Chinese brand Eskute has launched some new improvements in its existing line-up of Netuno and Polluno e-bikes. The Netuno is a budget electric hardtail, while the Polluno is a step-through city e-bike. The upgrades include new motors, bigger batteries and the addition of pedal torque sensors.
The bikes are now being named as ‘Plus’ versions (for example, Netuno Plus) to represent a slightly more premium offering than the standard model. They will now feature IntelligencePas technology, which is Eskute's proprietary Pedal Assist System. Essentially, the bikes will now come with torque sensors to reduce the amount of pedalling required to engage the motor. This will undoubtedly come as a welcome benefit to those looking to buy, as the lack of responsiveness was something we picked up on in our review of the Eskute Netuno last year.
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In addition to torque sensors, the bikes will also benefit from larger batteries. Going from 522Wh to 720Wh which will rival some of the biggest batteries on the market. Eskute claim this will increase range by 30%, and also extend “the service life of the whole bike by 30%.”
And if that wasn’t enough, each bike will also get a motor upgrade from the BAFANG G010 hub motor to a BAFANG G020 hub motor. Potential customers will also be pleased to know that Eskute has added a 26” wheeled version for smaller riders, as well as a new white colourway, giving riders more choice.
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Alongside the upgrades to their existing models, Eskute is also set to launch a brand new one called the Star. This will be a folding fat-tyre electric bike which the firm says will be “portable and storable while also powerful, comfortable, and ready for anything that users throw at it.”
It will come with 4” fat tyres on 20” wheels, a suspension fork with 50mm of travel, and is claimed to be capable both on and off-road. The Star will also be equipped with a 65Nm Bafang rear-hub motor and a whopping 900Wh battery, which they claim will provide up to 65 miles of range. You’ll also find a 7-speed Shimano drivetrain paired with hydraulic disc brakes and that quirky stem-mounted LED screen Eskute fans will immediately recognise. Eskute claims the bike will weigh 33.5kg, which doesn’t scream easy to carry, so perhaps it's more of a folder to put in the car boot and transport that way.
The Star is available to pre-order on their website now for a discounted price of £1,399, down from £1,699. Deliveries are expected to be made from 20th April.
