Filed under: EV/Plug-in, On Two Wheels, United States



Hot diggity dog, Fido is back! The people that brought us that bare bones electric scooter we found so fetching a few years back have resurfaced across the country in Kalamazoo, MI and will start sinking their canines into the business of building bikes, just as soon as they recover from jet lag.

Founder Jeb Gast, and a couple of his cohorts, are freshly returned from the 100th EICMA (Esposizione Internazionale Ciclo Motociclo e Accessori) in Milan, Italy where they set tongues wagging with the debut of the now-eponymous company's production prototype. Although motorcycles are the focus of the show, the Fido folks were pleased to find their vision of urban-friendly transport was shared by many others from across Europe.
Like the original, the new Fido is simple and designed to be maintained by owners lacking a mechanical engineering degree. Its wheels are held in place by three bolts, while a further five split the rim, allowing for relatively easy access to the tube within. Gast, who previously operated Soundspeed Scooters in Seattle, says a flat on a Vespa can involve a couple hundred bucks and a trip on a tow truck.

The scoot has a 2.5-kWh lithium battery that can be removed from its home in the floorboard and taken into your home, where it can be recharged from empty in around three hours. The motor, which peaks out at four-and-a-half kilowatts (six horsepower), is attached to the rear wheel, doing away with chains and sprockets. The setup is said to be good for about 35 miles per charge and tops out at 45 miles per hour. Recently the company put its puppy on a dyno and saw it pull with a surprising 84 pound-feet of torque. Gast tells AutoblogGreen that it pulls away from the lights like a 200 or 250cc gas-powered bike.
Having recently finished renovations on the old factory where it now hangs its shingle, Fido hopes to make 150 or so machines in 2015, with work starting on the first litter early in the new year. While its top dog is expected to sport a price tag in the $5,500 neighborhood, the outfit also has plans for a lower-power version in response to demand from rental firms, whose clientele's lack of a motorcycle endorsement might give them paws pause.

While we secretly hope to take this bike for a ride ourselves - sometime before the you-know-what-days of summer - for now we can only peruse the gallery and dream. You can track the company's progress via its Facebook page and on Instagram and together, we can look forward to the day they release the hounds.Continue reading Fido electric scooter is fetching, faithful to simplicity formula

Fido electric scooter is fetching, faithful to simplicity formula originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 14 Nov 2014 07:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



Permalink | Email this | Comments

More...

 

Nice information. Waiting for know more