It’s no secret that as gas prices soar and battery technology evolves, electric bikes are fast becoming the next big two-wheeled thing. That trend is clearly evidenced by the strong showing ebikes are making at this year’s Eurobike trade show, currently taking place in Friedrichshafen, Germany. Over the next several days, we’ll be showing you a few examples that we’ve spotted at the show, but to start things off... well, let’s kick out the jams and go with the “Oh come on, you can’t be serious” ebike. It called the BlackTrail, and with a top speed of 100 km/h (62 mph), it’s officially the world’s fastest commercially-available electric bicycle – and probably the most awesome-looking, to boot.
The BlackTrail is the result of a collaboration between two German companies, namely PG-Bikes and carbon fiber products developer UBC, which also designs parts for Formula 1 race cars and Porsche Carrera GTs. The bike itself is striking – it has the classic styling of a 1930s motorcycle (complete with brown leather saddle and battery cover), but with the sharp angles and undisguised carbon fiber of a rocket bike.
The non-human-generated speed is supplied by a 1.2 kW CM48 V hybrid motor, powered by a 48-volt lithium-ion battery. It charges up to 80 percent in 30 minutes, and up to 100 percent in 150. At its top speed, the bike has a range of 40-60 kilometers (25-37 miles). At its cruising speed of 30-50 km/h (19-31 mph), that range extends to 160-200 kilometers (99-124 miles). No acceleration specs were provided.
Besides carbon fiber, its body is composed of high-alloyed aluminum (“used by NASA”), titanium and magnesium, for a total vehicle weight of 19.8 kg. (43.65 lbs.)
Is it cheap? Nope. If you wish to purchase one of the 667 BlackTrails that will ever be built, be prepared to part with approximately US$75,460. You could certainly get a full-on electric motorcycle for much less money, but... with a huge ticket item like this, bang for the buck is hardly the point.
