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Lime launches a weekly subscription for scooters and e-bikes
Frequent scooter riders now have an option for a more convenient rental system, with the launch of Lime's LimePass subscription service. Starting today, Lime riders in the US, Australia and New Zealand will be able to sign up for unlimited scooter and e-bike rides without paying the unlock fee.
Uber's new Jump e-bikes have swappable batteries
Jump is giving its eye-catching red e-bikes an overhaul. It will launch an updated version in the New Year with a raft of new features, including a holder for your phone (useful for turn-by-turn navigation) and a retractable cable lock, which should make it easier to secure the bike.
Six folding electric bikes that fit practically anywhere
By Cat DiStasio Imagine being able to carry a clean energy vehicle with you, just about wherever you go. Enter the folding electric bike. Battery-powered bicycles are on the rise as two-wheeled commuting gains popularity in places with heavy traffic and limited parking. Having the ability to fold up an e-bike and toss it in your trunk -- or even in a backpack -- expands your range of transportation options. There are a few big-name car companies like Ford and Volkswagen getting in on the action, while other innovations come from tech startups and university research groups. They all have one thing in common, though: They take a 300-year-old design for a two-wheeled vehicle and make it address modern transportation issues.
DIY e-bike hack gets washing machine motorization, stuck on permanent spin cycle (video)
Do all dead washing machines go to meet that lonely Maytag repairman in the sky? Nope, some of'em get their guts repurposed for use in hipster transportation, otherwise known as bicycles. At least that's what one fed up, frugal Munich denizen did to avoid that German's city costly PT fees. It's not what you'd call an elegant hack, as our DIYer's had to haphazardly rig up his washer's 300W motor to the bike's frame and stuff two clunky 12Ah batteries into a sidebag off the back tire. Still, it appears to get the job done, spinning at a max of 3000rpms with an ejector button on / off switch affixed to the right hand brake. We're not sure how well or reliably this modjob fares on busy roadways, so for the time being we'll just stick to Vespas. Check out the video after the break for an unmoving portrait of this eFahrrad.
The Faraday electric bike shows us all how retro the future will be
This ain't no fixie with a minty fresh paint job, this is the Faraday. Built for the Oregon Manifest design competition, ideas factory Ideo teamed up with bike builders Rock Lobster Cycles to produce this retro-technotastic electric bike. Everything futuristic has been hidden inside the frame: those parallel top tubes hold a series of lithium-ion batteries which juice up the front-hub motor -- all controlled from the green box tucked beneath the seat cluster. Those two prongs up front serve as built-in headlights and the base of a modular racking system, letting you swap out various carrying mechanisms like a trunk or child seat with the pop of a bolt. Tragically, the bike is just a concept -- so unless the teams responsible cave into peer pressure and get it into production, you'll have to use old-fashioned leg power to get you over those steep hills. [Image courtesy of Mike Davis] %Gallery-136151%
