Your average e-bike is just a regular bicycle fitted with an electric motor. When the battery dies, you can just revert to pedalling. The new Footloose from Mando, however, takes a different approach. There’s still a set of pedals, but they’re used to power an alternator, which generates electricity and keeps the motor running.
The design does away with the traditional chain and gears altogether. That not only keeps the design simpler and easier to maintain, but it also means the bike can fold down to an incredibly small form factor. When it’s available in European markets starting next year, the Footloose will boast a range of almost 30km on a single charge, but that of course can be infinitely expanded as long as you’re willing to put in the legwork.
[Mando via designboom]