Porsche presents a pair of ridiculously expensive electric bikes

Porsche is the latest automaker to try to manufacture and sell electric bicycles, and the result looks very interesting and very expensive. The Volkswagen-owned company announced that it would start selling a pair of full suspension e-bikes this spring. The bikes were announced alongside the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo, which has just been unveiled today.

There are two models of Porsche e-bike, Sport and Cross. The Sport is a road bike designed for everyday use, with a carbon fiber frame with full suspension, integrated front and rear headlights, Shimano engine with central steering and a price tag that would make Jeff Bezos blush. The Sport, which weighs just under 48 pounds, will cost about $ 10,700, which is an amazing price for an e-bike.

But again, carbon fiber bicycles are traditionally more expensive than other bicycles, and the Porsche emblem on the main tube is worth a prize for a particular cross section of the rider. (I often remember how much money serious racing bike enthusiasts spend, not just on the bike itself, but on all the equipment that comes with it.

The Cross is more for off-road adventures, says Porsche. It also boasts a Shimano mid-drive, carbon fiber frame and full suspension, plus extra-large, “heat resistant” Magura-MT Trail hydraulic disc brakes. It weighs 48.7 pounds and will sell for $ 8,549.

The Shimano EP8 engine that is present on both bikes is smaller than previous versions – Porsche describes it as “ultra-compact” – and provides up to 25 km / h of pedal-assisted support. (It seems slow, but this is the maximum legal speed allowed by European Union regulations.)

Porsche is the latest company specializing in vehicles with a combustion engine to dive into the world of two-wheel electric vehicles. In addition to the price, there are reasons for skepticism. Often, when you hear about automakers launching their own electric bikes, most of the time it is just a brand licensing agreement. (Think of the Jeep e-bike or Hummer bikes of the past decade.) Other times, it is a much-vaunted project that ends up falling victim to larger corporate cost cuts, like General Motors’ Ariv e-bikes.

But occasionally, something interesting comes up, like the recently launched Serial 1 e-bikes from Harley-Davidson. Porsche bikes will certainly find an audience among the same people who love the 911 or the Taycan, but it remains to be seen whether it will be a long-term deal for the automaker. Both bikes will be available for purchase from spring 2021.