General Motors to launch E-Bikes in Europe

General Motors (GM) is expected to launch ARIV, a new e-bike brand with 2 models, in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. In Germany, the Meld starts at Euro 2,750, while the Merge is priced at Euro 3,350. The bikes are available for pre-orders on BikeExchange.com and deliveries are scheduled to start in Q2 2019.

While the Meld is a compact e-bike, the Merge is a folding e-bike. Both the bikes have a curved frame, height adjustable seat, disk brakes on both wheels and a centrally-mounted side stand. They get features like internal cable routing, a USB charging port and a Quad Lock mount for attaching a mobile phone to the e-bike. Both the ARIV bikes come equipped with safety features like integrated, rechargeable front and rear LED lights and oversized brake rotors to reduce the braking distance.

An electric motor and battery pack is mounted near the centre of the bike. GM claims a 3.5 hr recharge time for the battery to provide a range of 64 km. Four levels of pedal-assisted power enables the bike to reach speeds up to 25 km/h. A walk mode is also offered to help users take their e-bikes up steep terrains while walking alongside them.

The e-bikes also get compatibility with an app via Bluetooth. The riders can see their speed, distance, battery level, motor assist level among others. At a later stage, the app is expected to get a mode that could help the riders reach their destination sweat-free.