Zoomi Life

BERTRAND MAROTTE
globeandmail.com

MONTREAL — Dorel Industries Inc. is betting that fear of soaring gas prices and a new battery technology will propel its latest electric bicycle further into the transportation mainstream.

It’s counting on a cutting-edge lithium-ion battery from Toshiba Corp. to make its e-bike - the Schwinn Tailwind - the breakthrough product that will truly crack open a market that is already growing rapidly.

To be introduced today at an international bike expo in Las Vegas, the Tailwind’s claim to fame is that it takes only 30 minutes to recharge the battery, compared with the four hours or more required to recharge any standard e-bike now available.

Montreal-based Dorel is also claiming bragging rights to an industry-leading 3,000 to 5,000 full recharges before the battery has to be replaced, compared with the standard 1,000.

The bike - which has a sleek, retro-chic look - has a cruising speed of about 25 kilometres an hour and weighs in at a relatively light 20 kilograms.

Officials at Dorel - which also makes high-end and mid-priced bicycles, strollers, car-seats and assemble-at-home furniture - say those selling points and others are more than sufficient to overcome consumer resistance to one potential sticking point: a suggested retail price of $3,200 (U.S.).

“This is right in line with the premium prices that are out there,” said Bruno Maier, executive vice-president and general manager of Dorel’s Cannondale Sports Group.

Schwinn’s existing lineup of six e-bike models runs along a price range from $1,400 to $2,100 and the company can barely keep up with demand, Mr. Maier said in a telephone interview from Las Vegas.

Albert Katzberg, the owner of Toronto bicycle retailer Inova Diversified Inc., isn’t convinced the Tailwind’s price won’t be an issue.

A $3,200 price tag is “a big of a drawback for most people. That’s not to say it’s not well worth it, given the growing concerns about the environment,” he said.

Mr. Maier says Dorel sees a bright future for the e-bike based on three key elements: high gas prices and the desire to lower carbon footprints; increased concerns over personal health and fitness; and growing frustration with urban traffic congestion.

As for the e-bike market as a whole, it is forecast to explode.

Via globeandmail.com