Earlier this week, Lotus unveiled the Type 136. This electric road bike is priced at an eye-popping £20,000 ($25,000 US).
The $25,000 Lotus e-bike is equipped with the HPS electric motor system. With a weight of just 1.2 kg, the motor system is the lightest on the planet, according to BikeRadar.
Due to its extremely light weight, the motor system makes uphill climbs 35 percent easier, according to HPS. The battery can offer up to three hours of support during climbs.
The motor system also offers customizable assistance levels based on heart rate. It can be connected to bike computers via ANT+.
In the first round of production, only 136 bikes will be manufactured. Each of these 136 bikes will be individually numbered and painted in Lotus’s signature gold and black colors.
The standard version of the Type 136 will be available for sale in spring 2024. The cost of the standard version has not yet been announced.
Lotus Type 136 ⚡️
full e-bike at only 9.8kg pic.twitter.com/ks2jgTL5Vn— Kote (@kotecinho) November 3, 2023
Lotus has a long history in cycling, starting with the Type 108 track bike used by Chris Boardman in the 1992 Olympics. Boardman won Britain’s first cycling gold medal since 1920.
The Type 136’s design draws inspiration from the frame of the Hope HB.T track bike, used by Britain’s cyclists in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Britain achieved the #1 spot in the cycling medal table at Tokyo.
Like the Hope HB.T track bike, the Type 136 features extremely wide forks that minimize drag. The Type 136 also minimizes drag through its V-shaped handlebar.
Other aspects of the Type 136’s luxury design include a SRAM Red eTap AXS groupset, DT Swiss ARC 1100 wheels, and Pirelli P Zero Race TLR tires.
So if you’re looking for a quality e-bike, the Type 136 is a great choice. You just need to be prepared to shell out about 12 times more than for a regular e-bike.
As of the time of writing, the Type 136 is on display at the Rouleur Live bike exhibition in London, England. The exhibition runs from November 2 to 4.
Image Source: Kote