A preview of the gorgeous and lightweight gogoro eeyo1 eBike

The Taiwanese gogoro eeyo1 is a carbon framed eBike that uses a hub based battery and motor.

I took a brief look at the eeyo1 on a sunny Sunday morning coffee stop when I met their UK distributors. The eeyo1 is made by the Taiwanese company gogoro. The eeyo1 is a stunning looking town bike. The all carbon frame has done away with the seat tube, making for an uncluttered look. This is complimented by the single colour paintjob and minimal logos; I like it.

eeyo1 Motor

The motor and battery are all contained in the rear hub, so there are no unsightly bulges and bumps. The battery is charged via a connection on the left hand side of the hub and you can use the included charger, or get one of their nifty stands that includes a built-in charger. Torque sensors built into the hub sense how much power you are putting out and adjust the motor’s output. Top speed is 15.5mph in Europe and the UK and 19mph in other regions.

The motor is rated at 250 Watt and the integrated battery is a 123.4 Wh unit which will take a minimum of 500 charge cycles. It has sensors measuring torque, speed and temperature, is Bluetooth compatible and has an IPX4 waterproof rating. Range, depending on rider weight, terrain and temperature are around 40 miles in Sport mode and 55 in Eco. A full charge takes 2.5 hours from empty.

The motor is operated via a phone app which allows you to lock and unlock the wheel. Once you’re going you can switch between eco and sport mode by swiping up and down on the screen. Future app developments include real-time feedback on range, an option to ride without power, improved alerts and sounds and of course you’ll be able to upload your rides to Google Fit or Apple Health. You can also control the eeyo1 with your Apple Watch, leaving your phone safe in your pocket.

eeyo1 Components

The eeyo1 is a sprightly urban commuter (11.8 kg no less), not a long haul tourer, full-suss monster or cargo-carrying work-horse. It’s stem and straight alloy bars, combined with the frame’s shape give it a futuristic look. Component-wise it has a sensible and low-maintenance 50×20 Gates belt drive, with a TRP disc brake up front and V-brakes tucked under the chain stays. The wheels are 24 spoked 700c, with 30mm rims and Maxxix 28mm tyres. The saddle is titanium railed and sits on an alloy seat-post. The seat-post sets the bikes ride height, as the frame only comes in one size. Five different length seat-posts allow you to adjust the bike to your height. And finally, but most importantly, it comes in four colours!

gogoro

Gogoro produce electric scooters, but what sets them apart are their modular batteries and charging network. They have currently installed 2274 Go stations around Taiwan. So rather than having to wait for your battery to recharge, you simply pull up to a Go station, remove your old battery and insert a fresh one; simple. You can now plan your journey as if you were in an old-school combustion powered vehicle; pull up at a Go station, swap batteries and go, all in a matter of minutes.

These modular batteries can be easily swapped out as they degrade, or upgraded as new technologies emerge, while still keeping the external case. I’ve had customers come into my workshop with older eBikes who’s batteries have died. The problem is replacement batteries aren’t available, which means unless you can find a compatible battery – or can Macgyver something – you’re left with a very heavy non-eBike. The batteries can also be used for other purposes such as street lighting and parking meters where there is no electrical supply.

I’ll be trying out an eeyo1 soon and will do a full review once I’ve subjected it to the mean streets of Sussex! In the meantime head over to the eeyo website to check out the bike