Chinese smartphone manufacturer, Xiaomi, has launched a foldable electric bike in China. The price of the bike is around Rs. 30,000 and as the name suggests, the bike is foldable and electric. The price tag of the bike may raise a little concern, but the previous electric bike from Xiaomi garnered a decent response.
And the company also claims that the QiCycle bike is compact and on folding, it can fit in the boot of most cars. The bike has 20 Panasonic 18650 batteries, and each of them has a capacity of 2900mAh whereas it is powered by a 250W 36V motor.
Xiaomi’s Torque measurement method determine the amount of assistance that needs to be rendered while the cyclist is pedaling. The company also claims that the bike’s motor can cover 45km on a single charge. Apparently, Tesla cars use the same batteries, only with higher capacities.
The bike has features which offer some convenience to the rider. In case the power runs out, there is a 3-speed gearbox to assist with power transmission. The bike’s inbuilt sensors keep a track of the bike’s condition, and there is an inbuilt GPS as well. Also, Xiaomi has managed to squeeze in Battery Management System (BMS), which makes sure that the battery is operating within safety limits.
There is a display unit mounted on the handlebar of the bike. It can show up-to-date info regarding the state of the bike. It can also show the amount of distance the bike is covered along with the number of calories you have burned. Through a dedicated app, the cyclist can even pair his phone with the bike in order to receive calls.
As of now, there is no clarity if the bike will be sold outside China. Meanwhile, Xiaomi has not provided exact info about how much the bike actually weighs (7 or 14 kgs). But we are expecting the company to soon launch the bike in India.
