Bicycles can be a great way to reduce fuel consumption. They are efficient, relatively inexpensive, easy to store and care for and are often a fun way to score a little exercise while also getting you where you need to go. Of course, it's not always practical to pedal, which is one big reason that electric bikes are gaining in popularity so quickly.

What if you've already got a good bike but would like to add a bit of electric assistance? Enter the Gruber Assist, a new retrofit ebike system that fits into any standard 31.6mm seatpost. A small electric motor slides into the seat tube and engages with a geared bottom bracket to add 200 Watts of assistance when needed.

The entire Gruber Assist system weighs just 900 grams including a nickel metal hydride battery pack with enough juice to provide up to 1.5 hours of assisted pedaling. An even lighter lithium ion pack is also available. The price may be a little steep at £1649 (about $2,473 in U.S. funds), but the technology is undeniably cool.

[Source: Gruber Assist via Gizmag]

Click above for more images of the Bricycle Concept

A man by the name of Brian has taken an interesting approach to designing an eco-friendly vehicle to replace some of the single-passengers cars driving all over the roads in America, and he calls it the Bricycle. Using three wheels -- one up front and two in the rear -- the Bricycle allows human power in the form of pedaling along with forty-eight volts of electric assist at the front. The rider/driver sits in a reclined position inside a canopy of composite bodywork. Brian's design also features twenty-one different gearing choices for the operator.

While a vehicle such as this will likely never see mass-market appeal, it would serve to eliminate a certain amount of traffic and allow those who would choose to ride to work anyway an opportunity to do so with some weather protection. Additionally, the concept shouldn't be too expensive to recreate after the initial design work is complete. We like it.


[Source: Bricycles.com via Engadget]

Yamaha certainly has plenty of experience making sporty two-wheeled vehicles, as riders of the firm's R6 and R1 sportbikes can certainly attest. Now, though, it seems that the Tuning Fork company has decided to branch out into human power, specifically with a new hybrid bicycle. What makes this particular machine, knows as the PAS Brace, particularly interesting is how it manages the electrical assistance. First, an eight speed rear hub is used and allows shifting at any time, even from a dead stop. Depending on what gear the bike is in, a computer controls how much electrical power to send to the motor for assistance. Once top speed is reached, the system completely shuts down.

We've seen similar machines from other manufactures on these pages before, but what makes this Yamaha stand out is the low pricing. When equipped with the standard 4.0 Ah 25.9 volt lithium ion battery, the PAS Brace will sell for just $1,150, though it will only be available in Japan to start. There's always eBay...

[Sources: Nikkei, Engadget]

We've gazed at OHM's line of electric bikes already this year, and now we find a review by an automotive writer for The Wall Street Journal. David Patton tested the entry-level machine from the company, known as the XU450. The 450 stands for Watts, which the electric motor is able to deliver for short bursts. The rear hub-mounted motor can sustain a constant 250 Watts and the lithium battery is good for up to seventy miles, depending on how much pedaling the rider is willing to endure. Interestingly, the motor won't power the bike unless the rider pedals, so there are no free rides. Still, the top setting allows the motor to provide 200% more power than the rider is offering.

While we like the idea of electric bikes, the costs are going to have to come down before mainstream acceptance is likely. The XU450, for example, retails for a heady $2,195. Higher-specification models cost even more. Plus, its fifty pounds are quite a bit to lug around, as can be seen when you watch the video pasted after the break.

[Source: The Wall Street Journal]

India, the seventh largest but second most populous country in the world, has good reason to encourage electric vehicle sales, considering that its automobile market is growing very rapidly. Pollution could become a much larger problem than it already is if steps are not taken to manage it now. India's government realizes this fact, which led it to recently waive the excise duty for electric cars. Up until now, though, the tax has stood at 8 percent for electric bikes. Not anymore, as both two- and three-wheeled electric bikes are now duty-free, enabling them to be more cost-competitive against the gasoline-powered motorcycles they compete with. According to The Economic Times, electric cycles currently cost between Rs 20,000 to Rs 36,000. After the excise waiver goes into effect, the price for electric bikes should drop by Rs 1,800 to Rs 2,400.

[Source: The Economic Times]

Click on the image for more high-resolution shots of the E+

Electric bikes are becoming an increasingly intriguing option for commuters who live relatively close to work or for avid outdoor enthusiasts. As battery and motor technology forges ahead, the speed and range of ebikes surges with it, as evidenced by the new Electric Motion Systems E+. Although DOT requirements force a road-going electric bike to twenty miles per hour, tops, the E+ is actually capable of thirty when traveling off the beaten path. With no pedaling at all, the E+ can manage twenty miles on a single charge of its 36 volt nickel metal hydride pack, which is mounted in the front hub. Pedaling along can more than double the range. A 750 Watt electric motor comes standard, mounted to the rear hub, while a 1000 Watt upgrade is available. The E+ uses its own aluminum frame and comes equipped with a decent SR Suntour front suspension fork.

Other cool details include the ability to dial in resistance to your pedal strokes for fitness reasons and a built-in security system which makes the bike all but impossible to pedal. All of these propriety features and high specifications do not come all that cheap, though, with the E+ starting at $3,495.00, available with either a cruiser or mountainbike frame.


[Source: Electric Motion Systems]

You may never have heard of the French automotive company Matra. You've probably seen some of their designs and cars that they have built for other companies such as Renault, though. For instance, the strange and strangely popular Renault Espace minivan was initially made by Matra for Renault. They also have a rather successful history of racing, in Formula 1, Formula 2 and at Le Mans. The moped-like bike you see above and here in our gallery seems to be from the same company, although they do not produce cars anymore. The bike is electric and also allows for pedaling. The range of 60 miles or so could be increased with human power. Although limited to a bit less than 30 miles per hour, the bike can likely go faster, but it would lose out on being considered a moped and therefore would require a motorcycle license. This electric bike should be available for sale in Europe in the not-too-distant future, but no word on whether it'll make it to the States.

Interesting features of this electric bike include the disk brakes and their unusual mounting-system. The bike also supports regenerative braking. My guess is that batteries are stored in the rack above the rear wheel, but the round enclosure around the hub of the front wheel probably has batteries in it as well, while the other one at the rear is likely the motor. Looks like a fun little commuting machine!

[Source: Bikes in the Fast Lane, thanks Mike!]

Let me get this fact off my chest before I write anything else: this thing is flippin' expensive! Alright, now that we're through with that, let's analyze this electric bike, known as Pi. The frame is an aluminum monocoque, meaning that it is a single piece made up of metal which is all a similar thickness. Moving on to the electrics, the batteries are nickel metal hydride, not the better-but-pricier lithium ion. The motor is a 36-volt brushless DC model which produces about 1 horsepower, or 750 watts. Of course, add your human power to that power amount if you are willing to pedal. In case you were wondering, you are capable of producing much less than one horsepower! If you are willing to pay the $7,500 (!) asking price, you can find the bike at Design Within Reach.

If you do manage to cough up the money, you will be rewarded with an electric bike capable of less than 30 miles per hour box-stock. The bike has the power to go faster and can be geared to do so, but you'll need a motorcycle license for that. The asking price does include a designer helmet... The circular frame is probably where the name came from, you think?

One very cool piece of technology buried in that aluminum frame is the NuVinci planetary gearbox. This piece of hardware allows the bike to change gear ratios without actually manually switching gears. Click here for more on that. If you can afford the bike, you may also be able to spend the extra $1,800 for the solar charger, which further lowers your carbon footprint. Speaking of that footprint, just about any electric bike will offer similar CO2 output, but the Pi from Electrobike is designed with the reduction of emissions in mind, so you can feel good about that. Unless you get the gas/electric hybrid model (which will get its very own dedicated post later), which seems to fly in the face of the rest of the concept. If anybody actually does get one of these, make sure to let us know about it. It'd be interesting to compare it with a Segway, which is another really expensive way to get from point A to point B.

Related:

• A very nice (but very expensive) automatic commuter bicycle option

[Source: Electrobike and LA Times, Thanks for the tip, Domenick!]

While it is not uncommon for electric bikes to have a front hub motor or for them to have batteries mounted on the rear racks, these are the first pair of wheels that I have seen with solar panels integrated into them. I think that the idea is pretty cool, and can't really think of another place on a bike where there is enough real estate for an effective amount of solar cells to be mounted. Wheels like these are likely a bit more aerodynamic, but could pose a bit of an issue if there are heavy side-winds. Still, with this bike you could pedal when the going was easy and engage the motor when the going gets tough - and all the while never need to gas it up or plug it in.

[Source: Therapy Products via Reuben Miller - thanks!]

It's no secret that we like bikes around here. In fact, some of us AutoblogGreen bloggers have been known to ride to work now and then. Being that we've done it ourselves before, we can heartily recommend to you readers that you should give it a try. Especially with the invention of the electrically assisted bikes that are becoming commonplace, riding to work can save you time and make you feel better, not to mention the positive impact on the traffic patterns and environment.

But, we're also sure that you have your doubts, as well you should. So, to help you consider the pros and cons of riding your bicycle to work, Shane Jordan over at Green Options has made up a list of commonly asked questions and provided convincing answers to each of them. Check it out! To get you all ready to read the article, here is a list of what he's writing about:

• "But...it's too dangerous."
• "But... it's too far to ride."
• "But...it's too cold/hot."
• "But... there are no bike lanes/trails."
• "But... where will I put my briefcase?"

There you have it. Take a look and see if you could give it a try.

[Source: Green Options]