Top speed of 45 km/h makes bike currently illegal in the US
Taking some pride in the fact that it’s currently too fast to be sold in the United States, Specialized today launched the Turbo, a new electric bike that will begin selling in Europe in May.
Termed a ‘performance urban bike,’ the Turbo features an integrated battery, a direct drive rear motor, disk brakes and a maximum speed of 45 km/h.
This speed puts it over the maximum allowed in the USA for such bikes, and also does likewise in some European countries. However it’s permitted in others, and Specialized is going after this market with, presumably, hopes that the regulations for other territories will be relaxed over time.
The Turbo’s Li-ion 342 Wh battery recharges from electrical outlets in two hours. Specialized claims the motor is silent, and states that it can recoup some energy back from the bike when the brakes are applied.
A run time for the motor is not provided, but presumably that will depend on how much force the personal pedaling applies themselves, terrain and other conditions.
The bike has hidden cables, plus a wireless interface unit (ie bike computer) which gives details such as speed, distance, assist level and battery status. A button on the unit also turns on and off batteries on the front and rear of the bike.
The bike is – of course – not UCI legal, and is not intended for use in competition. Promotional videos show its use in the urban environment, with commuters, recreational riders and those who want to ride a new evolution of electronic bike being the likely market.
Specialized is offering test rides to people who wish to try the machine out.