Canyon’s latest ‘bike’ makes a bold claim — that it could be the next major concept in urban transportation.
Today, Canyon Bikes revealed two new e-bikes that focus on the “future of mobility.” But as cool as e-bikes are, the real excitement lies in Canyon’s Future Mobility Concept — a pedal-powered vehicle that blurs the lines between e-bike and car — also announced today.
Canyon’s built its concept vehicle around three things: being better for the environment, adapting to both streets and bike lanes, and combining the power of an e-bike with the exterior design (and interior comforts) of a car.
While it looks like a small car, this is still very much a bicycle: like a manual or e-powered recumbent, the Canyon concept relies on a user pedaling to power the vehicle. Steering “handlebars,” or joysticks, are located on either side of the rider.
However, unlike a bike, Canyon’s concept vehicle has four wheels, a passenger or storage area, and a fully enclosed interior to protect the rider from the weather. It will also have front and rear headlights, a heating system, and wipers.
The kicker? It’s compact enough to fit in a bike lane but fast enough — and equipped enough — to perform like a car on some streets.
Canyon Future Mobility Concept Specs
- Wheelbase: 1,680 mm (5.5 ft.)
- Turning radius: 7 m (23 ft.; about the same as a Jeep Gladiator)
- Top speed in pedal mode: 60 kph (37 mph)
- Planned range: 150 km (93 miles)
- Features: E-charging, open-capsule option, console with smartphone integration
- Price: Unknown
“The concept is not just a unique vision for the future of urban mobility, it lays the groundwork for creating bicycles and forward-thinking concepts that enable [users] to seamlessly move between roads and bike infrastructure alike. This is the future,” Canyon wrote in its press release.
So, how much will it cost? That’s a big and important question for people considering this as a “daily driver.” But like many concept vehicles, Canyon didn’t give us that detail in this tease.
So for now, we’ll keep a lookout for more information about this interesting marriage of electric car and enclosed recumbent. It just may provide a mobility backbone for cities of the future.
