It folds in under ten seconds, reaches 20 km/h and offers a range of 30 km. Peugeot's new folding e-bike makes intermodal transport easier. It can be carried and charged in the boot of any medium-sized car.
Intermodality, that is, the ability to combine different modes of transport with ease, is one of the frontiers of sustainable mobility. Enabling people to switch seamlessly from private cars to public transport, or to bicycles, is a strategy widely pursued across Europe to reduce congestion in city centres, curb traffic and, as a result, cut pollution. This is a goal to which Peugeot is now also contributing — a company that, as well as being a car manufacturer, has been building folding bicycles for over a century.
It's called the eF01, and it's Peugeot's new folding e-bike. Its headline features are the ability to split the bicycle apart and electric pedal assistance — technical characteristics that are already available on the market, but rarely in combination. Unveiled at the recent Paris Motor Show, the French two-wheeler was designed with the aim of making the so-called "last mile" easy and sustainable — in other words, access to city centres — doing away with the parking headaches that come with using a car. This goal is achieved through a mechanism that allows the frame to be unfolded and folded in under ten seconds and with just three movements, switching quickly from riding to cycling, from walking to travelling on public transport.
Unveiled alongside the Peugeot 5008 crossover, which can easily carry it in the boot, the eF01 benefits, according to Neil Simpson, designer at the French marque, "from optimised ergonomics: once folded, the two wheels are perfectly aligned and the bike can be carried effortlessly using the handle on the frame. A patented system also allows the saddle position to be stored and restored in an instant." These practical solutions come alongside the ability to recharge via a standard electrical socket or directly in the car, thanks to a dedicated docking station that, connected to a 12-volt socket, allows the batteries to be recharged in just over two hours.
Peugeot has been making folding bicycles since 1892, the year it supplied Captain Henri Gerard's army unit with the first bike to feature a separable frame. In the 1970s it produced models that were particularly sought-after for their styling, and since 2009 more than ten versions have been brought to market. With the new eF01, equipped with an electric motor powered by a 200 Wh lithium-ion battery pack, it is possible to reach a top speed of 20 km/h and enjoy a range of 30 km. Weight comes in at 17 kg, while safety is ensured by disc brakes on both 16-inch wheels. As with most modern e-bikes, a Bluetooth connection can be established between the smartphone and the bike, allowing the remaining range and battery charge level to be checked via a dedicated app.
Peugeot is no stranger to creating electric intermodal vehicles, having already unveiled the battery-powered folding e-Kick scooter at the launch of the 3008 crossover, the "little sister" of the 5008. The eF01 e-bike will go on sale in the early months of 2017.