Mar 15, 2025
The embryonic stage of electric bicycles in the United States
This flagship model of ECOE can be called “a century-old epitome of the electric bicycle industry”. Its dual motor system and 200N・m torque design directly echo the ultimate pursuit of power by engineers in the early stage. The 60V 32AH battery pack supports 120km of endurance (power-assisted mode), and even surpasses the climbing ability of the Henderson electric motorcycle in the United States in the 1930s in the 40-degree slope test.
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The dual suspension system has a shock-absorbing effect comparable to that of automotive-grade suspension when riding on cobblestone roads, and the hydraulic brake system solves the safety hazards caused by backward braking technology in the early stage. Although the car weighs 65kg, the combination of carbon fiber frame and magnesium alloy wheels makes the handling far superior to early lead-acid battery models, perfectly balancing historical heritage and modern technology.
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Key historical events in the United States during the embryonic stage of electric bicycles (1900-2000)
1895: The birth of the first electric bicycle patent
American engineer Ogden Bolton Jr. applied for the world’s first electric bicycle patent (patent number 549,160) in Ohio. His design uses a rear wheel hub motor drive, equipped with a 10V lead-acid battery, and a maximum speed of 14km/h. Although it is limited by battery technology and has a range of only 10 kilometers, this invention proved for the first time the feasibility of combining electric drive with bicycles. Bolton’s prototype was exhibited at the 1896 Atlanta World’s Fair, sparking public interest in “horseless riding”.
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1930s: Commercialization attempts and technical bottlenecks
During the Great Depression, the American Henderson Company launched the first mass-produced electric bicycle “Motoped”. The car is equipped with a 350W motor and a 6V battery, and is priced at US$25 (equivalent to 1/3 of the monthly salary of an ordinary worker at the time). However, due to the short battery life (only 50 charge and discharge cycles) and weak climbing ability (maximum slope of 5 degrees), sales were dismal. During the same period, Westinghouse developed nickel-cadmium batteries, but they were too expensive to be popularized. These attempts exposed the core contradiction in the embryonic stage – power and endurance could not be taken into account at the same time.
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1970s: The oil crisis gave birth to “green travel”
After the oil crisis in 1973, the US Department of Energy launched the “Light Electric Vehicle Program” and allocated funds to support the development of electric bicycles. Sears launched the “Elgin” electric bicycle, equipped with a 12V lead-acid battery and a chain-driven motor, with a maximum speed of 24km/h and a range of 32 kilometers. Although the performance was still limited, the awakening of public environmental awareness promoted a surge in sales. In 1975, the sales of electric bicycles in the United States exceeded 50,000. During this period, the National Bicycle Dealers Association (NBDA) of the United States classified electric bicycles separately for the first time.
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1990s: Lead-acid battery innovation and regulatory game
In 1990, Exide Technologies launched a sealed lead-acid battery, which increased the range of electric bicycles to 80 kilometers, while reducing costs by 60%. American brands represented by Gazelle took this opportunity to launch “urban commuter models” with prices controlled at US$1,000-1,500. However, chaotic state regulations hindered development – New York State required electric bicycles to be licensed, while California classified them as bicycles. It was not until 1998 that the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued the “Electric Bicycle Safety Standard”, which uniformly stipulated that the upper limit of motor power was 750W, ending the long-term legal dispute.
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Technology inheritance and limitations
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In its infancy, American electric bicycles were always limited by battery technology: from the bulkiness of lead-acid batteries to the memory effect of nickel-cadmium batteries, engineers tried a variety of solutions. In 1995, the lithium-ion battery prototype developed by General Motors was briefly used in electric bicycles, but it failed to be marketed due to the high cost of US$5,000 per set. These explorations laid the groundwork for the popularization of lithium batteries after 2000, and the early pursuit of “low noise, zero emissions” directly influenced the design concept of modern electric bicycles.
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Cultural symbolic significance
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In the 1974 movie “Speed”, electric bicycles were portrayed as “anti-establishment transportation tools” and became a symbol of hippie culture. This cultural label combined with environmental protection demands has elevated electric bicycles from a simple means of transportation to a symbol of social movement, accumulating a mass base for the market outbreak in the 21st century.
These events spanning a century constitute the embryonic trajectory of electric bicycles from laboratory inventions to mass consumer products, and also laid the foundation for the United States’ technological dominance after 2000.
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