If riding a regular electric bicycle can make you feel like you've got Lance Armstrong's legs, this one's gonna make you feel damn near like Superman. The Gulas Pi1S is a 38-horsepower e-bike that will let you pedal your way past freeway traffic at up to 115 km/h (71 mph).
The very sharp observer might recognize the design here; it's very similar to the ErockIT bike we wrote about back in 2008. It seems there's been some corporate shenanigans in the intervening years, but the bike's original designer, Stefan Gulas, has struck out again with a new company in his name, and a beast of a flagship bike that might just be the fastest pedelec production bike ever.
Weighing in at 128 kg (282 lb), the Pi1S packs an enormous 38 horsepower and 100 Nm of torque. The tires and suspension are much more motorcycle than bicycle, with a 110/70R17 front and a 130/70R17 rear, telescopic forks and a horizontal rear shock.
There's two different battery options; a 6.5 kWh pack giving around 125 km (78 mi) of mixed-use range, and a 10 kWh giving 200 km (124 mi). Pricing is an eye-watering €19,665 for the 6.5, or €29,438 for the 10.0 (around US$23K and $34K on current exchange rates).
That's a ton of money, but on the other hand, there's really nothing else on the market that'll let you pedal your way crazily down the freeway, grinning like a maniac as car drivers gawp at the strangeness of it all.
Prospective buyers will need to register the Pi1S as a motorcycle, and then decide what the heck safety gear to wear with it. A motorcycle helmet, for sure – and you'll need some armour and abrasion resistance. But on the other hand, you've still gotta pedal the thing, so you're gonna want something with a bit of airflow. It's also too heavy to pedal once the battery runs flat, so you'll want to keep an eye on the battery meter.
I have to confess, I think it looks like hilarious fun, and I'll be putting a test ride on my to-do list for next time I pop through Berlin.
Source: Gulas
Some daft rich people might buy them to be very exclusive, as us that don't waste money will consider the options. Oh and $10k more for an extra 3.5Kw of batteries, are they mental???