Cooper Car Company E-bike Division Launches New Models
Cooper Bikes, the two-wheel division of the Cooper Car Company, the original designer of the Mini Cooper is launching four new electric bike models. While the Mini Cooper built the brand of Cooper Car Company back in the early 1960s, it is the e-bike division that is stealing the show today.
The four new electric bike designs are made for city commuting and include the single-speed CS1E, the CG-7E, CL-7E, and the urban drop bar CR-7E. All versions have the Zehus Gen2 e-bike drivetrain that uses a rear hub motor with regenerative braking.
Regenerative Braking Mode
Cooper Bikes claims the system has unlimited range due to its ability to recharge while the rider pedals. However, this is a bit misleading. While possible, this is an inefficient way to charge the bike compared to traditional wall outlet charging. When the rider engages the regeneration mode the bike slowly stores up energy through high resistance pedaling to later release as an electric assist when needed. The regeneration mode makes the electric bike harder to pedal than a non-electric bike.
The efficient way to ride the new Cooper electric bikes is to charge them in the traditional manner with a wall outlet or designated charger. The rider can then use the regenerative braking to add around 5 percent extra range to the battery.
Battery Power
The performance of the bikes matches the low power of the motor which has just 40Nm (Newton Meter) of torque. The batteries are relatively small also, coming in at just 173 Wh. Other large e-bike brands typically have batteries with 600 to 750 Wh.
By placing the battery inside the rear hub motor results in its small size and the clean design of the e-bikes. Having the battery inside of the motor is a rare design feature on many e-bikes, but it helps with the overall aesthetic of the bike.
Accessories
The single-speed Cooper e-bike has a Gates carbon belt drive system that adds to the clean look. The multi-speed e-bikes have a built-in chain drive for shifting through multiple gears. The Cooper electric bikes also have no display to distract from the clean lines. Instead of using a digital display riders use their smartphone to view data like distance, speed, and battery life. All models have Brooks saddles, and all Cooper e-bikes except the CR-7E have hydraulic disc brakes.
Prices for these new models start at $2,570 and will be available for purchase soon, according to Cooper Bikes.
