Budget electric bike by Ferrari designer
It’s as iconic an image of traditional France as the beret or baguette, but the ‘Velo Solex’ has had a dramatic makeover at the hands of Pininfarina, the designers best known for designing Italian supercars including Ferraris.
Pininfarina’s latest design project may be relatively humble, but it is far more affordable than any supercar – the e-solex is a budget electric scooter that costs less than £1000.
The original Solex (see right) was invented in 1946 as a cheap means of motorised transport for postwar France.
It was little more than a bicycle with a tiny petrol engine sitting over the front wheel, but it worked surprisingly well and became hugely popular.
The Solex – re-invented at 60 years old
In its latest incarnation, the Velo Solex has swapped its small petrol engine for a rechargeable 400 watt, electric motor that takes just eight hours to charge fully via a standard 240v socket.
The e-Solex features a lithium-ion 36v battery that slots neatly into the frame below the handlebars and only weighs 5kg – light enough to carry a spare.
The overall weight of the bike is 45kg.
A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: “More than any other affordable electric scooter on the market the e-Solex has style – a feature that is vital if this type of vehicle is to have mass appeal.”
| E-solex performance | …at a glance |
|---|---|
| Price | £925 |
| Top speed | 21mph |
| Weight | 40kg |
| Range | Up to 25 miles per charge, but batteries weigh 5kg so light enough to carry a spare |
| Availability | Now, but no British distributor yet |
| See the e-Solex in action | |
For more information about the bike in both its petrol and electric form, visit the official Velo Solex website
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