The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
Is this Hybrid bike the future solution to urban transportation? Peugeot seems to think it will form at least part of the resolution to crowded cities and polluted air.
For shorter journeys, it makes a huge amount of sense. It pedals exactly like a conventional bike but an electric motor, mounted in the front wheel, kicks in to allow hills to be tackled effortlessly.
Human power is directed to the rear wheel, so between the two, you have the bike equivalent of four wheel drive.
The 250W motor provides assistance up to 24 km/h before it cuts out. Any faster and it would be classified as a motorbike apparently. The range is 60 km, which is entirely ample for a vehicle of this type which would only be suitable for shorter journeys. There are other more conventional looking bikes in the range which have a range of up to 120 km.
The bike weighs 22.5 kg, which isn’t bad, considering the weight of the motor and the 9Ah Lithium-ion battery. The battery can be charged on or off the bike for maximum convenience.
The gears are a simple twist affair, offering a choice of three speeds but they seem entirely superfluous. I left it in third the whole time and never had a problem either with speed or the effort required to maintain it as I rode around Le Touquet.
The man bag that you see in the photo is optional but absolutely essential to carry your MacBook Pro. There’s also a built in USB port to charge your mobile or other devices.
The price is a not inconsiderable €1,799, but do you know what? I think it’s well worth it.
John Galvin
Motoring editor - The Clare Champion
Former Chairman and voting member of Irish Motoring Writers' Association
