Vehicle pollution
has reached epic proportions in China, and its government has taken the drastic
move of banning internal combustion powered scooters from city centres. This
has led to a proliferation of electric motorcycles (e-bikes) and bicycles but
has given rise to another problem, what do you do with all the old scooters and
kapchais now filling up junkyards?
Shanghai Customs,
located in Putuo, Shanghai, believes it has the answer with the eCub2 that
repurposes old Honda C70s. Discarding the single-cylinder mill from the C70,
Shanghai Customs inserts an 6061 aluminium swingarm that carries a hub-mounted
electric motor.
The motor is rated
at 1000 watts and is powered by an easily removable 3.7 volt, 3,400 mAh
lithium-ion Panasonic battery pack located under the seat. Shanghai Customs
claims the eCub2 with travel 40 km at 45 km/h, making it suitable for urban
use.
Bodywork from the
Honda Cub as we know has been removed, giving the eCub2 a minimalist,
stripped-down look reminiscent of a motorcycle from a dystopian post-nuclear
apocalypse movie. All wiring is hidden under the frame where possible, and the
instrument panel is the rider’s smartphone, displaying speed, battery charge,
range and the such.
Lighting is with
LEDs, front and back, in order to save battery power. Rear suspension is done
with a pair of adjustable shocks. Shanghai Customs is a team of expatriates in
China led by New Zealander Matthew Waddick. The company is in the process of
producing kits that allow users to convert Honda C70s to eCub2 specification
with pricing and availability to be released at the end of August.
