PC maker Acer aspires to get into e-bikes with the 35-pound “ebii”

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  Acer's ebii, an out-of-left-field attempt at an e-bike from a company best known for affordable PCs. [credit: Acer ]

When you think of Acer you probably think of PCs, whether they're cheap beater laptops and tablets, slightly nicer but still budget-focused ultrabooks and gaming laptops, or weird swing-and-a-miss experiments. But today the company announced something else entirely—the "ebii," a lightweight e-bike that, aside from an associated smartphone app, has nothing to do with PCs or tablets.

We've reviewed e-bikes with stylish designs and appealing curvature, but the ebii looks decidedly more utilitarian. The chunky "ebii Box" in the middle houses the control box, battery pack, and headlight, and the seat and handlebars jut upward out of it. In a nod to its history as a PC and tablet maker, the ebii's 460 W battery can be removed and used as a portable charging station for USB-C devices.

At just over 35 pounds (16 kg), the ebii is lightweight—it saves weight partly by using a single-sided fork for the front tire. Acer says it can accommodate most riders between 4.75 and 6 feet tall (145 to 185 cm), meaning that especially tall riders probably won't find it comfortable. The bike also won't break any speed or distance records, with a top speed of around 15 mph and a 68-mile range.

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• 

  Acer's ebii, an out-of-left-field attempt at an e-bike from a company best known for affordable PCs. [credit: Acer ]

When you think of Acer you probably think of PCs, whether they're cheap beater laptops and tablets, slightly nicer but still budget-focused ultrabooks and gaming laptops, or weird swing-and-a-miss experiments. But today the company announced something else entirely—the "ebii," a lightweight e-bike that, aside from an associated smartphone app, has nothing to do with PCs or tablets.

We've reviewed e-bikes with stylish designs and appealing curvature, but the ebii looks decidedly more utilitarian. The chunky "ebii Box" in the middle houses the control box, battery pack, and headlight, and the seat and handlebars jut upward out of it. In a nod to its history as a PC and tablet maker, the ebii's 460 W battery can be removed and used as a portable charging station for USB-C devices.

At just over 35 pounds (16 kg), the ebii is lightweight—it saves weight partly by using a single-sided fork for the front tire. Acer says it can accommodate most riders between 4.75 and 6 feet tall (145 to 185 cm), meaning that especially tall riders probably won't find it comfortable. The bike also won't break any speed or distance records, with a top speed of around 15 mph and a 68-mile range.

Read 3 remaining paragraphs | Comments

March 21, 2023 at 04:02AM