Urban Transport

3,000-W ebike/scoot hybrid guaranteed to turn heads

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The Owlet One e-scootbike thing sports a 3,000-watt peak hub motor for 180 Nm of torque plus a 60-mile removable battery
Owlet Bikes
The Owlet One e-scootbike thing sports a 3,000-watt peak hub motor for 180 Nm of torque plus a 60-mile removable battery
Owlet Bikes
The Owlet One has gone from CAD design to prototyping to tech expo test rides in around a year and a half
Owlet Bikes
The front side panels mask a suspension fork with air dampening, while the top battery tube is fronted by "Angel Eyes"
Owlet Bikes
Spring-loaded bobber saddle at a seat height of 31 inches
Owlet Bikes
Owlet's Denys Krutko takes the One for a test ride
Owlet Bikes
Fat tires, springy seat, suspension fork, powerful motor and integrated lighting cater for after-dark beach rides
Owlet Bikes
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Finding that many ebike riders prefer to throttle through commutes and urban adventures, LA-based startup Owlet opted to ditch the pedals altogether for its upcoming One model – a high-torque angular beast with attitude.

"It's a new class of urban transportation," explained the company. "Lightweight, mobile, compact, and oh-so-powerful. And yes, our bikes don't have pedals. Why? Because observation tells us that they're rarely used in the world of high-power ebike riders."

So the Owlet One looks like an ebike from a distance, but rides more as a sit-down electric scooter – in a similar fashion to the JackRabbit micro-bike. The Los Angeles-based design team says that it's drawn inspiration from the aerospace sector, UAV technology, the fashion and jewelry industries, and the energy sector to craft "not just vehicles but pieces of art, exemplifying a perfect blend of form and function."

The front side panels mask a suspension fork with air dampening, while the top battery tube is fronted by "Angel Eyes"
Owlet Bikes

The chunky aluminum top tube is home to the generous 1,500-Wh removable battery (56 V/30 Ah) made with LG cells as well as an integrated double "Angel Eyes" headlight and a circular tail-light with signaling, plus the charge port. That battery is reckoned good for a per-charge range of between 40 and 60 miles (up to 96.5 km), with a full top-up using the included charge said to take 3.5 hours.

With feet planted on flip-up pegs and hands gripping the flatbar, the rider is a thumb-throttle away from tapping into a 750-W rear-hub motor that's reported to peak at 3,000 watts. It can deliver up to 180 Nm (142 lb.ft) of torque and propel the One to a top speed of 30 mph (48 km/h) – which means that you're likely going to need a permit and insurance, though it can be set to 20 mph for Class 2 compatibility potential.

The frame has tasty angular panels mounted front and back to help it stand out from the crowd, and the e-scootbike measures between 58 and 63 inches (147 - 160 cm) in length, "depending on wheelbase setting." But the frame also compacts down to 44 x 37 x 21 in (111 x 94 x 53 cm) for between-ride transport in the trunk or storage indoors.

Fat tires, springy seat, suspension fork, powerful motor and integrated lighting cater for after-dark beach rides
Owlet Bikes

An air-dampened suspension fork helps smooth out uneven urban terrain, working with a spring-cushioned bobber-style saddle for one and 20-inch fatbike wheels wearing grippy CST road tires. Reliable stopping power shapes up with Shimano hydraulic disc brakes. And GPS tracking is included too for peace-of-mind security.

It looks like the team has been beavering away for more than a year on the project, starting with CAD models and moving into prototyping. After a showing at CES back in January, the company has now had influencers and potential customers test ride early builds ahead of a limited production run.

Owlet told us that it's gearing up for an August launch, with pricing for the first 300 units expected to come in at around US$2,995. Folks interested in hopping aboard are being invited to join a waitlist. The video below has more.

Product page: Owlet One

View gallery - 6 images
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9 comments
Tech Fascinated
I'm generally not that picky, but the style is ridiculously ugly. Some of the edges look downright dangerous. Ugh.
sleekmarlin
They could offer a version without the side-plates. But those do differentiate it from other bikes.
It looks so fun. I live 30 kms from the city. If there wasn't a 99% chance I would die on our narrow roads, I would love to commute on that.
solas
They really just missed the boat on this one: first, none of this is new: many brands are available sans pedals. I don't get it as a pure cyclist, but... nothing new here. Second: the panels on front and rear are SCREAMING "I have multi-link suspension!!!" Now THAT would be new and fun yet retro, but.... it's just bolted onto a normal piston inside (the very bottom only is free to compress). That is just weird. I don't see price, I don't see weight ... so buyers proceed with caution.
michael_dowling
Getting rid of the pedals is not smart. Many cities classify e - bikes as power assisted bicycles with stipulated max speed that are legal on streets/ bike trails without a licensing requirement. If they only have the electric motor,they could be classified as motorbikes with the requirement for a motorcycle license and insurance.
DavidB
@solas, the price is cited in the last paragraph, as is nearly always the case in New Atlas articles.

As for weight, perhaps the manufacturer didn’t provide that information in time to make the article.
PAV
Sorry, this is not an ebike, not a bicycle, not a moped, but rather it is a motorbike, or motorcycle.
itsKeef
'Tech Fascinated'... i am that picky. Jings what a dogs dinner. a standard set of forks and frame (less the important bits) with a couple of pieces of MDF screwed to the sides. For those of you who cannot work out why the reworked forks visually seem so wrong,...Look up 'Fork Rake & Trail'. As kids we would spin the bars on our bikes 180 , then try to say upright for a few feet before faceplanting. One final picky sign off ...the great thing about lights on the bars is that they follow the track as you turn. DS 19 style.
Lamar Havard
MOONCOOL has a fat tire folding trike for $1,500. And the guard plates on this bike are hideous.
veryken
I'm an avid cyclist and been on a few of those costume-parade type of casual group rides that go around the city. This bike is for those rides.