VanMoof announces faster, lighter, farther-going e-bike

It was three years ago that Dutch manufacturer VanMoof announced its 10 Electrified e-bike, which it described as being the world's first intelligent commuter bike. Now, the company has unveiled the new-and-improved Electrified S – the S stands for "smart."

• 
• 
• 
• 

Like the 10 Electrified, the Electrified S augments the rider's pedalling power using a 250W front hub motor. This time around, however, there's a Boost feature – at the push of a button, it provides an extra bit of acceleration. As a company rep explained to us, it's particularly useful when getting started while going into a headwind or facing uphill.
Its top speed is an electronically-limited 20 mph (32 km/h) in the US, and it has a range of up to 75 miles (120 km) depending on settings – that's two and a half times more than the range of the 10, thanks to a higher-capacity battery located in the downtube. Other improvements include a quieter motor, and a lighter weight of just 18.4 kg (40.5 lb).
Another new feature is an electronic locking system. This allows users to lock and unlock an integrated hardened steel cable lock, using either their smartphone or an included Bluetooth remote. An app on the phone can also be used to adjust speed settings on the bike, while a built-in touchscreen display on the top tube provides basic info such as battery life, power level and distance travelled.

Returning features from the 10 include integrated head- and tail-lights, an automatic transmission, and the ability to track the bike's GPS coordinates on one's phone, should it get stolen.
The Electrfied S is available for preorder now, priced at €2,298 (about US$2,615).