Fledgling Swedish brand Elbi (short for Easy Life Bike) is launching what they claim to be "the world's first affordable belt-driven electric bike", with a design that is inspired by cruising bikes from the 80's and a lightweight aluminium frame.
There's a built-in front basket for carting your stuff around, and the maintenance-free belt drive with integrated gears means no oily chains or gear indexing required. It has a hub motor, and is available with a 500 watt cadence sensor or a 250 watt torque sensor, the latter being EU-legal.
The battery is integrated into the front luggage carrier for easy removal, and it's available in various colour options. There's even a Henry Thomas Signature Edition (remember Elliot Taylor off of E.T? That's him), that 'takes you back to the 80's' with a paintjob inspired by his famous BMX from the movie.
They've already raised nearly double of their original crowdfunding target on Indiegogo, amassing $41,081 and counting from an original goal of $25,000 with 30 days left to go of their campaign. You can pick up the EL250 250W version for $895 with an earlybird discount (the RRP will be $2,195) and there are also non-electric versions to choose from. Check out Elbi on Indiegogo here.
