Morfuns Bicycle started work on a lightweight folding ebike called the Éole back in December last year, which boasts a carbon fiber frame, a one-size-fits-all design, and a battery in the seatpost, a design that the company claims it was one of the first to implement back in 2016.
Now the company is taking the Indiegogo route to production, and there are two models up for grabs. Both share the same lightweight frame, fold down to 820 x 660 x 345 mm (32.2 x 25.9 x 13.5 in) and can be ready to ride out of the trunk of the car in 10 seconds, are suitable for riders of between 1.5 and 1.95 m (4.9 x 6.4 ft) in height, and have similar performance specs, but components and weight differ.
First up is a "comfort and convenient" version called the Éole C. This ebike features a carbon fiber frame, aluminum alloy handlebar and stem, and tips the scales at 15.8 kg (34.8 lb) all in. The seatpost is home to 7-Ah Samsung battery cells for up to 45 km (28 mi) of pedal-assist riding per charge, with a speed sensor setup kicking in the power from the 36-V, 250-W motor when needed. The chain drive ebike sports a 7-speed Shimano Tourney derailleur, stopping power comes from 160-mm Zoom disc brakes, and it rolls on 20-inch Kenda tires.
The Éole S is the lightweight of the family, with a carbon fiber frame that tips the scales at just 1.1 kg (2.4 lb), and a carbon fiber seat post and handlebar. When all of the various components are added in, the total weight is 12.8 kg (28.2 lb), including the battery.
This flavor comes packing an AKM Super Light 36-V/250-W motor, a torque sensor, and the company reckons that the 7-Ah seatpost battery could get you between 50 and 70 km (31 - 44 mi) of pedal-assist riding per charge – but there is an optional extra bottle battery that can be mounted to the frame for double the range. Elsewhere, the S features a Shimano Sora 9-speed derailleur, 20-inch Schwalbe tires and Tektro disc brakes.
Indiegogo pledges for the C model start at just US$999, which represents nearly 50 percent off the estimated retail price. Backers will need to stump up at least $1,259 (estimated retail price of $2,299) for the lighter and more capable Éole S. Either way, if all goes to plan, shipping is estimated to start in December.
By way of comparison, the Éole ebikes are nowhere near as light as the Derek Cranage's creation that we covered back in July, but that's not going into production. They rock a similar overall look to the successfully crowdfunded Fiido D11, but as Morfuns points out in a spec-by-spec shoot-out on its campaign page, the S version rocks more carbon fiber for a lighter ride, offers more gears, and its battery charges faster. And the already available GoCycle GX weighs some 17.5 kg (38.6 lb), offers up to 65 km (40 mi) per charge of its 13.7-Ah battery and carries a suggested retail price of $3,299.
Source: Morfuns