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Aloysius Low/CNET
SHANGHAI — While CES Asia was relatively quiet when it came to big brand announcements, there were plenty of smaller Chinese vendors who had new and interesting products to show off. Take for example, the electric Yunbike X1 from the Hangzhou-based Yunmake.
E-bikes are a common sight in China, but Yunmake has added something to differentiate the folding Yunbike X1 from its competition — smart connectivity.
The e-bike can pair with an app on your smartphone, allowing you to lock the bike up. Other app features include navigation, the ability to look up your friends who are also cycling and a bike diagnostic that checks on the bike’s components and battery life. If you don’t want to use the companion app, there’s also a display on the bike itself that tells you the time, current speed and battery charge.
The e-bike comes sporting a top speed of 25km/h and a range of 25km, so if you can’t get somewhere within an hour, you’re better off catching a bus. Designed for the Chinese domestic market, the Yunbike isn’t quite like other electric bikes. It lacks pedals, so you won’t be able to ride the bike normally if the battery runs out.
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The lack of pedals and the folding design keep the Yunbike looking very different from other e-bikes. Normally, electric bicycles have an external battery pack housed below the seat, but Yunmake has engineered the battery packs to be hidden in the handlebars, delivering a sleekness to the unique metal frame.
Because it’s meant to be folded, the frame is all hinges and bolts, but it still looks quite sturdy. The Yunbike X1 weighs 16kg, but when it’s folded up, you can roll it around like a trolley. You can also easily fold and unfold in about two seconds.
As with most of the products on the CES Asia show floor, Yunmake doesn’t have a release date yet, though a spokesperson said that it’s set for sometime in July.
Pricing was also unavailable — Yunmake intends to hold a contest sometime in June for interested parties to take a stab at guessing the price, with the closest guess winning a free Yunbike X1.
