We can safely say that 2017 has so far given us more electric bicycle (e-bike) choice than ever before, and the Avionics V1 5 kW wild retro boardtracker is further proof of this. It has the cool factor, that unbeatable nostalgic look, and a heck of a lot of oomph to boot with its outrageous 5,000 watt electric motor. Due to go on presale on Indiegogo this September, keep an eye out for this e-bike — it could make you the envy of the block.
Avionics V1 5 kW Wild Retro Boardtracker Blends Bike & Electric Motorcycle
The Avionics V1 is in line with the latest wave of muscular retro-looking e-bikes popping up on the market. Although we’ve already covered a few muscular e-bikes on CleanTechnica recently, including this other cool retro-styled ride, one of the things that differentiate the Avionics V1 e-bike from the rest is obviously its copious amount of torque, squeezed out of its 5 kW electric motor.
Still, do you really need 5,000 W of power on an e-bike? And if so, where is it exploitable? The other question it opens up is, are we still in bicycle territory or have we escaped to the electric motorcycle world? Laws vary depending on location, but you can almost guarantee some laws are going to be voted in to restrict use of a 5,000 W electric bike for the few who would exaggerate.
AVIONICS from AVIONICS on Vimeo.
Technically Speaking, The Avionics V1 E-Bike 5-kW Is A Monster
5,000 watts on a bicycle is a respectable amount of power to harness. Although the Avionics V1 is technically still a bicycle, thanks to those little pedals that stick out and allow it to be human-powered. But with that much electric power approaching motorcycle territory, if not already in the scooter or sporty moped area, the Avionics V1 e-bike certainly blends the boundaries between electric bicycles and motorcycles.
The 5,000 watts on demand can push this retro track-like e-bike to 36 mph (58 km/h) effortlessly, but that same 5 kW also means 92 lb-ft (125 Nm) of torque delivered at the rear wheel for instant fun and easily surprising other riders. All of this power needs a lot of energy to be of much use, and the Avionics V1 relies on a 24-Ah lithium-ion battery pack for that. The Li-ion pack gives it an estimated range of 74.5 miles (about 120 km) in low-power street mode.
Taming and civilizing that kind of power means the right tires and brakes must carefully match the Avionics V1’s particularly impressive power. The e-bike rides on 3″ wide tires and leans on 203 mm disc brakes to make it stop as effectively as possible.
Although technically illegal on most streets, at least here in the US, the Avionics V1 e-bike comes with various street modes limiting its power to more legal-friendly speeds and smiling law enforcers. The various modes restrict the power from 750 W to 500 W or 250 W. Of course, the all-out 5,000 W package deal is available any time. Once the street modes have been selected, the Avionics V1’s top speed gets throttled back to 36 mph (58 km/h), which is still more than plenty for everyday use.
One other feature we are happy to see is the regenerative braking. Regenerative braking can help squeeze even more performance out of a battery pack — well, put it back in the battery pack.
And, yes, those above-mentioned pedals you see hanging on the Avionics V1 can become very handy, because if and when that 5,000 W bundle of fun runs the battery pack dry and leaves you stranded, you’ll be able to use your legs to get back home.
Final Thoughts on the Avionics V1 E-Bike Wild Retro Boardtracker
It’s been a while since we’ve seen a truly wild electric bike — like, 5,000 watts wild. Although the industry doesn’t fail to consistently pump out one impressive e-bike after another, today’s Avionics V1 is certainly a good example of what is happening today and what is possible. Anyone here planning to get a V1?
You can follow Avionics on its social media network on Facebook, Vimeo, and YouTube.
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