General Motors newest product is an e-bike called Arīv, and it is now available for ordering, at least in some parts of the world.
The name, which is pronounced "arrive," was chosen through a web-based crowd sourcing program in which the person with the winning suggestion was to be awarded $10,000. GM did not release the name of the winner.
The bike was developed with the help of engineers who worked on the Chevrolet Bolt EV electric car. The bike, which will be available in a foldable version, has an electric motor that can be charged in 3.5 hours and then provide 40 miles of motor-assisted riding. The electric motor reduces the effort involved in pedaling the bike.
The bikes, called the Arīv Meld and the folding Arīv Merge, will first be available in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands where e-bikes are particularly popular, GM said. Depending on the country, they will cost between €3,400 and €2,750, the equivalent of about $3,800 to $3,100.
The bikes will also have a "walk mode" in which the electric motor can help roll the bike while it's being walked up steep terrain or in places where riding isn't allowed. The bikes will have a built-in USB port, a mobile-phone mount and built-in LED safety lights.
Other automakers are also branching out from cars, SUVs and trucks and getting into the scooter and e-bike businesses. Ford has purchased Spin, a scooter sharing company Spin. The Spanish Volkswagen subsidiary Seat worked with Segway to create it's own electric scooter.
People can pre-order the bikes at BikeExchange.com.
