Gogoro’s Eeyo 1s – Carbon Fiber e-bike for the future
Majority of commuter e-bikes are bulky and difficult to carry. Almost all trending e-bikes have steel or aluminium frames hence requiring a large battery to move and a robust motor. These bikes are a treat to ride as battery support overpowers the weight. The drawback, however, is the difficulty to carry up a flight of stairs. Gogoro, a Taiwanese brand known for their electric scooters has come up with its first e-bike with carbon fiber. Due to carbon fiber, it is extremely lightweight and should not require as much power to ride.
There are a number of e-bikes available today like Cowboy , VanMoof and a variety of other manufacturers. So, the initial thought would be “What is so special about the Gogoro Eeyo 1s?”. We will cover Gogoro’s balance between weight, motorised power and smart-bike specifications. The CEO of Gogoro was the former head of design at HTC and hence we can expect Gogoro to deliver a solid punch.
Gogoro Eeyo 1s Design
Gogoro’s Eeyo 1s isn’t the first bike that removed the seat tube. However, the curvature and incessant lines of the frame makes Eeyo 1s a commendable beast. It has a slim carbon fiber frame devoid of a chunky down tube to hide the battery. The 123 WH battery is placed inside a metal cylinder located in the center of the back wheel. This design is what we would call a masterstroke to keep a slim frame. The Eeyo 1s is available in only one colour currently: warm white. If you wish to go for a swankier Lobster Orange or Cloud Blue, you will have to purchase the clunkier Eeyo 1. Gogoro has gone with “riser” handlebars that curve upwards from either side of the clamp. The grip too bends slightly towards the rider and hence provides a sportier position when riding.
Gogoro Eeyo 1s Performance
The metal cylinder which contains the battery as well as a 250W motor and the sensors required to monitor the speed and exertion. Gogoro Eeyo 1s has a max speed of 25Km/hr in Europe and 31Km/hr in the US. This is very similar to top speeds provided by other e-bike manufacturers. In Europe, there is no requirement of a license or a number plate and insurance provided it is 250W and driven below 25Km/hr. Folks in the US, though the top speed is advertised as 31Km/hr, it is best to drive between 24-27Km/hr. The Eeyo 1 has been designed for cities where there’s a lot of traffic lights hence the riders need to be agile and proactive. Gogoro has confirmed that the range of Gogoro Eeyo 1s is 64-89Kms on a single charge.
Gogoro Eeyo 1s Pricing and Availability
That handsome weight reduction comes at an exorbitant price. The Eeyo 1 with a carbon frame and fork with an alloy seat, handlebars and rims cost US $3,899. Eeyo 1s, the lighter model (complete carbon fibre) is priced at US $4,599. It is not too expensive for a carbon fiber bike but a lot more than the competitors VanMoof and Cowboy. The Eeyo 1s went on sale in the US early this week and will start delivering to other parts of the world by August 10.
Wrapping Up
The Gogoro Eeyo 1s has been specifically designed for a niche market. For people wishing to have an e-bike that is easy to carry on one arm. In doing so, these customers are happy to let go some of the smart features like an alarm or integrated lights. This e-bike will be a boon for people looking for a smart and sleek bike which is extremely lightweight and superfast. However, the only con is that it is super expensive, even by e-bike standards. It will be good to see such smart bikes on the city roads rather than smoke producing, environmentally harmful cars and motorbikes. If you would like us to write more about the latest trends in technology, you can comment below or contact us.
Dhruvil is a Writer & Marketeer for Nimblechapps, joining December 2014, based out of Sydney, Australia. He has worked briefly as a Branding and Digital Marketing Manager before moving to Australia. At Nimblechapps, he worked on Social Media Marketing, Branding, Email Marketing and Blogging. Dhruvil studies Business at University of Western Sydney, and also handles Operations for the company in Australia.