Only a few days in to its Indiegogo campaign, the Storm Electric Bike has already raised over $2 million, smashing the initial paltry goal of $75,000. So why is this electric bike so special? The price for one–the Storm costs just $499 for a limited time, moving up to $599 on the 6th of February and eventually retailing for $1299. In other words, get it while it’s hot.
The Storm eBike is basically an electric fat bike that includes a 350 watt direct drive motor to propel you down the road at speeds of up to 20 mph with a range of 30 to 50 miles. The motor is operated by a thumb throttle on the grips.
When you run out of juice and you want to keep riding, the Lithium Ion battery can be simply swapped out for a replacement ($179 for an extra battery– each battery weighs 2.5 kg), and be fully charged in less than 90 minutes.
The Storm eBike’s all terrain tires are built for cruising on the beach, trail, or snow. The wheels feature 26″ x 4″ all terrain rims, 29″ x 4.8″ XXXL tires rated to 30 psi, and 29″ x 4″ Schrader valve tubes.
Built from steel, the Storm eBike weighs 45 pounds–not the lightest fat bike out there by far but comparable weight to your average electric bike.
Despite the fact that you can choose to either pedal or simply cruise, the Storm eBike is street legal in the US. The rules state that low speed electric bikes are exempt from classification as motor vehicles as long as they have full operable pedals, an electric motor of less than 750W, and a top motor speed of less than 20 mph. You may want to check for special rules in NYC, however….
The Storm eBike comes in 4 different color combinations–yellow, blue, full black, and black with yellow. Manufacturing of the bikes will start March 15, with expected delivery in May.
Is all of this too good to be true? Perhaps. Before you go dropping $500 or even $600, you might want to read this first.