Acer is taking a serious left turn in its product offering with today’s announcement of the ebii e-bike. The Taiwanese company – commonly known for PCs, laptops and accessories – presents the ebii as a bike designed for the city, with artificial intelligence features used to learn personal preference of the driver and gearshift based on road conditions. In terms of weight, it weighs about 35 pounds, lighter than most e-bikes. Acer claims it has a maximum supported speed of 20 mph and can travel under 70 miles on a single charge.
The bike took about two and a half hours to achieve full autonomy. In this regard, Acer reconnects to its roots, because the power supply can also be used as a portable charger for your laptop or phone. Riders should download the ebiiGO app for information on battery life, suggested routes, speed control, and how to lock and unlock the bike. However, ebii also automatically locks whenever the linked phone leaves the immediate area. In addition, it has an anti-theft alarm.
Additional features of the ebii include collision detection sensors, all-round lights and airless tires to prevent flats. Acer did not say how much the ebii will cost or when it will be released. It’s hard to give an estimate because e-bike prices can vary a lot, from the $800 Lectric XP Lite to Audi’s new e-MTB for over $10,000.
