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Here's an electric bike that's easy on your eyes, not just the road
With certain exceptions, many electric bicycles make it all too clear that there's some technology involved: they're big, heavy and otherwise ungainly. You won't have those gripes with the new Vanmoof 10 Electrified. It hides a 250W pedelec (that is, pedal-dependent) motor and batteries in a frame which isn't much bigger than that of a regular bike, and is actually a bit charming with its minimalist (if very PVC pipe-like) design. It's a relative featherweight at 42 pounds, too, and it includes GPS tracking to help catch thieves. The Electrified isn't going to outrace the Specialized Turbo with its almost pedestrian 18MPH top speed, but it also costs nearly half as much at $2,998. That's just low enough that it could be the right e-bike for your daily commute -- especially if you'd rather not give up some style just to get a performance boost.
BMW's i Pedelec hitches lift (and top-up) from plug-in i3 electric car
The i Pedelec electric bike has just been given a range boost -- in a way. BMW's created a new concept version of its i3 electric vehicle, which dedicates the rear half of the car to housing a pair of BMW's fold-up cycles. When docked inside the vehicle, the bikes can be recharged, although the car maker hasn't released specifics on how many charges the electric car prototype can dole out. With a top speed of 16 mph and a range of up to 25 miles (depending on the amount of assistance needed), around 200 of these i Pedelecs will join BMW's vehicle fleet for next month's Olympics in London. While there's no sight of pricing for high-earning cyclists in need of some electric oomph, the prototype car will set eco road-warriors back around $56,000.
