The electric car is at the forefront of a growing trend in America, but one issue has caused this trend to slow a bit. Buying an electric car, like the Tesla Model S, is a fantastic way to go green, but the price is insanely high, and the commitment very serious.
To that end, many drivers do not want to take the leap into the realm of electric transportation because there are too many variables associated with the equation. What if the car does not fit your lifestyle? What happens if you cannot keep it charged properly at home? What are the associated maintenance costs?
Boris Mordkovich, CEO of Evelo, decided that the best way to generate popularity for the market was not to develop another car, but rather to develop an electric bicycle. So he bootstrapped the funding and is on track to exceed $1 million of revenue in his first year of operation.
“I saw how popular electric bikes were in Europe and Asia, and I saw them just starting to get off the ground here in the US,” says Mordkovich.
And to be clear, Evelo’s cycles are not your run-of-the-mill, clunker, electric bikes that last for an hour before leaving you stranded at 7-Eleven. They are extremely high tech and feature a battery that can last up to 60 miles in one charge, smart pedal-assist, and patented gearing for smooth transitions.
The three current models – Aries, Aurora, and Luna – might look different from one another, but there is a common thread holding all of these cycles together: the bikes are built for people who ordinarily might never think of buying a bike.
“We hear two common themes when we talk to non-cyclists,” explains Mordkovich. “People do not want to tackle massive hills, and they do not want to arrive at their destination doused in sweat.”
This does, in fact, prevent a large number of people from joining the cycling trend. If the rider is older, or not in Lance Armstrong shape, it could be nice to utilize the pedal-assist that makes big hills feel like flat terrain.
All of these features, and the attractive price, are helping to shape Evelo as a viable transportation solution for individuals trying to decide if the shift to full electric is for them. And providing an easy-to-use window into the market will grow the electric bike’s popularity over time.
To further their mission, Evelo is hosting a 30-day electric bike challenge where customers give up their tricked out whip for a sleek electric cycle and blog about their experiences for the community.
The Aries model is my personal favorite, and, honestly, I think it looks cooler than any Land Rover ever could. This could very well be the opportunity to make the shift towards electric that we have all been waiting for.