Zen - 2023 updates from Halifax, Canada

[Ravi Kempaiah]

A new batch of frames just arrived from Taiwan, and we should be able to clear up all the backlogs.
By the way, we work with the same factory that builds frames for top German E-bike brands.
These are just a few snapshots from the production facility, and I hope it provides some background information.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

The battery pack testing machine has arrived. This pack cycler will offer tremendous insight into the performance of packs.
We will be testing every other battery pack on the market and will strive to improve Zen battery packs to be much more reliable and longer lasting.
Long battery warranty would be super appealing to a wide range of customers - ride share fleet/couriers/long distance commuters.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Large shipments of Enviolo Heavy-duty wheels have arrived.

 

[AleksR]

Make sure the batteries don't explode and cause fires. Few that did in NYC are making people nervous.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Make sure the batteries don't explode and cause fires. Few that did in NYC are making people nervous.

Thanks for your comment. You may want to read the battery guide we put together here:

E-Bike Battery Guide

This thread is dedicated for helping new E-bike owners to understand and maintain their batteries in the best possible way. There is a lot of confusion for any new E-bike owner as to how one should treat their batteries: Shop owners may say one thing, online resources may another thing, someone...

electricbikereview.com

 

[AleksR]

The guide is too technical. Point 1 will fly over many users heads. Who charges at 0.5C or less, unless you are in tundra?

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Who charges at 0.5C or less, unless you are in tundra?

Every Bosch charger (4A) charges at ~0.3C, and the Bosch 2A charger charges at 0.15C.

 

[AleksR]

A regular user doesn't understand if this is ambient temperature or what is meant by 0.5C

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Excited to share that we have signed an MoU with the leading battery materials company - Novonix, to build long-lifetime cells/battery packs for E-mobility.
Novonix has just been awarded a $150M grant from the U.S. Dept of Energy to build a synthetic anode plant in Tennessee.
The CEO and CFO of Novonix were in our facility last week to discuss our E-bike operations and offer guidance. We are grateful to be working with them on this venture.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

A new batch of fenders arrived from SKS - Germany.

Bluemels STYLE Bicycle Fender Set - 27.5-29

The Bluemels STYLE Bicycle Fender Set - 27.5-29" Wheels feature a sleek, squared fender profile design providing a modern twist to classic full fender coverage that looks amazing on your bike. Stay Dry in STYLE! 700c/650B Wheel Options 11838 - B65 STYLE Fender Set, Matte Black, Fits 27.5/29/700...

sks-us.com

These are 2023 models, slightly more expensive than the 2022 models, but they offer slightly longer coverage. Orders placed after December 8th would have this new fender on their bikes.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

The battery pack testing machine has arrived. This pack cycler will offer tremendous insight into the performance of packs.
We will be testing every other battery pack on the market and will strive to improve Zen battery packs to be much more reliable and longer lasting.
Long battery warranty would be super appealing to a wide range of customers - ride share fleet/couriers/long distance commuters.

This machine is up and running and we are testing some batteries to finetune our BMS and the pack performance.
Customers would benefit from having a well-thought out E-bike with reliable controllers and batteries.

 

[Kiwibru]

Wow, that is a lot of cables!

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Folks,
Apologies if I missed any messages here. We are dealing with some severe weather conditions but we have much to be thankful for.
In spite of the financial markets reeling under pressure, there is renewed interest in Clean Energy and electric mobility.
We have some exciting news in the making and hope to share it in a few weeks once our investment rounds are closed in the next 2 weeks.

 

[AleksR]

Electric bike market is going down, unless the costs are significantly slashed.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Electric bike market is going down, unless the costs are significantly slashed.

That is why we will be building a battery manufacturing facility to commercialize the long-lifetime batteries for all forms of electric mobility.
More details on the long-lifetime battery technology: https://electricbikereview.com/forums/threads/1-million-mile-ev-battery.29661/

 

[c2Crusher]

This machine is up and running and we are testing some batteries to finetune our BMS and the pack performance.
Customers would benefit from having a well-thought out E-bike with reliable controllers and batteries.


View attachment 142098

View attachment 142099

 

[c2Crusher]

This is very exciting news for Zen e-bikes and the e-mobility space in general!
Great to see a Canadian company leading in innovation and excellence!
Is there a high likelihood of seeing these new batteries, controllers rolling out in the spring of 2023 for Zen e-bikes?

 

[Kiwibru]

Great question! I was wondering the same thing myself. Could be a potential sales drop off unless the older bikes can take advantage of the newer batteries and controller tech at a later date. That should be considered. In order to allow system upgrades, future pathways should be engineered into the products. Like so many of our technologies that end up as EOL (End Of the Line) thus ending up as technologically outdated and eventually extinct, a vision and planning for hardware / software evolutionary paths forward would be a huge winner.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

@c2Crusher and @Kiwibru ,
Thanks for your comments. The biggest problem with the E-bike industry is that very few components are built with longevity in mind.
Especially the battery and motor/controller should have an automotive-grade service lifespan— So many E-bikes become landfill because of inferior technology and lack of parts availability down the line.
Imagine your E-bike battery could also work for other applications; this interchangeability would allow the most expensive component (battery) to offer maximum practical usability.
We are days away from finalizing our investments with private investors and the government of Canada to build a battery manufacturing facility. We hope to build not just for E-bikes but many other forms of E-mobility. I will be eager to share more details once the investments are signed off.

 

[tomjasz]

private investors

Grin has investor customers. Do you have a program for individual investors?