The personal urban mobility market experienced its turning point with the health crisis of these years. The electric bikes and other personal vehicles have become the alternative to public transport and the car. Electric bikes now have his moment of glory with a more varied offer than ever, even if in each of them it is difficult to find one that meets all the own requirements of an urban vehicle: low weight, small size, a lot of autonomy, connectivity, comfort and low price. With the exception of the latter (which is always a very subjective criterion), the Vello+ Titanium Bike It almost meets being that dream bike.
Vello is an Austrian manufacturer of electric bicycles created by Valentin Vodev and Valérie Wolff in 2013. It combines micromobility and connectivity to “revolutionize the bicycle industry by offering an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuel-based means of transport”. In other words, Vello makes smart “plug-and-play” e-bikes (and non-e-bikes), featuring a patented lightweight folding frame and a rear hub motor that integrates with the battery.
Vello bikes are high-end productswhich require a significant initial investment from their owners, since their selling price is €4,490. The latest model, unveiled at the 2022 London Cycle Show earlier this year, is perhaps the best example of that definition: it’s an e-bike so light it could be the lightest in the world, with unlimited theoretical range and with a design that would fool almost anyone, as it is easily mistaken for a conventional bicycle.
The Vello Bike + Titanium weighs only 9.9 kilograms according to the manufacturer. The non-electric version is even lighter at 6.6 kilograms, as its proprietary titanium frame weighs just 1.9 kilograms. According to Vello, one hurdle the e-bike industry is still struggling to overcome is weight and the other is space.
That’s why, like all Vello bikes, the Titanium model is foldable. The manufacturer assumes that the whole process lasts only eight seconds, a time that can be another record, but above all it is significant for practical reasons. This bike is designed to be ideal in the last mile routecombined its use with that of other means of transport.
The the electric motor is located in the hub of the rear wheel. It has slope sensors capable of sending information to the system to adjust the optimal motor assistance. As an option, they can be equipped with a Schlumpf Drive Speed Drive gear system for urban environments or a Mountain Drive for rural climbs. The first allows the bike to overcome the 25km/h maximum speed with which it is electronically limited to comply with the regulations of EPAC vehicles. The second allows the electric assistance to face slopes of up to 17%.
The the battery is integrated around the motor, allowing the manufacturer to establish an incredibly sleek form factor that could easily pass for a conventional non-assist bike. According to Vello, his ability, which he does not specify, allows that at the highest level of assistance he can travel 50 kilometers.
All Vello electric motors have the KERS technology (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) which charges the battery when braking or going downhill. In theory, this would mean that “the range is almost unlimited” and that it may never be necessary to recharge the battery from an outlet, explains the manufacturer. A very difficult statement to make.
The rest of the basic features of the Vello Bike+ Titanium are the seatbeltits wheels with rims 20 inchesthe connectivity with apps to show statistics and GPS location, electronic engine lock, anti-theft technology and an external remote control with an additional boost function. Vello also offers accessories suitable for each of its models as front and rear racks, all at extra cost.