Following the official launch of its Footloose folding e-bike at Eurobike 2012, Mando turned up to Eurobike 2013 with a new prototype that is remarkably similar to the current Footloose, but with one major difference – it doesn’t fold.
Developed in response to feedback from potential consumers who were after a non-folding model, the prototype is functionally the same as the original Footloose that has been available for purchase in South Korea since October 2012 and recently became available in Germany at some pop-up stores for €3,999 (US$5.300).
There are a few differences, however. The loss of the folding mechanism allows the prototype to be 10 cm (3.9 in) shorter and 1.7 kg (3.7 lb) lighter than its stablemate. It also gets a removable battery and the company says it will be a bit cheaper than the original model. But without any concrete pricing or release date info, just how much cheaper isn’t yet known.
The company is aiming for a 2014 release for the non-folding model and is actively looking for European distributors for the original model, with the possibility of a US release in the future.
