Bikes get the heart of almost every Automotive lover thumping! Make them electric – and you have the best of both worlds! They’re powerful, super-fast, menacing to look at, and not to mention a boon to the environment. And we’ve been seeing a torrential and exciting downpour of e-bike designs at Yanko Design. Each bike was innovative, bringing to us something we had never seen nor experienced before. From killer speed to dashing good looks, to impenetrable safety standards, every electric bike we featured at YD broke some design barrier for us, and hopefully, they did the same for you as well. Hence, we’ve curated a collection of e-bikes that we feel were the best of the lot! From a Cybertruck-inspired bossy café racer to a skateboard-inspired BMW e-bike concept – these electric bikes will surely satisfy your need for speed and sustainability!
1. Tesla Model M
Model M is designed keeping in mind the tight urban spaces, hence, the detachable handlebars make complete sense. The electronic kickstand makes the ride easy to park without any hassles. When it comes to adventure escapades, Tesla Model M has your needs covered. Right where the fuel tank of traditional bikes is, there is a detachable bag with its own battery that powers the lights and the multimedia system. The bag comes with its own start/stop system that acts as an anti-theft mechanism.
2. Reverso
Meet Reverso, an e-bike that reverses every single automotive design instinct ever. I guess we could attribute its design direction to the Cybertruck, which sort to challenge the norms too with a design that was strikingly different from anything that came before it. The Reverso sits firmly in that class too, with an aesthetic that I’m struggling to put together in words, only because I can’t really find a frame of reference. None of Reverso’s details or parts look ‘standard’ and that’s what makes the e-bike look so alluring. Aside from its wheels (which thankfully look like wheels and not hex-bolts), Reverso’s entire design looks odd.
3. Switch +
Switch + looks like a compact urban bike ready for the daily grocery commute in Mode 1 which focuses on efficiency, riding comfort, and the psychological feeling of calm. Here the rider’s seat is much lower and the pillow seat is raised slightly. In Mode 2, the electric bike has an elevated positioning of the seat for the rider – as one would find on a sports bike. In this configuration, the set of wheels is tailored for solo skirmishes where tilting at chicanes and hard braking won’t be unusual. Both these mode shifts are achieved via the rotating seat geometry attached to the front frame section.
4. The Concept CE 02
Being more than just a mere cool toy, this electric two-wheeler is a futuristic yet simple solution for urban mobility, focusing on city tours to be precise. According to the head of vehicle design, BMW Motorrad, the bike is a skateboard on wheels, developed for anyone who likes to be mobile and independent. The Concept CE 02 has a very minimalist footprint and a low center of gravity – in line with the company’s aspiration to bring a level of design innovation honed by the emotional element, and most of all, the riding fun.
5. BaoPham’s e-bike
This e-bike hits all the right notes when we talk of looks, the aesthetic balance of design, and the speedy character of a future that demands increased adrenaline-fueled rides. This e-bike concept differentiates by merging a more rounded/not-so-edgy (finally a non-Cybertruck inspired idea) with the neon glow of the Tron universe we love. The e-bike concept designed by BaoPham Design is eye-candy for all the right reasons, and our favorite is the humongous tires, providing a contact patch so wide, that it could do without the side stands and act as a self-standing bike.
6. Cheng’s e-bike
The designer took inspiration from the Singing Ringing Tree sculpture in Burnley, England which is made out of layers of steel tubes with holes cut in them – something similar to a flute. As the wind blows, melodic sound is produced, and that’s what motivated him to design a bike with a resonating structure on one side. Looking more like the humongous exhausts of a hyperbike, these metal tubes add a handsome character to the ride. According to Lin, the sculpture-inspired design lends the electric motorbike a soulful resonance to the otherwise emotionless motor.
7. The Ronin bike
The unique sense of flowing aesthetics is something that keeps my fire burning whenever I see a fresh automotive design. The Ronin bike is right up there for its blend of cyberpunk-influenced shapes and metallic inserts. It has a rear left attached long swingarm which looks a bit odd when viewed from the 6 0’clock position. It almost looks like it’s crippled on one side. However, the front gives the rider a sense of balance and confidence in pushing the throttle too with its front leaning position. The headlights and the taillights have a very contrasting yet peculiar design that seems to be inspired by modern appliances. Especially that industrial design dominated headlight residing inside the round metal housing.
8. The Tatamel Bike
This one-of-a-kind bike is very compact and can be further squeezed by folding into a form factor no bigger than the CPU cabinet under a desk. In the riding position (when fully unfolded) it measures 1230mm long, 1000mm tall, and 650mm wide while in the folded configuration it is just 700mm long, 680mm tall, and 260mm wide. Now that’s quite compact for a personal commuter. While the makers tout it as a bike, I would like to refer to it more towards the “moped” terminology, since it is small and looks like one.
9. The Dust Tesla concept
The designer models this electric bike in two variants – one in a complete black hue and the other in a contrasting one with a silver finish and matte black inserts to lend overall depth to the design. I still can’t get over the long wheelbase which hints at the bike’s drag racing character. The ground clearance is quite low, in fact so low you will struggle to slip through a rim of paper under it. So, don’t expect it to take on the twisty tracks of the Moto GP calendar.
10. Monster in Shell 2
Shuvoneel has created the blueprint for Monster in Shell 2 from the inside out – thus giving it the inherent modularity, utility, and minimalism aspect. He imagines it to be powered by a 100 kW battery with regeneration. This allows to stretch the ride distance massively sans any frequent halts for recharging. The power is transmitted to the wheels through the dual hub motors on the inside of the front and rear wheels. To make sure the riding experience is as smooth as possible, this monster has adaptive suspension and balance assist. Take it for a spin at hair-raising speeds and you won’t have to give in to the subconscious fear since all your feel-good hormones are in overdrive!
