Most electric bikes have a battery that you can rely on well. But this company has really designed an impressive e-bike.
What would you rather have: an electric bike that charges quickly or one with a 350-kilometer range? The new Engwe LE20 electric cargo bike seems to be able to do both. The company claims this latest e-bike has far more range than almost any other e-bike on the market.
That’s a hefty statement, but is it really true? Let’s look at the details and see what makes this electric bike so special.
The electric bike with an extremely long range
The base model comes with one 48V 19.2 Wh battery with a capacity of 921 Wh, but you can also opt for a double battery, which, according to Engwe, allows you to achieve a huge range of 350 kilometers. That’s almost as much range as a small electric car (!)
Is that realistic? We have to disappoint you: a quick calculation shows that this amounts to about 5 Wh per kilometer, which is about the maximum an electric bike can achieve with low pedal assistance. So theoretically it can be done, but most people will never actually achieve that range.
The unique e-bike (Image: Engwe)
Still, it’s a hefty battery, especially compared to most e-bikes. Even if you only get a third of that range, it’s still more than enough for what most people do with their e-bikes.
The newly launched LE20 is specifically designed for long distances, and features “fast-charging technology” so you can get back on the road quickly. Plus the electric bike is specially designed to carry a lot of luggage. But more on that later.
The e-bike can handle hundreds of pounds
This means the bike comes with a hefty 8-amp charging brick that can charge the battery in about two to three hours. It may not really be anything new, but it’s a nice upgrade for people who don’t want to wait six hours for their e-bike to be ready.
Moreover, the Engwe LE20 can carry up to 200 kilograms. So you can easily take someone on the back or carry heavy gear. With a 1,300W rear hub motor, the electric bike performs just fine, even with that extra load. Especially for the European version, Engwe replaced that motor with a 100 Nm center motor. And that’s for a smart reason.
Out and about with the whole family (Image: Engwe)
In fact, in most EU countries, electric bikes are not allowed to be more powerful than 250 W. Therefore, bikes with a more powerful motor, such as this one, often do not indicate the true power output of the motor. Instead, they state figures about the “torque”. These figures are not officially recorded, but they give an idea of how powerful the e-bike is, without having to adhere to the 250W restriction.
Furthermore, the bike also has useful extras, such as hydraulic disc brakes, LED lights with turn signals, a suspension fork. Even rear wheel guards to ensure that passengers’ cargo or feet do not get into the spokes.
Americans can pre-order the electric bike now for $1499. In Europe, we still have to wait until Oct. 8. Within the EU, the LE20 has an introductory price of 1,699 euros.
