Now, Erik has released the first in a two-part assessment of the current state of motorcycling and the electric future in a post-pandemic world.
Erik says our streets are getting more crowded, yet people want more space and the obvious solution is single-track vehicles … in other words, motorcycles.
Here is his assessment of our riding future.
Erik gets “close and personal”:
Let’s get personal here. I’m talking close and personal.
That is the closeness of city streets and personal freedom to travel. Because cities are getting bigger, and more packed. Yet people want freedom to move. We don’t want to be trapped and limited. We want to go where we want, when we want to.
When I look to the future, there is one compelling solution for urban/suburban transportation. Well, two actually, two wheels… two wheels in a single track with green power. Whether it’s a human pedaled bicycle, a pedal assisted electric bicycle or an electric moto, two wheels are the clear solutions for urban mobility.
On a single track two-wheeler, you basically take up the same space as you do walking. Driving a car or riding in an Uber is like walking down the street with your arms stretched wide out, taking the street for yourself.
Mass transport works to some extent, but it’s just not a pleasant experience, and it only gets you vaguely near the place you want to be. It’s also a very expensive endeavor that burdens city budgets. Sometimes these huge expensive vehicles are full and sometimes near empty. In either case they keep running from point A to B at Y o’clock despite the fact that you need to get from C to D at Z o’clock.
In Europe where streets are smaller, the support and infrastructure for two wheelers is exploding. In the US it is starting as well. In Asia, two-wheelers have always been the solution, and now the growth is in making them greener, less polluting, less noisy. Replacing the 60 million new gasoline powered two-wheelers sold annually with electric creates a huge impact on quality of life.
Fuell Flow
What is happening now? These past months have definitely reinforced the importance of personal space and safety. Worldwide, the movement to change our habits is accelerating. Urban transportation should be a comfortable personal tool empowering us to better live our multitasking lives.
Personal urban transportation needs to incorporate communication and safety devices, so that the experience creates a connection between rider, vehicle, and the environment (city, suburbia, open outdoors).
A really well designed two-wheeler becomes one with the rider, with speed and range far beyond the rider’s ability. Those great two-wheelers make you feel like you have super-powers!
We have to blend this feeling with the needs of today and tomorrow. So quite frankly, innovation is critical – you cannot build a new future hanging onto the old ways. New urban electric vehicles must not only feel approachable but also integrate with the digital environment and technology that is part of our society.
The goal is not autonomous two wheelers. We know riders do not want to give up control – if they did they’d be on a subway reading a book. What riders do want, in fact, is more control. They want unobtrusive innovative safety devices. They want the next wave of technology integrated into their personal urban mobility vehicles.
And Beyond? We can imagine many other form factors coming to the market as technology, needs and regulations evolve. One can think about compact electric 3 and 4-wheelers, but must think first of the importance of single track wherever possible to minimize space use. We cannot take the engineering easy way out, but instead must push, push ourselves to innovate in the two-wheeler format. And this innovation must include a complete integration with smart cities (the famous V2V and V2X protocols to connect all infrastructure and vehicles) and further safety assistance.
Today we are at a turning point. The only question is, which way will we go?
Just when you thought the electric motorcycle market was set in stone, a new player has emerged. Erik Buell is back as part of an innovative team of engineers and designers who just revealed their new electric motorcycle, the Fuell Flow. While electric bikes have been popping up all around the world, this particular e-moto is poised to shock them all with an affordable price point of just $11,995. If that MSRP holds true, then Fuell has an opportunity to influence the balance of power within the electric motorcycle market.
Let’s take a quick look at this electric motorcycle. Technical specifications are impressive if they pan out as advertised. Fuell claims 48 hp (35 kW) and 553 pound-feet of torque from the Flow with a range of 150 miles and a top speed of 85 mph. It weighs in at a claimed 400 pounds and has a 53.9-inch wheelbase and rider-friendly 30.1-inch seat height, so it has potential to be fun while zipping around town or touring nearby back roads. Charging time will be 30 minutes using a Supercharger/CCS (Combined Charging System) but still will take a while (10 hours) using the home charging system, according to Fuell.
At the core of the Flow is a 10-kWh motor housed in the rear wheel hub, powered by a 400-volt “Li-ion cylindrical cell array housed in structural magnesium housing.” That configuration should provide plenty of pep to keep the bike ahead of traffic within the urban sprawl. The Flow spec sheet boasts a 0–60 time of 2.7 seconds, which would be slightly faster than its competitor, the Harley-Davidson LiveWire. Keep in mind the H-D carries an MSRP of nearly $30,000 and has been teasing an actual release date for what seems like an eternity.
Just looking at the images reveals the obvious Buell/EBR influence in the design of the Flow. The large magnesium monocoque frame, single-sided swingarm, and hub-center motor combine with the curvy Buell-esque bodywork to create the familiar look of this e-brawler. A 40mm inverted fork and preload-adjustable rear shock appear underwhelming at first glance, but are likely a couple of the inexpensive components that help keep the overall cost down. Time will tell where the other corners have been cut but it looks like Fuell has come up with a nice overall package that ticks all the boxes.
As it is stated on its website, the Fuell philosophy is: “To offer a unique selection of innovative, attractive electric two-wheeled vehicles.” And as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so we will let the public make its own opinion on the aesthetics of the Fuell Flow. But there is no denying the potential value of the Flow compared to other electric motorcycles.
The Flow incorporates onboard safety technology including blind spot detection, anti-collision, ABS with regenerative braking, plus a rear-facing camera, e-traction control, and an array of high-tech gadgets including what appears to be a large TFT-type dash that is the size of an iPad.
Check out the Fuell website at fuell.us for more details, and if you are interested in getting on board the Fuell e-mobility express in the early stages, the company is offering a $500 discount if you preorder your Flow now.
Innovative engineer Erik Buell is back with the Fuell Flow electric motorcycle that is virtually future proof with a replaceable and updatable battery, motor and charger.
The Fuell Flow was designed in a modular way to make it easy to replace elements if or when they are superseded by rapidly developing technology.
It also has a connected dashboard that automatically downloads software updates.
Prices start at $US3295 (about $A4650) for the Fluid e-bike and $US10,995 ($A15,500) for the Flow electric motorcycle.
They say they will also have credit, leasing and battery leasing options.
A Fuell PR spokesperson told us they had already received several inquiries from Australia about the Flow electric motorcycle.
However, the company first plans to focus on certification for US and Europe.
Flow
Flow comes in two power versions. The 11kW is the equivalent of a 125cc while the 35kW model has a 0-100km/h time of just 2.7 seconds, a top speed of 135km/h in “Audacious” mode and urban range of 240km.
The 10KwH battery will charge in 10 hours with the onboard charger. There are also various optional chargers available that will bring charging times down to as little as 30 minutes with a DC “supercharger”.
Instead of a motor where a conventional bike’s engine would be, this has a patent-pending wheel hub electric motor.
Rear hub motor
Since there is no motor in the usual place, nor a fuel tank, there is 50 litres of space under the hinged tank cover to accommodate your jacket, helmet and more.
Hi-tech features include a parking-assist slow mode to “walk” your bike forward or backwards, eTraction control, blind spot detection, front and rear collision alerts and an iPhone/Android app that provides vehicle status.
Fluid
Fluid e-bike
The Fluid electric bicycle has two removable batteries and more than 1000Wh of energy.
It features a full-colour dashboard, five levels of motor assistance, a carbon belt and eight gears.
Fluid is available as a Pedelec (max 25km/h or 20mph) or a S-Pedelec (max 45km/h or 28mph), starting at $US3295.
About Erik Buell
Erik has had a rags-to-riches-to-rags story in motorcycling that keeps on surprising.
The former Harley-Davidson engineer developed the Buell brand in 1983, sold 49% to Harley in 1993 and Harley took over in 2003.
Erik and MotorBikeWriter
Harley axed the brand in October 2009 when the GFC hit, but Erik relaunched as Erik Buell Racing (EBR) just a month later.
EBR ceased production in April 2015 and was bought by Michigan company Liquid Asset Partners in February 2016.
Engine: proprietary electric wheel motor (patent pending), two modes – Urban and Audacious
Power: 35kW (48hp) continuous
Torque: 750Nm (553lb-ft)
Speed: 90km/h sustained with up to 135km/h on demand
Range: 260km (150 miles) urban
Battery: 10 KwH, 400V Li-ION cylindrical cell array in structural magnesium housing, with rear wheel regenerative braking activated automatically by application of the linked
braking system (patent pending)
Recharging: Quick charge or home w/ Onboard or accessory Fast Chargers
Charge Port CCS Type 2 (adapters for Type 1 available)
Charging Rate 750W on board, 3.3kW & 6.6kW available accessory fast chargers
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Fuell Flow
