Lamborghini gets into the e-bike business
https://newatlas.com/lamborghini-italtechnology-ebikes/54190/
https://newatlas.com/lamborghini-italtechnology-ebikes/54190/
Lamborghini gets into the e-bike business
- Thread starter e-boy
- Start date
Mulezen
Well-Known Member
Asher
Well-Known Member
Ha great post. FWIW, Porsche and Lambo license out their name for branded clothing, watches and such, but even that yields a real product. This is just another form of marketing, for companies that strongly depend on it.
Strangely they didn't post a single drive side photo.
That drivetrain is very very nice. This is the reason why you can not call the so called big bike manufacturers like trek, giant, rm etc. true ebike manufacturers since all they do is put a mainstream mid drive on a normal bicycle.
This on the other hand is what a big ebike manufacturer should do in the first place. To design the drivetrain, motor etc. not just mix and match components on a frame...
This on the other hand is what a big ebike manufacturer should do in the first place. To design the drivetrain, motor etc. not just mix and match components on a frame...
Thanks @e-boy, I've seen a BMW ebike in years past that was just a Bosch motor attached to a frame that felt kind of generic. I like how Lamborghini is offering something unique here... but I don't expect to see many out on the street. Ford has done several ebikes over the years, and I was genuinely excited at first because they partnered with Pedego and had a famous designer involved. After one or two more "Ford" ebikes, I kind of lost interest. I think they might do this as greenwashing marketing, or give them away as a limited edition gift with fancy car sales. I think a Tesla ebike would be cool, if it was actually custom and done well, or just a really good Bosch, Yamaha, Shimano build that offered something special. If the only special part is branding and in person dealer availability but no repairs and service on offer, that could actually be worse than a base level Giant, Trek, Specialized, Pedego, BH etc. etc. etc. model.
Asher
Well-Known Member
I think one of the reasons ebike innovation by the big names has been so glacial and underwhelming is because they'll make money off ebikes either way. There is nothing on the line for them, and there's double digit percent growth year after year. Coast on your brand name using hardware that everyone else is using. But brands are starting to differentiate, eg with Specialized and the in house motors for the Vado SL.
What we really need is some kind of racing and endurance league. Make brand reputations subject to how their bikes perform in competitions, and you'll get some real R&D instead of just ordering off a Chinese menu. Sponsor long term bike tourers who put hardware through its paces.
What we really need is some kind of racing and endurance league. Make brand reputations subject to how their bikes perform in competitions, and you'll get some real R&D instead of just ordering off a Chinese menu. Sponsor long term bike tourers who put hardware through its paces.
fooferdoggie
Well-Known Member
t would take a carton of money and time to start from scratch. you're always battling weight and cost and durability and reliability. Bosch knows they're motors are reliable. to start fresh will take years of testing and refining. look at the cost of bikes with good internal geared hubs really expensive and they took a lot of years to be reliable. plus look at all the styles of bikes you can get with a blotch or other large manufacturer's Motors and different batteries. having all proprietary parts would be a maintenance nightmare. its bad enough with the cheap e bike not having more standardized parts especially electrical. I have several shops that can handle my bosch powered bike. I would love to see some new tech for sure but it takes guinea pigs to get there.
This,
Slapping a mainstream mid drive on a frame is the same as picking a fork or brakes etc. When they can make money easily that way why would they try to come up with their own, proper designs? When something goes wrong they just swap the motor/battery just like any other part.
Suboptimal for the riders but convenient for the companies and as long as they are making money easily they will not change.
Unless ebikes become significantly more popular and infrastructure becomes connected this is probably going to stay this way.
Asher
Well-Known Member
To this and @fooferdoggie's point
Honestly, the lack of in-house innovation would be fine, if... The electronics they picked were like Shimano mechanical parts. Highly reliable, high performance, great value, non-proprietary / lock-in (usually), modular, high variety of configurations and price points, low profit margins.
Aside from maybe reliability (and I doubt that), Bosch has none of those qualities, and it already has 70% of the European retail market according to one study. It's especially glaring when virtually the entire mainstream industry has ignored the cheaper, simpler, durable option of hub motors, which exhibit just those qualities I ascribed to Shimano mechanical parts.
theemartymac
Well-Known Member
l remember when an Edmonton Bike shop brought in one of these McLaren bikes like 10 years ago (only 250 made). When asked who in the hell would pay over 20K CAD for a bicycle, the response was; "The same person who would buy the McLaren car, and wanted to hang this on the wall behind it." lol
Dallant
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Exactly.
Yes it’s a pretty bike.
I have an image in my head of cycling along the trail and stopping at rest stops. Then chit chatting with other riders and of course talking about our bikes.
Imagine the really strange looks and comments when I say I have a Lamborghini!!
I have an image in my head of cycling along the trail and stopping at rest stops. Then chit chatting with other riders and of course talking about our bikes.
Imagine the really strange looks and comments when I say I have a Lamborghini!!
fooferdoggie
Well-Known Member
but they actually did something different at least.
antboy
Well-Known Member
I love the idea of gearing being integral to the motor, though maintenance would be a PITA on the road. I can understand why the big mid-driver makers keep the gearing separate from the motor, as it gives bike manufacturers options to build commuters, eMTB, cruisers etc with different gearing options...
...BUT it would be nice to see someone like Bosch or Shimano (etc), come out with a motor variant that includes a proper gearbox in the motor. I'd guess that getting a high number of gears would be tough given space constraints, but a lower number of gears, working directly with the motor, could make up for the difference in "feel", and the weight penalty wouldn't be as high as a separate IGH in the rear wheel.
...BUT it would be nice to see someone like Bosch or Shimano (etc), come out with a motor variant that includes a proper gearbox in the motor. I'd guess that getting a high number of gears would be tough given space constraints, but a lower number of gears, working directly with the motor, could make up for the difference in "feel", and the weight penalty wouldn't be as high as a separate IGH in the rear wheel.
fooferdoggie
Well-Known Member
thinking a bit about the gearing in the mid drive this will put huge amonts of torque into the drive train. when your going up a steep hill and the gearing is letting you spin up but instead of having that large cog on your rear wheel you got a small one that has to take all that torque.
cj3209
Member
- Region
- USA
"It's a fantastic buy..."
LOL...
theemartymac
Well-Known Member
Well it probably is the only IceCream Lambo I could ever afford... ;-)
Mike TowpathTraveler
Well-Known Member
Actually, it's alot different from the HD company making their own ebike. The latest issue of Electric Bike Action Magazine does a story on this "Lamborghini", which in reality; is actually just a rebadged Neox ebike with the same model names. Only the badge stickers, detuned motor and fancy Lambo colors separate the two companies. As in, the price of entry for that name and Rossa Corsa paint is about 15 grand more. Link: https://www.myneox.it/2017/en/
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