Yet another innovative, eco-friendly and inexpensive solution by Xiaomi
Xiaomi has done it again. After wowing the world with a drone and a smart rice cooker, it has launched yet another product that’s making jaws drop across the globe. The Chinese Tech giant recently unveiled their latest product – the Mi QiCycle, a foldable electric bike to help commuters travel within their cities in style.
Xiaomi appears to be keeping up its trend of delivering affordable, high quality products with its latest addition which is priced at 2,999 yuan (roughly Rs 30,000). Their high-end foldable bikes come with a 250W, 36V motor for propulsion and runs with 20 Panasonic lithium-ion batteries along with Xiaomi’s own battery management system. It promises riders a good 45 km ride within one battery cycle.
Like any other Xiaomi product, the Mi QiCycle is ‘smart’. It comes with a ‘companion app’ that gives users all the necessary information they need, including speed, distance covered and even the number of calories burned! It also has a fully functioning GPS system.
The bike’s functioning is based on the ‘IDbike Torque Measurement Method’, which uses sensors to optimise the effort the rider puts into pedalling. This ensures that they don’t have work too hard to get to their desired speed. The Mi QiCycle is equipped with a Shimano three-spread gear system. After being folded into a relatively compact package weighing about 14.5 kilograms, it can easily fit inside the hood of a car.
The model also has front and rear lights built into its frame. There are speculations regarding the origination of the design, with some sources suggesting that it was created by a startup called ‘iRiding’, which features Xiaomi among its main investors. The original product designed by this startup was set at much higher range, costing as much as 3,000 USD. Although Xiaomi has neither confirmed nor denied this allegation, they do admit that the bike was built by one of their partner companies. What works to Xiaomi’s advantage, though, is that by selling the bike under its name, it is giving the product greater market value. It is also offering it at a more reasonable price compared to other similar products in the market.
Just like the Mi Drone, this electric foldable bike will initially be crowdfunded inside the company’s Home App. This means that the product won’t be abundantly available in the markets unless it reaches a target number of users who are willing to sign up and buy it first.
The Mi QiCycle is one of the products of the company’s sub-brand ‘Mi Ecosystem.’ This sub-brand aims to cover products that are manufactured by Xiaomi’s ecosystem partners. According to NDTV Gadgets 360, Xiaomi has, so far, invested in about 55 companies that design and manufacture products beyond the company’s three core products – smart phones, smart TVs and smart routers. Out of all their products, the Mi smart rice cooker and the Mi Drone have turned the most heads.
Here we are, holding our breaths for it to launch in India. Do tell us in the comments below if you are willing to sign up to buy this eco-friendly, inexpensive and wonderful way to commute through the city.
