This space-age e-bike claims a 120-mile range – but how does it achieve it?
The Phosgo is not pretty but it makes some interesting claims
Quick Summary
This electric bike has solar panels in the wheels, designed to top up the battery while riding.
That could give you an extra 17 miles a day, expanding its range to 120 miles.
If the range of your electric bike is the cause for concern, then that burning orb in the sky could be the answer. Phosgo is preparing to launch what it's calling the "world's first solar e-bike".
The thing that's different about the Phosgo is that the wheels contain 200W of solar panels between them, with the idea that these can charge the battery while you're riding. That contributes to a huge 120-mile range for this pedal-assistance electric bike.
It's said that the solar panels in the wheels can contribute an additional 17 miles a day, so in easy riding and plenty of sunlight you might find you don't have to plug it in all that often.
Having filled wheels can be something of a problem as it creates plenty of resistance when cross winds hit, because you effectively have two disc wheels here. That caught the attention of road.cc which asked the company about this.
The reply focuses on saying that this is a more efficient system than external solar panels which is hard to argue with, but it still doesn't avoid the fact that on windy days the bike will want to go sideways.
The bike itself – apart from the two wheels with solar hubs – looks a lot like a normal e-bike, with a fat down tube where the battery is housed. This doesn't quite have the hipster looks of a Cowboy, instead looking like most other cheap e-bikes out on the road.
It's said to come in two formats, the Go5 and the Go5 Ultra, although it's not clear what the difference is between these two bikes at the moment. The Ultra is listed as being 2kg heavier which is not exactly what you expect in bikes, where the more premium model is often lighter.
Aside from a solar system to keep things powered, there's a Bafang M340 hub supplying up to 750W of power, for speeds up to 28mph. In the UK that would be restricted to 15.5mph from 250W to comply with local regulations.
There's also a built-in bike computer, with AI support to help with things like navigation, while 4G, Bluetooth and GPS are all present allowing a wider range of functions including remote locking and alerts if your bike is stolen.
If your interest is piqued, you can reserve the Phosgo for $19.99, with the full retail price expected to be from $1499 when it hits Kickstarter on 27 July, according to road.cc. The website says there will be an Indiegogo listing in July.
Is this the solution to extending the range of your e-bike? Is charging a huge problem for riders? With this sort of campaign we'd urge some caution before diving in, but it's certainly interesting.
