eSpire – the SUV of electric bikes

October 07, 2010

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Third Elements' eSpire hybrid drive electric bicycle

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One of the more unique two-wheeled wonders at this year’s Intermot show in Cologne is Third Element’s eSpire. This German bicycle features “hybrid drive,” meaning that it can be pedaled ebike-style with electric assist or driven with a throttle, like an electric motorcycle. Its mountain bike-like frame and wheels allow for off-road adventures, but it reportedly also makes a good commuter... and oh yeah, it looks pretty cool, too.

The eSpire has a BLDC 1.2kW/48V electric motor that delivers 150 Nm of torque. It’s powered by a removable 820 Wh Li-ion battery, which is good for over 1,500 charges. Like most ebike batteries, it reaches full charge in three hours. Range is around 65 km (40 miles) on battery only, and 90 km (56 miles) using pedal assist.

Third Elements' eSpire hybrid drive electric bicycle

The bike is available in two versions, Street Legal and Off-Road. Street Legal is limited to a top speed of 45km/h (28mph) – in some countries, at least, this allows it to qualify as a scooter. The Off-Road version, however, tops out at 65km/h (40mph).

The frame is tubular aluminum, with a polycarb motor housing. Front and rear suspension is handled by Marzocchi shocks, and gearing is taken care of with a Rohloff 14-speed internal hub. The complete vehicle weight is 30 kg (66 lbs).

Third Elements' eSpire hybrid drive electric bicycle

The eSpire will set you back 7,000 euro (about US$9,750), and is so far only available at stores in Germany.

The bicycle’s Clean Mobile drive train was recently tested in a tour through the Alps, which can be seen in the video below.

View gallery - 16 images

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Ben Coxworth

Based out of Edmonton, Canada, Ben Coxworth has been writing for New Atlas since 2009 and is presently Managing Editor for North America. An experienced freelance writer, he previously obtained an English BA from the University of Saskatchewan, then spent over 20 years working in various markets as a television reporter, producer and news videographer. Ben is particularly interested in scientific innovation, human-powered transportation, and the marine environment.

14 comments

Nrwhd October 7, 2010 11:13 PM

I think the battery/motor is in a rather precarious position, first big rock or log and bang!
Nice road tires for an off road bike!

richontheroad October 8, 2010 10:09 AM

Would you pay $10k for a fat (66 lb) bicycle or a light (66 lb) scooter? Good luck to them.

robinyatesuk2003 October 8, 2010 10:12 AM

very nice indeed !Difficult to see where else they could have put the battery or motor, looks logical to me

Paul Anthony October 8, 2010 12:11 PM

I\'d pay up to $999.99 US for the off road model and not a penny more!

Keith Reeder October 8, 2010 04:40 PM

\"Would you pay $10k for a fat (66 lb) bicycle or a light (66 lb) scooter?\"

$10k to ensure I don\'t look like an old woman sitting on the toilet (which is what everyone on a scooter looks like)?

Bargain.

Charles Duffy October 8, 2010 05:03 PM

Paul, the rear wheel alone is worth more than that -- used!
(Seriously -- it\'s fitted with a Rohloff internally-geared hub; putting one of those on a bike can easily be a $2-3K project).

Will, the tink October 9, 2010 02:00 AM

E-bike specs are like candidates in a political race. Most will not tell you all the \"nits & grits\" specs as they actually are along with suggested price. They leave some factoids out or use words like \"up to\" or \"about\" or \"can be as high as\". Pretty much you get what you pay for. All those nice options, good batteries vs better batteries, etc. and the list go on. If your used to mountain-biking and now you have two categories of electric Mt-bike, one on-road and one off-road, it can get frustrating. Having said all that, This bike seems a little high-priced but also delivers more than most. Maybe down the road more manufacturers will start comparing features and performance in a standard kind of way that average customers can relate to! This reminds me of cellphones and plans. Hard to compare them as well!

timo October 31, 2010 12:18 AM

I am from Malaysia. Any dealers in Malaysia ????? for the eSpire??? Does this need a roadtax, license? How much would it cost to freight it to KL?
Thank you
tim

Are O'Bee November 18, 2010 09:10 PM

You call this tech!? China has been selling this exact same thing for YEARS now and it costs 200USD. Inventors need to do their due diligence.

John in Brisbane January 6, 2011 10:52 AM

Love the idea - was sketching similar concepts some years ago myself. I saw electric and small, heavily silenced petrol engined mountain bikes as a good way to get people out of cars when commuting and to allow people with lower fitness levels to enjoy off road cycling. Problem is that these, like the smart car, are too expensive. I am in Australia where a hatch like a Ford Fiesta is about $16K. The Smart Car starts at over $20K when it should have been designed to be well under $10K. Back to this bike: As a proof of concept, fine, charge those sort of dollars but this style of bike won\'t take off until it is around the $1500 to $2000 mark. Ok, it won\'t have top shelf components, especially suspension etc. But you can build a soft tail bike for around $1000 wholesale so the tricks are to remove as much of the normal drivetrain as possible and to get the electric drivetrain components in there for less than $1000.