Is this solar e-bike a good idea or advanced e-waste?

I like the idea of ​​a solar-powered electric bike, but I don’t think anyone should buy the new Phosgo Go5 — not yet, anyway. This “world’s first solar-powered AI e-bike” promises to “eliminate range anxiety”, and is being sold by a new brand out of China hoping to make a splash through direct-to-consumer sales. Through a global crowdfunding campaign. Lots of red flags here.

According to the media kit the company sent me from a public company gmail.com Title, Phosgo is a joint venture between Jiaxing Dazhe Solar Energy and Shenzhen Honglianda Technology. Dazhi provides flexible solar technology created by someone identified only as “Dr. Li,” while Honglianda provides an established supply chain and e-commerce expertise.

Phosgo sells two aluminum-framed 8-speed models in the U.S. and Europe that are built around Bafang mid-drive engines, the company told me, though there is also a Ananda is clearly visible In some pictures. The base Go5 has a “Super Early Bird” price of $1,999, while the beefier Go5 Ultra starts at $2,799. Prices are supposed to double in the future, but that’s typical FOMO marketing for these campaigns. It will launch on Kickstarter on Saturday, July 27th.

All bikes are equipped with four 50W circular solar panels inside the wheels, made from BC (back contact) cells. BC solar cells make sense here because they move all the electrical contacts into the panels giving them a uniformly neat appearance without visible grid lines. BC panels must also handle partial shading from cars, buildings, trees, bike frames, and riders better than traditional panels. Solar components account for about 8 pounds of these bikes that weigh about 50 pounds.

Here’s the problem: All 200 watt solar panels face the wrong direction. For the best charging, you’ll need to place your bike on the ground, and even then only half of it will be exposed to the midday sun. Realistically, it will only produce a few watts on average when riding or when parked on the kickstand.

Phosgo domain claims are everywhere. But deep in the media pool, I found a chart showing solar panels adding up to 17 miles between charges from a wall outlet. It is not stated how this was measured but I assume it is the maximum achieved under optimal, unshaded daylight. It’s safe to say you’ll get a lot less than that anywhere outside the Sahara Desert, especially when parked alongside other bikes in a city bike park. One thing is for sure: you still have concerns about charging.

And finally, Phosgo’s “advanced speech-to-speech AI” is just stupid. No e-bike needs an integrated AI assistant. The chance of him successfully recommending a decent hamburger shop is slim, and certainly not going to be properly smashed.

Look, I hope I’m wrong. I hope the Phosgo Go5 series does everything it says it does. Everyone loves an underdog. But please don’t support this crowdfunding campaign unless you have money to burn. Global implementation is difficult enough when we’re not dealing with giant batteries and sensitive electronics that also must be maintained throughout their lifespan. It’s best to wait for this one if you’re really interested.

Otherwise, you’re probably thinking about a general purpose Solar generator and Portable solar panel. They’ll charge your e-bike, drone, power tools, laptop and phone, and power your fridge and PS5 during the next power outage.