The electric bike industry has experienced a stable growth ever since its inception, with more users making a shift from the traditional bikes to e-bikes. These convenient two-wheelers have proven to be popular in the US, and people are starting to adopt them as their daily means commute, as well as for creation.
But despite all this popularity, there is almost zero domestic e-bike manufacturing in the US, with China leading the way when it comes to producing the bikes. You’d think the 25% tariffs imposed on Chinese e-bikes might give the American bike manufacturers in China a reason to relocate back to their home country, but no; they are staying put! The factory expenses and skilled labor costs are sky high in the U.S, so no existing American manufacturer would dream of coming back home…at least not yet.
However, this might be about to change! Very soon, we may witness electric bikes being manufactured in the U.S, and you have one guy to thank…Elon Musk.
A Tesla Electric Bike?
In a lengthy interview with Recode’s Kara Swisher, Elon Musk, the brains behind Tesla’s electric car dropped a bomb that the company might consider making an e-bike in future. This is after writing off any speculation that there is a Tesla electric scooter in the works.
Tesla plans to expand its product line in the coming years beyond the SUVs and sedans that are currently available in the market. The company will potentially introduce a pickup truck, semi-truck, crossover USV, as well as a new version of the Roadster sports car.
If you are an e-bike enthusiast, the most exciting news would be the possibility of a Tesla electric bike being a reality. However, don’t get your hopes up yet, we’ll still have to wait and see what the visionary CEO pulls out of his bag of tricks next.
What does a Tesla E-bike Mean?
Electric biking technology has really advanced over the years. The first designs were basically the conventional bicycles with batteries and motors attached to them as ad-ons. The latest designs still rely on the same principle, only that the aesthetics have greatly been improved.
The e-bikes you see today are sleeker, with components, electronics, cables, motors, and even batteries getting integrated into the bike’s frame. You won’t be able to differentiate between an electric and a non-electric bike anymore. However, this doesn’t mean that the two-wheelers have gotten any lighter.
The e-bike technology seems to have hit a brick wall lately; there has been no notable breakthrough or meaningful change in the past few years. Only the mid-drive motors have become slightly lighter and the gears are stronger and more durable.
With the apparent stagnancy of technology, a heavy-hitter like Tesla getting into the e-bike industry could be a major game changer. We have witnessed the revolutionary impact that Tesla has had on the automobile industry, so if we are to expect the same in the e-bike world, there is so much to be excited about.
What can we Expect?
Knowing the technological know-how, financial capacity, and visionary leadership that Tesla already has, the possibilities are endless when we start to think about what the company will introduce. There are infinite things they can do to revolutionize the manufacture of e-bikes.
Probably, we can expect the batteries to have a longer life and not die on you after just two to three hours of biking. The motors will also be smaller and fitted into the body of the vehicle. Tesla superchargers could take the torque in the bike’s motor to a whole new level.
There is also talk of the e-bike being foldable, which would be a huge boost to the convenience of these useful two-wheelers. The weight of the bike will significantly be reduced so that it is far easier to transport it or store it in the boot of your vehicle.
How about Tesla introducing rental e-bikes as well? Elon Musk has also been quoted in the recent past saying that Tesla intends to give Uber and Lyft a run for their money, so don’t be surprised if the same concept were to be implemented here too.
Conclusion
Whatever Tesla has in store, the e-bike community can only wait with bated breath and intrigue as the company gets on with its future expansion plans. The only logical conclusion we can make is that there are numerous e-biking enthusiasts waiting to get their hands on the Tesla electric bike!