Two motors is better than one
Let’s finish with a controversial one. Launched at the motor industry’s IAA Mobility show, which for the first time welcomed in the bicycle world as part of a broader future of mobility concept, BMW went all guns blazing on what it thinks electric bike regulations should look like; that is despite not yet having a concrete position in the marketplace.
Much to the dismay of those who have been building to the rules for many years, the BMW ivision AMBY concept electric bike was revealed with the spec sheet very quickly selfdeclaring itself as something between inspiration and current illegality. The concept is based around a dual- motor that will self- detect, via geofencing, what is appropriate to deploy based on whether the bike is on the road or the cycle path.
“The drive system enables speeds of up to 25kmh (15.5mph) on cycle tracks, up to 45kmh (28mph) on city roads and up to 60kmh (37mph) on multi-lane roads and outside urban areas,” wrote BMW.
The concept is not entirely new; Canyon used a dual- motor prototype in the teasing of its Velomobile concept, something we carried in Cyclingelectric’s second issue, touting the idea of switching from one assistance mode to another manually.
What is new is BMW’S unusually bold stance on the subject. While the automotive giant has no official say on regulations governing e- mobility in its various forms, the statement accompanying the launch of the ivision AMBY packed a punch: “In the absence of any existing legal framework for a vehicle of this kind with a modular speed concept, the ‘AMBY’ Vision Vehicles set out to prompt the introduction of such legislation and by consequence developments of this nature. The BMW Group is therefore showing its keenness to remain part of the mobility conversation in cities, even if in the years ahead those cities offer motor cars an increasingly small space in which to function.”
Strong words indeed. Will action follow to tear up the aforementioned rulebook, unleashing an entirely new kind of electric vehicle, one has to wonder?