As its name suggests, the Karbikes wants to position itself halfway between the cart and the electric bike. A perfect recipe for short trips?
On the official website of the French startup, the message is clear: “the fusion of the bicycle and the car”. This is the category known as intermediate vehicles, between the heavy Citroën Ami-style quadricycle and the electric cargo bike. Coming from Strasbourg, the city with one of the largest bicycle modal shares in France (13.8%), Karbikes wants to further reduce the place of cars in the city.
A full body, convertible or open
So why such an electric vehicle? According to the founders Gaëlle Richard and Lucas Vançon, “Rain is the first obstacle to daily cycling”. If some people are not motivated to put on a parka or a rain poncho, the Karbikes bodywork should delight them. Access to the two seats is easy (or with two toddlers in the back), and is done via thin opposing doors… which are removable. And yes, in good weather, this electric machine allows for airy driving, even with a convertible roof.
The final version, with its antagonistic doors. // Source: Karbikes
Only 80 cm wide! // Source: Karbikes
The Cargo version in preparation. // Source: Karbikes
You get a lot closer to the car, especially with a real horn, turn signals, two front headlights and reverse gear. But the driver is indeed a “cyclist”. Sitting in a bucket seat, he controls the Karbikes using handlebars and pedals to power the four wheels.
The engine has a power of 250 W (and French): it is the Valeo Cyclee with a torque of 130 Nm, equipped with an Effigear 7-speed automatic gearbox, and a large 1,240 Wh battery. With the support of a solar panel, the intermediate vehicle covers 75 km per charge, as much as an Ami (with 5 times less capacity).
The Karbikes already in (small) production this summer
The Karbikes may also be of interest for “last mile” delivery, but unfortunately not on cycle paths due to its 4 wheels (despite its width of only 80 cm). It therefore also offers a cargo version equipped with a 1.5 m box.3 of volume and announcing 150 kg of payload.
A project born in 2021, the Karbikes will be entitled to a first batch of 15 units from this month of June. The price of this electric vehicle with 4 wheels and bodywork would be 12,000 euros, specifies France 3. The company is hoping for financing to be able to open the rental, and “increase the cadence to one bike/day next year”.