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The Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team has this week launched a collection of high-performance electric bicycles that the company hopes will stand out as some of the most sophisticated e-bikes on the market.
The team launched on Wednesday four new e-bike models – the Formula E, Silver Arrows, Silver Arrows Sport, and the new high performance Championship Edition.
Each of the bikes is designed to cater to different types of cyclists, but each of the bikes has been improved compared with older models, with up to 30% more battery capacity.
The bikes also incorporate Constant Variable Transmission (CVT) as standard across all but the Championship Edition model, which is a single speed. CVT eliminates the need for manual shifting between gears, with gear changes happening seamlessly as needed, ensuring riders never find themselves in the wrong gear halfway up a hill.
The cheapest of the four bikes – the $US3,450 ($A4,900) Formula E Team e-bike – boasts 80Nm of torque, 25% more than a standard e-bike.
All the bikes come with a carbon belt drive that is said to be maintenance free for 32,000 kilometres and a digital dashboard integrated into the handlebar – including speedometer, battery indicator, range – a security system with a password activated security immobiliser, and even mobile phone charging.
Top speed for the Formula E and Silver Arrows e-bikes are 32km/h in North America and 25km/h for the rest of the world – though this has more to do with local laws than technical limitations.
The Silver Arrows Sport boasts a top speed of 40km/h while the Championship Edition boasts a top speed of 45km/h – and these are not restricted by region, which suggests they will be available in limited regions.
Pricing for the four bikes ranges from $US3,450 ($A4,900) Formula E model through to $US5,800 ($A8,200) for the Championship Edition.