In the past couple of years, Chinese urban mobility company Niu has brought us both an electric scooter and an electric motorcycle. Now, completing the two-wheeler EV trinity, the manufacturer has unveiled its dual-battery BQi-C3 Pro commuter ebike.
Announced this Monday (Nov. 7), the BQi-C3 Pro is powered by two removable 48V/19.2-Ah lithium batteries located in the seat tube and down tube of its step-through aluminum alloy frame. These are claimed to deliver a combined range of 49 to 62 miles (79 to 100 km), depending on factors such as terrain and amount of electrical assistance selected.
The rider's pedaling power is augmented by a 500-watt planetary gear reduction rear-hub motor, up to a top speed of 28 mph (45 km/h) – there is also a thumb throttle, for pedal-free motor-only cruising. A Gates Carbon belt-drive drivetrain keeps things smooth and simple, while mechanical disc brakes provide stopping power. The house brand 27.5 x 2.4-inch tires are reinforced with Kevlar aramid fibers, to reduce the likelihood of punctures.
Utilizing a handlebar-mounted TFT color display, riders can access nine pieces of information such as current speed, distance traveled, trip time, assist mode and battery level. Some of the bike's other features include black aluminum alloy front and rear fenders, a rear rack that can carry up to 66 lb (30 kg), plus a daytime-running headlight and an integrated tail light/brake light.
The whole thing reportedly tips the scales at 70.5 lb (32 kg) and can manage a total rider/cargo payload of 287 lb (130 kg). It can be ordered now in color choices of white, gloss gray or matte black, priced at US$1,999. So far, Niu has only promoted the BQi-C3 Pro's North American availability – we're waiting to hear back about other markets.
You can see it in action, in the following video.
Source: Niu