←back to thread

Rivian's TM-B electric bike

(www.theverge.com)
188 points hasheddan | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0s | source
Show context
dreamcompiler ◴[] No.45673731[source]
808Wh battery and 100 miles of range. These two numbers track with each other and are roughly believable.

OTOH, with a battery this big, a generator powered by the pedals, and regen braking this thing has to be heavy. I'd expect it to weigh at least 80 lbs. More likely 100. The fact that their "specs" say nothing about weight suggests they're embarrassed about the weight.

replies(6): >>45675314 #>>45675417 #>>45675464 #>>45675804 #>>45675886 #>>45677280 #
jeffbee ◴[] No.45675314[source]
Regen braking is how you can tell this was designed by a moron. The energy balance simply does not favor regenerative braking on a bicycle, especially a bicycle that flippantly ignores aerodynamics like this one does. A bicyclist loses roughly all of their energy to air resistance. It's not a truck. There is not substantial potential energy to be recaptured going down hills.
replies(8): >>45675391 #>>45675413 #>>45675553 #>>45675706 #>>45675805 #>>45676215 #>>45677932 #>>45678052 #
edaemon ◴[] No.45675413[source]
What do you mean? The regenerative braking only kicks in when you engage the brake lever. It's not going to add much range but it's free, I don't see any downside to including regenerative braking.
replies(5): >>45675508 #>>45676004 #>>45676175 #>>45677263 #>>45677972 #
jeffbee ◴[] No.45675508[source]
It isn't free. How could it be free? It requires at least an electronic control system and a pressure sensor.
replies(5): >>45675599 #>>45675620 #>>45675625 #>>45676361 #>>45676443 #
1. LoganDark ◴[] No.45675599{3}[source]
It was already going to have some sensor for, say, the brake light.