While the company of the crazy but no less talented Erik Buell already offers an electric motorcycle and an electric bicycle on the market, his next project is a two-in-one machine: a mixture of scooter and modular electric bicycle.
The Flluid_2 was previewed last year as an electric bike, but new patents show a similar-looking machine that's a mix of an electric-assisted bicycle and an electric scooter, with simply assembled parts that allow it to be converted quickly from one to the other. Clever, because this means it should be able to be adapted to different legislations, accommodating the need for driving licenses, insurance and registration depending on how it has been configured.
The base is a monocoque magnesium frame that also serves as a holder for a variety of batteries. The patent shows it can be equipped with a single small battery, a larger pack, or two smaller ones for greater range, all arranged vertically in a space between the rider's legs. These power a motor mounted on the rear wheel hub and can be used as a generator to recharge the batteries when braking.
In electric bike form, pedals are fitted, as well as a belt drive to the rear wheel on the right side. In this form, the bike is single-seater, without suspension.
However, the saddle and its height-adjustable seat post can be replaced with a fixed-height two-seater saddle, with a bulkier post to cope with the extra weight. By removing the pedals and the belt driving the rear wheel, and replacing them with fixed footrests and stiffening the rear, we then obtain an electric scooter, with a motor having greater power.
From a manufacturing perspective, using common components between different versions of the machine should help reduce costs, just as automakers develop their vehicles based on platforms.
Fuell, the Buell spinoff electric brand, currently sells the original Flluid electric bike – which is a bicycle-inspired design and costs $3995 in the US – and plans to launch its Fllow electric motorcycle on the market soon. The Fllow, with a price set at $10995 in America, with a range of 250 km, a recharge time of 30 minutes when connected to a fast charger and a maximum speed of 140 km/h thanks to an electric motor of 48 hp. As with anything that comes out of the mind of Erik Buell, this is a project worth watching and guaranteed to be unlike any other!
