup Mokwheel Bikes has launched a fat-tire ebike on Indiegogo called the Basalt, which comes with a generous battery plus an inverter that allows the ebike to double as a mobile power station.

Available in step-over and step-through variants, the Basalt ebike boasts a 750-W rear-hub motor (1,100-W peak output) for 66.3 lb.ft (90 Nm) of torque for tackling 25-percent inclines and up to 28 mph (45 km/h) of pedal assist. There's a Shimano 7-speed derailleur for ride flexibility, and riders can also give their legs a rest courtesy of a twist throttle.

Mounted within the downtube is a 960-Wh (48-V, 20-Ah) battery for up to 80 miles (128.7 km) of range. The ebike also comes with a power inverter that can be attached to the seatpost via a hard case (which appears to be an optional extra) or hauled in a backpack. This can be cabled up to the removable battery to provide juice for all kinds of mobile gadgetry at camp over included USB-C and USB Type-A ports, with support for AC wall plugs and DC output.

The inverter includes USB-C and USB Type-A ports for cabling up to mobile electronics, as well as support for AC wall plugs and DC output
Mokwheel

Mokwheel reckons that could translate to up to 75 minutes of use for a 550-W coffee maker, 45 minutes of 900-W electric grilling, 15 hours running a 60-W mini fridge, 70 hours shining a 5-W light or 13 hours entertaining with a 60-W TV.

The inverter also allows the ebike's battery to be topped up using solar panels for off-grid convenience, though these are not being offered as part of the crowdfunder.

The Basalt rolls on 26-inch rims wrapped in 4-inch-wide puncture-resistant fat tires for all-terrain riding, a hydraulic lockout suspension fork with 110 mm of travel should help to smooth out some of the bumps along the way, and stopping power comes from Tektro HD-E350 hydraulic disc brakes.

Its 6061 aluminum frame can support a maximum payload of 400 lb (181 kg), there's a multifunction color LED display mid-handlebar that shows ride metrics, battery status, power assist level and front light status, a kickstand is included, and though some of the promo images show a rear cargo rack, it doesn't look like one is supplied as standard but Mokwheel sells a bunch of accessories, including a rear rack for US$60, from its online shop.

The Basalt is available with a step-over or step-through frame, and a more compact Scoria step-through model is also being produced
Mokwheel

Mokwheel reckons that the Basalt is already in production, and has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo to engage with potential customers. Pledges start at US$1,799 for either the step-over or step-through models, and if all goes to plan shipping is estimated to start in August. The video below has more.

There's another step-through model called the Scoria included in the campaign, which has similar specs but rides on 20-inch wheels with Kenda fat tires and has a top pedal-assist speed of 22 mph (36 km/h). Pledges for this flavor start at $1,899.

Source: Mokwheel

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2 comments
DavidB
“Mokwheel *reckons* that the Basalt is already in production…”?!

If *they’re* not sure, who *is*?
noteugene
Put a banana seat on it & monkey bars & I'm good to go....