Electric bikes have come a long way. The manufacturers have increased the duration and power of their electric bicycle models and have refined the aesthetic lines; now, the challenge is entirely focused on weight reduction. The progress has also been enormous to this extent. This is certified by the Monaco-based company HPS, which recently launched Domestique 1-21 Launch Edition, an electric racing bike that weighs only 8.5 kg. It is claimed to be the lightest ebike on the market.
The two-wheeler features an 85 Kw (720 grams) battery with a 1.5-hour runtime and one-hour charge time. There is also a version with a more powerful 193 Wh (weighing 1.2 kg) battery, which ensures about three hours of pedal assistance and slightly exceeds 9 kg of total weight.
To achieve this result, the HPS team made use of the collaboration of Formula 1 engineers. The bike is designed and built without compromise and features the revolutionary Watt Assist Pro system – the lightest e-bike motor on the market. The HPS Watt Assist system weighs a total of 1.5 kilograms with an 85 Wh battery. With this kit, the carbon bike weighs 8.5 kilograms overall.
The motor is integrated into the bottom bracket, has a power of 200 Watts and a maximum torque of 20 Nm. And the battery is installed in place of the second bottle (on the vertical tube) with a specific bottle cage, designed in collaboration with Elite, while the electronics are integrated into the down tube. The bike delivers pedal assistance up to a maximum speed, set at 15.5 mph (25 km/h) in Europe and adjusted according to local ebike speed limit laws.
The HPS Watt Assist system is activated only if necessary, thus allowing to save the battery and increase the overall autonomy. And when it is deactivated, the pedaling is natural, thanks to the freewheel system that releases the motor from the bottom bracket.
The HPS Domestique 1-21 Launch Edition will be produced in a special limited edition in 21 units. It can be ordered from the company website, with delivery scheduled within three months from the order. The Launch Edition price starts at €12,000 (around $14,450).
We recently informed you about the Guinness World Record-holding 15.2lb (6.9 kg) Freicycle that was built as a one-off prototype.
