Going Green: Sanyo’s Battery-Powered Bicycle Gets Upgrade
For those looking for new methods of eco-friendly transportation, the battery-powered bicycle that was released under Sanyo’s Eneloop label (yes, the same label under which Sanyo manufactures Wii charging stations and batteries) proved to be a legitimate alternative. Capable of traveling about 85km(about 53 miles) on a single charge, Sanyo sold roughly 350,000 of the CY-SPG226 battery-powered bike last year. The Japanese electronics manufacturer apparently wasn’t satisfied with those results however, as Sanyo has recently announced the pending release of an upgraded version of the e-bike.
The main difference in the new model of battery-powered bike is its ability to charge its battery even while pedaling on flat roads. Where the battery of the CY-SPG226 automatically recharges when the driver brakes or drives downhill, the new “Eco Charge Mode” for regenerative charging control enables the rider to actively charge the battery while pedaling on flat roads. Coupled with a high-capacity 7.6 Ah lithium-ion battery as a back-up, the new models of battery-powered bike can travel a significantly greater distance per charge.
The new e-bike models are currently slated for release on April 28 in Japan. The price tag is said to be set at $1,800.
