By Ben Coxworth, September 8, 2010, Gizmag - Urban Transport
Tech developer the Bosch Group and bicycle maker Cannondale are collaborating on a new electric drive system for bikes. According to our friends at Wikipedia, Bosch is the world’s largest producer of auto parts, so there’s reason to think that this system might actually be half-way legit. Read on to learn more about it.
The motor itself is rated at 250 watts, with a peak power of 350 watts. It’s powered by a 36-volt lithium-ion battery pack, which is good for 288 watt-hours, 500 charge cycles, and recharges in no more than 2.5 hours. The system also features a bar-mounted control unit, or HMI (Human-Machine Interface). It displays the battery status and allows users to choose between up to four power settings, offering electrical pedaling assistance from levels of 0 to 150 percent. The power settings are: Eco (maximum range), Tour (standard setting), Sports ("dynamic riding") and Speed (maximum setting). Individual bicycle manufacturers will be able to choose which of these levels are enabled, depending on the type of bike into which they're incorporating the system.