This Electric Bike Promises to be a Whopper
You know how every manufacturer out there is trying to outdo each other in press release claims with ridiculous speed and less-than-believable range promises? Well, I've just come across an electric motorcycle that's aiming to steal ALL the headlines. It’s true, I love electrics, and the promise of ditching fuel while keeping the fun is irresistible. But as any regular knows, with new stuff, especially electric contraptions on wheels, there's always that healthy dose of skepticism that goes along for the ride.
The clever folks over at Felo think I should check that skepticism at the door. Enter the Felo TOOZ – a bike with the ambition of a touring hog and the specs sheet of a Tesla. This sucker is boasting a staggering 450-mile (720 km) range on a single charge and enough tech onboard to make even my aging smartphone jealous.
Let's talk numbers for the moment, the meat and potatoes of skepticism-crushing. We've got a claimed top speed of 125 mph (201 km/h) – plenty to keep up on the highway without getting blown away. Zero to 60? Manufacturer hasn't dished those details out yet, but promises a mid-range punch that would make any gas-guzzling muscle car blush. Surely, with that slab of a battery, it’ll be as nimble as me trying yoga.
That massive range obviously doesn't come without luggage. This thing is going to be a beast in the size department, no way around it. But hey, if the tradeoff is coast-to-coast cruising without plugging in every other hour, maybe I can get behind the idea of a plus-size electric.
When it comes to tech, Felo wasn't kidding. Imagine a dashboard on your bike the size of a laptop – a 12-inch TFT display to be precise. That's the brains of the whole operation – navigation, multimedia, all that good stuff. Throw in a 6-speaker surround sound system, and, well, it sounds like you won't even miss your car stereo. Then, they went ahead and crammed in a 360-degree camera system - more tech is never a bad thing, right?
Safety stuff is present, like a must-have these days – ABS, traction control, tire pressure monitoring...the whole nine yards. Word on the street is that even more features are coming for the production model. They're clearly aiming to connect you to your digital life on two wheels like never before. Let's just hope the thing actually stays on the road while you’re busy checking your emails.
This level of tech, and that massive range, means some neat extra features. The TOOZ has fast charging built-in (20% to 80% in 20 minutes), and even an optional cooled storage box for the panniers. Road trip snacks, chilled beverages… that is, if you’re willing to pay extra. Then, there's the V2L tech – that means using the bike's big ol' battery to power stuff, even your home in a pinch. I gotta admit, after the recent power outage, even I'm starting to see the appeal.
Here's why I'm keeping that smidge of skepticism on hand. These folks are new to the motorcycle game, even if Felo's parent company, Smartech, has electric experience. It's a Thai start-up, which means it's an underdog going against the industry giants. Yet, Thailand is also a motorcycle manufacturing monster, pumping out Hondas, BMWs, and all the rest. Maybe picking the land of smiles as your base makes sense after all – cheap labor, easy exports, the whole deal. Heck, they even have the Thai government backing them up.
The TOOZ isn't Felo's first rodeo either. They've got a whole lineup of smaller electrics out there. This feels like their big swing, an ambitious project that, if pulled off, could land them on the map, right smack in Harley-Davidson's backyard.
I'm gonna keep my eyes peeled – the promised price ain't out yet, but this thing ain't gonna be cheap. Is it a risk? Definitely. Could it change the whole electric motorcycle scene? Maybe. But hey, ambition is the fuel of progress (electrons in this case), and the Felo TOOZ is overflowing with it.
