Porsche may be planning a brand new collection of electrical bikes, with barely extra reasonably priced value tags than its present line. The German carmaker has simply purchased a majority share in premium e-bike builder Greyp (pronounced ‘grape’), suggesting a brand new lineup of premium two-wheelers may be on the best way.
Porsche debuted its first pair of electrical bikes in March this 12 months. The eBike Sport is a slick highway bike priced on the princely sum of £9,600 (about $13,000 / AU$17,000), whereas the multi-terrain eBike Cross launched at £7,650 (about $10,000 / AU$14,000).
They had been two of the most costly e-bikes round on the time. For context, our present top-rated electrical bike, the Cowboy 4, is obtainable to pre-order for $2,490 / £2,290 (with delivery anticipated to start in early 2022).
Riders aren’t simply paying for the Porsche badge, although; each bikes are additionally spectacular examples of engineering. The Sport has a light-weight carbon fiber body and extra-large disc brakes for quick stopping in metropolis visitors.
The Cross retains the carbon fiber, however provides reinforcements to assist it survive off-road knocks, and provides entrance fork suspension to absorb larger bumps.
Online, on the highway
Greyp and Rimac share quite a lot of DNA. Greyp is the e-bike arm of Croatian luxurious carmaker Rimac Automobili, which focuses on electrical sportscars, and CEO Mate Rimac says that Porche will probably be bringing quite a lot of its analysis and improvement experience to the partnership. That might end in a number of the most advanced e-bikes we have seen to date.
Greyp focuses on ‘at all times related’ bikes, every of which has an built-in eSIM, permitting it to transmit and obtain knowledge (resembling maps) with no Bluetooth connection to your cellphone. This additionally means you possibly can ship textual content messages, and even lock it down remotely if it is being stolen.
There are additionally a number of further thrives which can be tailor-made to every of its ranges. Greyp’s eSUV and eMTB off-road bikes are geared up with built-in motion cameras so there isn’t any want to put money into a GoPro to seize your journey, whereas the eHyper bikes have highly effective motors and excessive capability batteries permitting them to hit speeds of up to 70km/h (43mph).
That’s spectacular stuff already, and in accordance to an announcement from Greyp and Rimac, the brand new partnership with Porsche will “aim to significantly increase Greyp’s operations, particularly in R&D”.
The deal ought to be finalized by December 18, and will end in a number of the most advanced e-bikes round. Greyp has a brand new bike known as the eCity due for release in 2023, and it is doable that this may be the primary fruit of the Porsche partnership. We’ll preserve you up to date as soon as we all know extra.