E-Bike News: 2024 QuietKats UL certified, Stromer ST5 sound effects and much more!
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December 7, 2023
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E-bike safety has been an increasingly important issue lately, so it’s great to see more and more companies getting their e-bikes UL certified. This reassures buyers and increases the overall quality of e-bikes on the market. In addition, there should be fewer errors with e-bikes – whether dangerous or not. The counterargument is that this will increase the cost of e-bikes. While this is true to some extent, the hope is that as more companies adopt the standards, the cost of implementing them will eventually fall, particularly as more certification providers emerge to meet increased demand. In this case, both producers and consumers will benefit.
In this week E-bike news:
- The entire QuietKat 2024 range is said to be UL certified
- The new Stromer ST5 – sound effects and Pinion gearbox
- Pelican Train – is this the most innovative e-cargo bike to date?
- Mondraker’s new children’s e-MTB
- E-bikes vs. autonomous cars in San Francisco
Quietkat’s 2024 range is UL certified
QuietCat have just announced that their 2024 product lines meet the respected safety standards of UL 2849 and UL 2271 certifications. The 2023 Lynx and Apex Pro models had already met these strict standards
Safety standards for e-bikes (particularly those related to batteries) have been in the news a lot recently, especially since September 16th, when all battery-powered mobility devices – including e-bikes and e-scooters – must be sold, leased or rented in New York Be certified by an accredited testing laboratory in accordance with Underwriters Laboratories (UL) standards.
Conveniently, QuietKat has outlined the benefits of these two UL standards:
UL 2849: Exclusive for eBikes and eScooters, this certification includes comprehensive safety assessments. QuietKat eBikes have undergone electrical and mechanical testing, temperature analysis, and drop and shock assessments.
UL 2271: Tailored for light electric vehicle batteries, this certification highlights the safety, reliability and performance of QuietKat’s eBike batteries and includes overcharge protection, short circuit response, temperature performance and drop resistance.
EBR has already looked at this Arguments for and against UL certification of batteries.
New Stromer ST5 – Now with Pinion Gears & “Acoustic Feedback”
Stromer are a Swiss-based high-end manufacturer specializing in fast 28-mile speed pedelecs and have announced the launch of the latest incarnation of their ST5 model It features a closed Pinion gearbox and a so-called Stromer sound that provides “unique acoustic feedback” – although it is unclear what exactly that means.
Pinion gear is already a firm favorite with other Stromer models, but this is the first time the ST5 gets the rock-solid closed gear system along with a belt drive.
So far we only have euro prices – if you know the premium character of the Stromer speed pedelecs, the price of 10,990 euros should not be entirely unexpected. The new ST5 with Pinion gearbox will be available as a production model from March 2024, while the “Launch Edition” is scheduled to be released in December 2023. Stromers are sold in the USA, so we will keep you updated on availability and pricing in the USA.
Is it a bird? No, it’s a Pelican e-cargo bike
The newly released Pelican Train an electric cargo tug has been mentioned in several internet reports recently. The France-based company has equipped a more conventional long-tail e-cargo bike with the ability to attach up to two large trailers.
Additionally, there are various bike and trailer design options that can be used for tasks such as courier work, construction work, refrigerated food deliveries and street cleaning. With two trailers attached, the Pelican has an impressive payload of 500kg.
However, this is not just an e-bike plus trailer setup, as impressive technology is used here; Towed trailers also have electric motors that are loud this Insideevs article“working together in synchrony to ensure smooth and efficient operations.” They all generate power at the same time and brake together when necessary.”
The entire setup offers 111Nm of torque and, according to the company, meets EU power regulations for e-bikes rated at 250W. There are short-term, long-term and purchase options
New product lines for children’s e-bikes from Mondraker
Spanish e-MTB specialist Mondraker has just launched two new lines of e-MTBs for children to complement its existing range Grommy Balance e-bike line.
The game and the F game (The latter is the full version) is aimed at older children – 6 to 14 year olds say Mondraker. Both lines feature the Mahle Ebikemotion 26-inch wheeled models provide additional space for an optional 210 Wh range extender.
The models are already available in the UK with prices ranging from £1,921 to £230
E-bikes are the solution, not self-driving cars
It’s nice to leave the narrower confines of the e-bike world every now and then and see how they fare in the world. This interesting Fast Company article is doing just that and comparing its progress in San Francisco in 2023 to that of autonomous cars.
It says: “The self-driving car makers that once seemed poised to conquer San Francisco – followed by the rest of urban America – now face headwinds from impatient investors, skeptical residents and wary regulators who have done so. “ exposed Cruise’s driverless license in California after a horrific accident (and an alleged cover-up).
“Compared to self-driving cars and almost all other forms of mobility, e-bikes have experienced a resurgence in 2023, posting strong sales despite a slowdown in the overall bicycle industry.”
However, the fight continues; Waymo and Cruise eventually convinced California regulators to allow the companies to deploy unlimited robotaxis throughout San Francisco. However, that doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily arrive soon – as the article points out:
“If self-driving cars are scalable, they will lead to more car use and worsen traffic congestion and pollution.” It remains unclear whether a city full of autonomous vehicles would be better, not worse, for its residents.
E-bikes do not raise any such existential concerns. On the contrary: all signs point to a city full of e-bikes being safer, healthier, cleaner and less congested than a city where cars dominate – no matter how they are driven.”
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