e-bike

Toyota, Yamaha unveil connected electric trike, e-bike

These electric velocipede concepts are wired to connect to smart grids, smartphones, home network systems, and sharing services.

With populations in urban centers expected to surge over the next few decades, auto manufacturers are looking beyond cars to find ways to mobilize the population without using more fossil fuels. Toyota teamed up with Yamaha to show off a couple of electric bicycle concepts at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show. They're not the first companies to tackle e-bikes, but they could be the first companies to show how these non-traditional EVs can be connected to smart grids.

The three-wheeled EC-Miu and the electrically power-assisted Pas With bicycle are designed to work with the Toyota Smart Center, an advanced smart grid energy-management system designed for homes, businesses, and power companies, which means your e-bike will be another appliance you can manage online.… Read more

Sanyo solar-panel parking lots open for business

Soon after announcing a new series of eneloop electric bicycles, Sanyo has completed work on two solar-powered parking lots for 100 eneloop bikes in Tokyo.

The zero-emissions system involves high-efficiency 7.56kW HIT solar panels capturing energy that's used to recharge the lithium ion eneloop bike batteries and power LED lights illuminating the lots at night. No commercial power sources will be used, regardless of the available sunlight.

The solar parking lots are located along the Keio and Tokyu Den-en Toshi rail lines in the ward of Setagaya, a well-to-do community west of downtown Tokyo.

The eneloop bikes parked … Read more

Podcast: Take a spin with the eBike from Schwinn

LAS VEGAS--Schwinn was at the Consumer Electronics Show with a high-tech eBike that has an elecrtric motor with a battery that can be charged in about a half hour for 25 miles of riding. In this podcast, spokesman Michael de Leon talks about the bike and whether a motor would interfere with the bike's ability to help people stay in shape.

Listen now: Download this podcast

See our complete news coverage from CES here

'E+' bike may have trouble making the grade

With so many electric and hybrid bikes come out, it's hard to imagine where one such as the "E+" from Electric Motion Systems will fit in. There's already a broad range of competing products that are trying everything to distinguish themselves, from Yamaha's iPod-dock-equipped "EC-02" that glows in the dark to Brammo's ultra-lightweight "Enertia" on the high end that can hit 50 miles per hour (not to mention $15,000).

The E+ does have an LCD instrument gauge and "regenerative braking" that recharges the battery, as Engadget says, … Read more