The electric mobility company NIU has several interesting electric motorcycles and scooters headed to the US and Europe this year, yet the company’s new BQi electric bicycle has drawn just as much attention recently. And now we’re finally getting pricing and tech specs as NIU displays the new e-bike models at CES 2022. The BQi showcases a novel frame design, incorporating a step-through geometry that avoids the ubiquitous Dutch bike geometry in favor of a much more modern design.
Powered by a 500W continuous and 750W
Bafang hub motor in the rear, the bike will reach a top speed in the US of 45 km/h. European versions will be more limited thanks to stricter e-bike
regulations, forcing the bike to carry just a 250W motor and cut power at 25
km/h. The US version will have both a throttle and pedal assist,
while the European version will only operate on pedal assist. The bike will be
app-connected and include similar security features to those already developed
for NIU’s electric mopeds and scooters. The novel frame design allows for two
lockable and concealed batteries without creating an overly bulky or bulbous
frame.
NIU had previously stated that a range of
up to 100 km would be achievable but hadn’t released any battery
capacity information. Now NIU has confirmed that each battery will provide 480
Wh of capacity (48V and 10Ah), making for a total of 960 Wh. The batteries will
be constructed with 21700-format cells provided by LG, and the bike will
feature a five-hour recharge time. A belt-drive setup makes the e-bike a
single-speed, which is either an advantage or a disadvantage depending on your
own cycling needs. The belt drive will remove any chain or derailleur
maintenance and will likely last much longer than a chain. However, some riders
in hilly areas prefer to have multiple gears to obtain a low gear ratio for
hill climbing.
Or at least that used to be the case. Many
riders are now finding that e-bikes make hill climbing possible even on
single-speeds, as the motor assist helps make up for the less-than-optimal
low-speed pedal cadence. The BQi models on display at NIU’s CES 2022 booth show
mechanical disc brakes, but a NIU representative confirmed to Electrek that the
production bikes would actually come with hydraulic disc brakes. The 30.6 kg e-bikes have a load rating of 163 kg, including both
passengers and cargo. With a built-in rear rack, cargo carrying should be easy
on the BQi.
NIU has announced that the BQi will be
priced at US$ 1,499 in the US. That price stands to undercut many of the other
leading e-bike options for commuter-oriented electric bikes.
