Although ebikes are generally thought of as a green form of transportation, most are made of materials with a fairly large carbon footprint. The Multipath is a bit different, in that its frame is made of recycled plastic and alloy.
Manufactured by French mobility company Ultima, the Multipath's monocoque frame consists of a single piece of injection-moulded composite resin.
That resin is in turn made up of a mixture of recycled plastic and aluminum alloy. Because the one-piece frame contains no joins between separate sections, it is claimed to be both lighter and stronger than traditional aluminum-tube frames.
One of the Multipath's other standout features is its use of the Valeo Smart e-Bike System. This bottom bracket-located setup features one of Valeo's 48-volt/250W electric motors, along with a 7-speed adaptive gearbox made by industry partner Effigear. Electrical power is provided by a down-tube-incorporated battery pack.
Integrated sensors continuously monitor the cyclist's pedaling cadence and torque, triggering both motorized pedaling assistance and gear-shifting to kick in as needed. That said, riders can still opt to manually shift gears and select assist levels. The motor produces up to 130 Nm (96 lb ft) of torque, and takes riders to a top assisted speed of 25 km/h (16 mph).
The Multipath is being offered in various configurations, and in both Standard and Long Range builds – the former features a 500-Wh battery which is claimed to be good for a range of up to 70 km (43 miles) in Eco assist mode, while the latter has a 630-Wh battery that should deliver a maximum of 105 km (65 miles).
Buyers can additionally choose between four different forks, depending on their needs. Along with the standard model, there's also a Mini Cargo fork with a kickstand and cargo rack; a larger Family Cargo fork which can accommodate toddlers in a child seat; plus a one-sided Flex Fork that helps smooth out rough urban or gravelly terrain.
Some of the Ultima's other features include a Selle Italia saddle; Bam City shock-absorbing handlebars with Ergon grips; Busch & Muller head- and tail lights; Mavic 700c wheels with Hutchinson tires; Magura hydraulic disc brakes; Look pedals; and Hebie clip-on fenders. The whole thing reportedly tips the scales between 20 and 25 kg (44 and 55 lb) depending on the options. Its one frame size fits riders ranging from 140 to 190 cm in height (4 ft 7 in to 6 ft 3 in).
Pricing starts at €3,449 (about US$3,797) for the Standard build and €3,699 ($4,072) for the Long Range.