Well Kona has stepped up to the plate and is delivering 3 new electric bikes to the market for 2011.Their regular Ute has been on the market for a couple of years and has established itself as a nice cargo bike capable ofhauling some groceries and other odds and ends.There have been pictures floating around the internet of Ute’s that had electric conversion kits added to haul the extra weight, but now for 2011 Kona is offering an “off the shelf” ready to go electric cargo bike.
Overall the Kona Electric Ute looks like a nice “off the shelf” electric cargo bike!It’s great to see that Kona and other bike manufacturer’s are recognizing that.
Using low profile, re-chargeable Samsung 18650 Lithium Ion batteries, Kona’s electric assist technology is based on 700C bicycle trekking types that use a 24-volt, 250W battery-assisted Pedelec motor. Using a patented Dutch design TMM torque sensor and a precise digital processor, the power assist from the front wheel drive motor can be delivered in proportion with the exact power output of the rider. The result is a very smooth, effortless ride.
The system’s battery capacity is 24V with 10Ah (Amp Hour), (24V 13Ah for the Electric Ute) delivering a long lifecycle of more than 700 rides. In power mode, the system can assist riding for up to 30km. In normal mode, power assist lasts up to 57km, while in economy mode, the battery has a huge 100km range (all range tests were conducted using a 85kg/190lbs in a mild headwind condition). We’ve also incorporated a very sophisticated battery management system to detect cell performance and balance, with an incredibly accurate charge indicator.
Because Kona is all about quality, our electric assist bikes are the first on the market to pass the stringent CEN 15194 standard for Pedelec bikes in Europe.
