Hello everyone, I’m excited to join this community and share a project that my friends and I have been working on. Having spent years immersed in DIY projects, from motorcycles to electric cars and go-karts, I’m eager to introduce our latest endeavor: a Low Cost E Bike. Coming from China, a hub for innovation and manufacturing, we’ve been driven by a passion to create something both exciting and accessible.
For the past five months, we’ve dedicated ourselves to developing this electric bicycle, focusing on several key aspects. Our aim is to demonstrate what’s possible when you combine innovative design with a focus on affordability in the low cost e bike market.
Key Objectives for Our Low Cost E Bike Project
Our project is guided by three main principles:
- Attractive Design: We drew inspiration from leading e-bike designs available, referencing models like Neematic, KTM, Stealth P7, Audi Ebike, Sun-Ron Lightbee, and Harley Davidson Ebike, among others. We admire the aesthetics and aimed to incorporate similar design elements into our low cost e bike.
- Affordability: Crucially, we set a target to keep the total cost of the vehicle under $1000. We believe that electric mobility should be accessible, and creating a low cost e bike without compromising on reasonable quality is a core goal.
- Center Motor Performance: We are particularly interested in exploring the capabilities of center motors in e-bikes. We anticipate that this motor configuration will offer a good balance of power and efficiency for our low cost e bike design.
Low Cost E Bike: Key Specifications
Here are the basic specifications of our current prototype:
Frame: Aluminum alloy
Rated Power Options: 800W / 1500W / 3000W / 5000W
Battery Options: 18650 / 21700 cells, 48V / 60V, 20Ah / 30Ah / 40Ah
Tires: 26 inches / 27.5 inches
Wheelbase: Approximately 130cm (adjustable based on front fork and rear shock absorber choices)
Weight: Around 30kg (variable depending on component configuration)
For a low cost e bike configuration using an 800W rated motor and a 48V 20Ah battery, we are currently achieving:
- Maximum Speed: 55km/h (approximately 34 mph)
- Cruising Range: 45-52km (approximately 28-32 miles)
Further configuration details can be found on our website (link at the end of this article).
Development Log: Iterating Towards a Refined Low Cost E Bike
Our journey has been one of continuous improvement and learning. Here’s a brief log of our development process:
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Prototype Evolution:
- Version 1 (March): Iron frame, weighing 51kg. This initial prototype helped us establish a baseline and identify areas for weight reduction.
- Version 2 (April): Aluminum frame, reducing weight to 43.7kg. This marked a significant step towards our goal of a lighter and more efficient low cost e bike.
- Version 3 (May): Further refinements brought the weight down to 36.5kg. We focused on optimizing the frame design and component selection to minimize weight while maintaining structural integrity.
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Tooling and Equipment: In May and June, we focused on improving our production capabilities by re-creating pipe bending and punching equipment. This in-house tooling allows for greater control over the frame manufacturing process for our low cost e bike.
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Extensive Testing:
- May Testing (3,500km): Initial testing focused on identifying weaknesses and areas for improvement, primarily aimed at reducing weight and cost for the low cost e bike.
- June Testing (14,000km total): We conducted extensive testing across three prototypes, covering diverse terrains including desert, mud, gravel roads, and rainy conditions. We also performed puddle tests (avoiding deep water), slope tests, and drop tests to evaluate the durability of our low cost e bike design.
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Branding and Online Presence: We decided to give our project a name and created promotional videos. We also launched a website using Wix to document our progress and share information about our low cost e bike.
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Weight Optimization: Through continued refinement, we successfully replaced most iron components with aluminum (6061T6/7075), achieving a weight of 29.2kg for the latest prototype. We are closely monitoring this to ensure the weight reduction is sustainable and doesn’t compromise long-term durability of the low cost e bike.
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Exploring Advanced Materials: We considered using titanium alloy for the frame to further reduce weight and enhance performance. However, the high cost of titanium currently makes it prohibitive for our low cost e bike target. We purchased a small amount for testing purposes, keeping in mind our commitment to affordability.
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High-Power Motor Exploration: We experimented with high-powered automotive motors in the 20kW-35kW range. While these motors offer impressive power, challenges related to size, weight, and cost mean they are not currently ideal for our low cost e bike project. We are continuing to research potential solutions in this area.
Our Vision: Open Source, DIY Kits, and Customization for Low Cost E Bikes
Our project has several key objectives aimed at benefiting the DIY community and e-bike enthusiasts:
A. Open Source Potential: If there is sufficient interest, we plan to release open-source drawings, Bills Of Materials (BOM), and detailed guides for production methods and tool lists. Given that this is essentially an electric MTB, we prioritize safety and aim to conduct extensive long-term testing (e.g., 100,000km) before making these resources publicly available. This would empower others to build their own low cost e bike.
B. DIY Kit Availability: For those who appreciate DIY but may lack the time or resources for full fabrication, we intend to offer DIY kits. These kits would include the completed frame and essential accessories, providing a solid foundation for building a custom low cost e bike.
C. Customized Services: We are also open to providing simple modifications and customization services. This could range from component upgrades to minor frame adjustments, allowing individuals to tailor their low cost e bike to their specific needs and preferences.
Connect With Us
While our website is currently in Chinese (we are working on translations!), we are eager to connect with the international community. We are using translation software to communicate and are happy to engage in simple spoken conversations. We look forward to sharing our progress and learning from your expertise as we continue to develop our low cost e bike project.
Our studio is based in Tianjin, China, near Beijing. We chose Tianjin due to lower operating costs compared to Beijing. We are excited to be part of this community and welcome your feedback and questions!
