Zoomi Life

The Schwinn Tailwind is the fastest-charging electric bicycle in the world (fully charges in 30 minutes from a standard 110v outlet) and is from one of the world’s most well-known bicycle manufacturers.

The Tailwind is a hybrid-electric (human and electric-powered) bicycle, or “eBike.” The bicycle is a combination of Schwinn (owned by Cannondale) and Toshiba Corporation’s know how and is the first bicycle to feature Toshiba’s new SCiB battery technology. This power technology allows the batteries to be recharged from a standard electrical outlet in about half an hour. A commercial charger can cut this time down to five to seven minutes.

Schwinn is introducing the bicycle to the American market, with the bike available nationally through independent dealers by February. “We’ve seen tremendous growth in the eBike market in the last couple years,” says Bruno Maier, Executive VP of Marketing for the Cannondale Sports Group. “Initially, we are starting out with a smaller inventory in the U.S., but we plan to grow the number of eBikes available to IBDs [Independent Bicycle Dealers] throughout the year to meet what we will expect will be a growing demand.”

The sales of electric bicycles, in various forms, have been steadily growing in North America for several years, with most of those being sold coming from smaller specialty shops, manufacturers, and conversion kits. As the demand has grown greatly in Europe and Asia, most larger bicycle manufacturers with an eBike line have been focused there. Schwinn is the first of these to turn towards American shores in a serious way.

Electric Bikes Worldwide Report, 2008 Update shows that eBike sales in the U.S. are expected to hit 220,000 units in 2009, marking a two-year sales increase of 83%.

The specs of the Tailwind, which is very sleek thanks to internal wiring (running through the frame), are pretty impressive:

• Shimano Nexus 8-speed internally-geared hub
• Brushless 180w/250w (continuous/peak) motor
• Schwinn PowerDial(tm) 3-setting power assist
• Rear roller braking system
• B+M Dynamo-powered light set
• Selle Royal Look In seat (gel)
• Two standard frame sizes and one step-thru frame size

Even more impressive is the battery technology from Toshiba. These batteries provide power for an average ride of about 25-30 miles per charge and have an industry-leading 2,000 (minimum) recharge cycle. This means they can be recharged at least 2,000 times before needing replacement. The industry standard is currently 600-1,000 charges. The Tailwind itself comes with a 20,000-mile or 2-year limited warranty.

The Tailwind is number seven in Schwinn’s electric bicycle line, which also includes the Continental and the Transit.

[Show as slideshow]

Sources: 1, 2