Eurobike 2022, one of the largest bicycle trade shows in the world, took on a new life this year as it moved to a larger venue in Frankfurt, Germany. Electrek was on site to check out all the latest news and unveilings from the electric bike world.
We also want to thank Tern Bicycles for sponsoring our Eurobike coverage this year, which was perfect timing considering Tern’s two newest e-bike models were on full display at the event.
Tern Bicycles
First up among the new models on display was the Tern Quick Haul, which was designed to take Tern’s “right-sized” electric cargo bikes and distill the best features into a more affordable version for the masses.
You may already be familiar with the Tern HSD and GSD electric bikes, two incredibly well-outfitted models that we’ve featured before. We even tested them out in our Eurobike coverage last year, but those e-bikes are quite pricey, starting at nearly $4k and increasing quickly from there.
There’s good news though! For those that don’t have a fast stack of Benjamins burning a hole in their pocket, the new Tern Quick Haul starts at US $2,999 in the US and €2,999 in Europe. At those prices, it brings the high-end e-bike market back down to a price range that a wider range of riders can afford.
Tern may have dropped the price, but they didn’t compromise on quality or performance.
That means the bike still has a small format but heavy duty frame, awesome vertical parking rear rack, Bosch mid-drive motor, high quality hydraulic brakes and other important components. With that loadout, the Quick Haul is a heavy-hitting cargo e-bike that fits in a space that is much smaller than most cargo e-bikes.
The bike is rated for loads up to 330 lb (150 kg), which means most riders will be able to carry a pile of cargo or even a passenger behind them. Tern’s wide range of child-carrying accessories make this a potent carpool bike for taking the kiddos to school.
Not only did we get a chance to see the new Quick Haul for the first time in person, but we got the chance to test it out as well. Electrek’s publisher Seth Weintraub and I each took a Quick Haul for a test ride, swapping back and forth between a commuter spec model with panniers and a delivery model outfitted for a pizza company. You can see our test riding as well as the rest of our Eurobike coverage in the video below.
The Quick Hauls were surprisingly nimble for cargo bikes, though that should be expected from their smaller wheels and shorter wheelbase than most long tail cargo bikes.
Having ridden several Tern electric bikes now (both from the front and back seat, errr… child seat), I’m always impressed with how smoothly they ride, especially considering that they don’t have suspension.
Perhaps the tighter tolerances and overall build quality simply shine through, making the bikes feel that much more solid and stable, even without the need for any suspension beneath you.
Tern also showed off the company’s new NBD cargo e-bike, which also adopts a smaller format than most cargo e-bikes yet does so in a more accessible frame style.
The step-through frame is even easier to mount for anyone with limited leg mobility and is perfect for literally anyone that doesn’t want to kick their kid in the head when swinging a leg over the rear child seat. I don’t know why step-through frames aren’t more common, especially for this type of applicaiton, but Tern definitely gets it.
We’ll be back with a more in-depth article and video on our testing experience with the Tern Quick Haul soon, so be on the lookout for that shortly.
Swytch electric bike conversion kit
I’ve had the pleasure of using a Swytch electric bike conversion kit before, where the major innovation is the battery with built-in controller that gets mounted on the handlebars.
It was a slick-looking setup when I tested it a couple years ago, but nothing could have prepared me for the awesome update to the kit on display at Eurobike 2022.
The previous kit used a fabric-covered bag design, but the latest update eschews the bag for an awesome looking slim profile battery. It looks like something you’d keep in your pocket to recharge your cell phone, yet is a fully-enclosed electric bike battery system.
There are actually two models, one with a 90 Wh battery and another with a 180 Wh battery. The smaller battery is even airline compliant thanks to its small capacity.
The rest of the kit mostly consists of a front wheel hub motor that isn’t really anything special by itself. But when combined with Swytch’s battery pack and control electronics, it turns into a slick-looking and nearly universal electric bike kit that fits nearly any bike out there.
eXXite
The Barcelona-based e-bike brand eXXite was on hand to show off its latest futuristic-looking electric bikes.
In addition to the long-awaited Xone, the company showed off multiple follow-on models and a very interesting Android-based display. The open source EIVA display not only shows you all of your e-bike ride data via the eXXite app, but you can even load any other apps you’d like thanks to its Android operating system. That means Google Maps, social media or any other app you want to have at your fingertips can be loaded onto your e-bike display.
And of course I had to hop up on an eXXite e-bike on a trainer to give the company’s RegenFit feature another try. The setup allows riders to use the regenerative braking feature of the e-bike to charge the battery while the bike rests on a trainer, which means riders get to put in some real fitness riding and then ride off later using electricity that they generated themselves.
The secret comes from eXXite’s custom engineering in the motor. At certain speeds it can freeze its clutch, which allows it to offer regenerative braking while still offering resistance-free rolling that you generally only get from common clutch-based geared e-bike motors.
Rayvolt
Rayvolt, which is the more retro-inspired electric bike brand from the founders of eXXite, occupied the other half of eXXite’s booth.
There the brand showed off some of the most elegant and beautiful e-bikes I’ve seen anywhere in the world.
I’ve travelled thousands of miles in the past just to see these e-bikes in person and test them out.
Now that Rayvolt is expanding into so many new countries, though, riders all over the world are getting to experience these beautiful machines.
Aike
I recently had the opportunity to test the Äike T electric scooter at its factory in Tallinn, Estonia. But at Eurobike, we got the chance to test both the Äike T and the Äike 11, a scooter-sharing version designed for scooter rental companies.
Äike completely rethought what should go into an electric scooter, offering a unique design with single side-supported wheels, automotive style tires, a USB-C charging battery pack, a wide deck, and high tech connectivity features.
The scooter rides smoothly and is one of the most stable scooters I’ve tested.
In fact, I watched the CEO of the company Kristjan Maruste ride it hands-free, which is normally impossible on most electric scooters due to the twitchy steering and instability of smaller wheels.
The Äike T is definitely a game changer in the electric scooter industry, and its local European manufacturing makes it pretty much the only e-scooter built outside of Asia. I’m excited to see what else Äike has up its sleeve.
Comodule
Fellow Estonian company comodule had a number of different light electric vehicles at its booth representing several of the manufacturers that use Comodule’s IoT suite of electronics.
You probably didn’t know it (I sure didn’t!), but some of the biggest names in the e-bike and e-scooter industries use Comodule’s gear to connect their rides.
Comodule’s tech doesn’t just help the Äike T become one of the smartest e-scooters on the block, but has also found its way into electric two-wheelers from Super73, CAKE, Harley-Davidson’s Serial 1 and others.
Comodule produces its own hardware and software at its Tallinn, Estonia factory and has grown into a powerhouse in the light electric vehicle connectivity industry.
Noordung electric bike
If there was an award for the most visually striking electric bike at Eurobike, Noordung would be in the running.
This beautiful and retro-inspired design takes a classy black colorway and uses sweeping frame tubes to create a beautiful work of art that also happens to be a rideable electric bike.
The battery looks like a vintage moped’s top tank design, which will likely be divisive in the e-bike community but was at least executed in an impressive way. Whether or not you appreciate the taste, you have to admit that they executed it nicely.
The cast wheels add to the minimalist look of the bike by removing traditional spokes. A lack of visible wires and cables help complete the look and are the cherry on top.
Carbo
We’ve had a blast testing out Carbo’s lightweight carbon fiber folding electric bike in the past, but this time the company was at Eurobike to demonstrate a new app that is designed to add even more features to their bikes.
My favorite part of the updated app was the turn by turn navigation directions that not only get displayed in the app, but can be paired to the e-bike’s own native display.
That means you can have your phone in your pocket but still get turn-by-turn directions right on the bike’s display. And considering how small the display is, that’s a seriously big innovation!
Blubrake
Blubrake’s antilock braking was on full display, along with a new partnership struck between Blubrake and Shimano to pair the two companies’ expertise into a complete electric bike anti-lock braking package.
We had the chance to test out Blubrake’s ABS on a Stromer electric bike, and I can confirm that this stuff works well. I couldn’t lock up the front wheel even when I went full-on panic braking. It keeps riders safer without the risk of going over the bars in a front wheel lockup situation.
I don’t know how long it will take for this type of technology to become standard, but it couldn’t come soon enough.
Anti-lock brakes on e-bikes could surely save dozens of crashes per day from riders accidentally locking up their front wheels. Any technology that makes e-bikes safer for riders is a win in my book!
Bosch
Speaking of anti-lock braking, Bosch was also on hand to show off a new ABS system for electric bikes; it was just one of a number of new announcements from the leading electric bike drive maker.
Other new products from Bosch include a new alarm system built into the e-bike drive that can help protect riders’ most prized two-wheeled possessions by warding off potential thieves, a new Cargo mode for the company’s cargo drives that helps with smoother starts and power delivery specifically for cargo e-bikes, and a new Auto mode that helps to automatically adjust the drive’s parameters based on current riding conditions.
Mountain bikers using Bosch drives will likely enjoy a new hill hold feature to keep the e-bike from rolling back, as well as a new minimalist display that makes it harder to damage your screen in a crash – something many electric mountain bikers will be familiar with.
Bosch also showed off its latest e-bike batteries, including the PowerTubes 500 and 625 and the PowerPacks 545 and 725, offering some of the highest capacities available from European mid-drive e-bike makers.
Bafang
Not to be outdone, Chinese motor giant Bafang was also present to show of the brand’s latest developments.
We recently covered news surrounding Bafang’s latest transmission, a three-speed automatic shifting internally geared hub. The high-tech IGH is designed to predict shift points based on wheel cadence and should be strong enough for most e-bike drives up to around 80 Nm, though the torquiest of Bafang’s motors will still likely be too powerful for this new transmission.
Bafang also makes a number of smaller motors, plus a range of batteries and other e-bike components, all of which were on display.
Greyp
Croation electric bike maker Greyp showed off the latest model in its lineup, the Greyp T5.0.
This rigid fork version of the company’s popular trekking bike is the first fully rigid bike in the brand’s lineup. The bike is designed for commuters and trail riders that want a high quality e-bike full of Greyp’s high tech parts (two cameras, anyone?!) but don’t necessarily need to the full-suspension ride of Greyp’s flagship G6 line of e-bikes.
ASI controllers
Canadian electric speed controller company ASI shared with us several of the brand’s tiny yet powerful controllers. It’s incredible how much power can fit in something the size of your fist.
I had 6 kW of controller sitting in the palm of my hand. Mind-blowing!
ASI’s controllers are often used for hot-rodding powerful e-bikes like the Sur Ron electric trail bike, but the company has also expanded into light electric four-wheeled vehicles (think golf cart-sized vehicles) that require powerful yet compact controllers and electronics.
ASI’s specialization in high quality and high efficient motor controller designs has helped it become a leader in the field, and seeing the controllers in person definitely helps you realize why.
Honbike
I was particularly interested in checking out the Honbike U4 electric bike, having covered the product’s announcement just before the beginning of Eurobike.
The simplistic-looking design uses a modified X-frame with a slightly off-axis top tube that results in a visually striking design.
While the last Honbike we tested used a fancy driveshaft in a folding frame, the Honbike U4 opts for a Gates belt drive instead to create a lighter and more cost effective drive solution. The reduced complexity helps drop the production cost of the U4, which is critical in the highly competitive electric bicycle market. Sticking with a belt drive though ensures that riders won’t have to deal with maintenance related to chain drives.
The Honbike U4’s design is definitely unique, but that might be just what the company needs to help steal customers away from other visually defined e-bikes like those from VanMoof, Cowboy, and other European manufacturers.
Kkurad
Kkurad has some of the wildest-looking fully-enclosed electric bike-based vehicles we’ve seen so far; I call them electric bike-based since they seem like they could reach beyond a mere e-bike.
Take for instance this electric cargo bike that is essentially a light electric truck. Sure, it’s got a set of pedals and an e-bike motor, but this thing is so big that I’m not sure I’d want to see it coming at me in the bike lane.
The company also produces fully enclosed velomobile electric bikes that offer similar efficiency to electric road bikes but in a weatherproof package that will keep you dry in the rain.
Korea town
Parts of Eurobike include geographic groupings of e-bike companies and parts suppliers. In one section that became a de facto Koreatown, a number of Korean brands had some fascinating products on display.
A company called HeFlow had a hydrogen-powered electric bike system that they demonstrated on a four-wheeled quadricycle.
That was just a concept vehicle, but the company said that the tech for the actual hydrogen setup is ready to be commercialized and could be installed on more conventional electric bikes. A 1-minute recharge of the small hydrogen tank is apparently enough for 150 km of range (93 miles), making it much faster than charging a lithium-ion battery.
The brand Korea Mobility showed off one of my favorite e-bikes of the show, a hubless e-bike that looks like a straight up Tron cycle.
I’m not sure how it rides or how effective that suspension is, but I love what they’re doing and the design is so striking that it speaks for itself. I’d love to roll up on one of these some day!
The aptly-named KoreaBike company brought out two complimentary products that are both produced locally in Korea: electric bikes and portable power stations. The company not only has its own e-bike factory, but also builds the batteries itself instead of ordering completed battery packs for final assembly.
KoreaBike’s carbon fiber Carlos model looked particularly impressive, and is available in both a hard tail and a full-suspension version.
As the company pointed out, they hope to be particularly attractive to European importers seeking to avoid tariffs on Chinese-made e-bikes, since Korean-made e-bikes aren’t subject to the same punishing anti-dumping taxes.
Super73
Can you really call an e-bike show complete if Super73 doesn’t make an appearance? This California-based electric bike brand has largely defined the electric minibike scene since the mid-2010’s.
While we largely think of Super73 as an American brand, they’ve developed quite a following in Germany where many riders have embraced the Americana theme and generally excessive design of the bikes.
Last year we even had the chance to steal a couple of Super73’s e-bikes from Eurobike and go on a bit of a Eurotrip across Germany with the highly capable fat tire e-bikes.
You can check out that story here – it’s definitely worth the read!
Urtopia
Lightweight carbon fiber road e-bikes aren’t rare, but affordably-priced ones sure are! And that’s exactly what Urtopia is trying to do with its slick-looking e-bikes.
The company’s 30 lb (13.6 kg) e-bike had a successful Indiegogo campaign earlier this year where it raised over $3 million, proving there’s a market for affordable featherweight e-bikes.
The $2,599 price certainly seems like a lot compared to budget e-bikes, but you don’t get a belt-drive carbon fiber e-bike for a song, and this price is unheard of with these tech features (did I mention the fingerprint scanner?!).
Brompton
The last time I saw a Brompton electric bike, I was a bit underwhelmed. The bolt-on battery bag just seemed like something out of a high school senior design project.
But the latest models are looking much better with the battery nicely hidden behind a cargo carrying bag.
I’ve had nice experiences on pedal Brompton bikes, and so I have no doubt that this electric version is going to be a convenient and effective solution as well. And now that the design looks presentable, I could actually imagine being seen on one of these!
What was your favorite?
That’s all, folks! We’ve got another year to wait for Eurobike 2023, but let’s hear what was your favorite part of this year’s show.
Drop us a few words in the comment section below so we can see what you enjoyed from the wide range of e-bikes presented this year!
Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and subscribe to the podcast.
Author: Micah Toll
Source: Electrek
