Ready for another car/electric bike crossover you didn’t know you needed? Mini has launched the MINI E-Bike 1, in partnership with Angell Mobility.
It’s not the Mini brand's first foray into electric bikes, as they have previously used the moniker Cooper Bikes to launch a Classic range of steel e-bikes with regenerative braking as a feature.
This, however, is separate to that range, with the partnership with Angell Mobility showing off a more modern, contemporary look. The E-bike 1 is priced at €3,490, and will be available as a limited edition with only 1,959 units being made. Why 1,959? Well if you’re a fan of British car history, you may be aware that the first Mini car rolled off the line in 1959.
Features and spec
The design of the E-Bike 1, “concentrates the best of French and English industrial craftsmanship”. We imagine the nod to British craftsmanship comes from the inclusion of Brooks England finishing kit, including the saddle and handlebar grips.
Perhaps the most interesting feature of the bike is the touchscreen on the stem. It looks a bit more sophisticated than other similar options we’ve seen, and can be unlocked using your smartphone or Apple Watch. It displays the usual metrics you would expect from an e-bike such as speed and assist mode. These can be modified using the relevant phone app.
The motor is a 250W rear hub option and is paired with an external battery, placed above the rear wheel. Unfortunately the website doesn’t list the battery capacity, although Cycling Electric has reported it will offer a 50km range and a two-hour charging time.
But even with minimal information available, it looks to be a very distinctive bike, with integrated lights in the cockpit, in the battery on the rear as a dual light setup, and what look to be indicators in the bar ends.
There are two frame sizes available, small and medium, with the former weighing a claimed 17kg and the latter 17.5kg. First deliveries are expected from January 2024, and you can pre-order the bike with a 10% deposit from the Angell Mobility website.
