lthough the name might not sound terribly familiar to most, the Lohner company made its mark early two centuries ago and once again in 1888 when it hired Ferdinand Porsche to built his first car ever, an electric car. Today, Lohner is introducing an electric bicycle (e-bike).
From the first EV to an e-bike
Heinrich Lohner must have been drawn to electricity. He owned a coach company in 1821 in Vienna, Austria, and he changed the face of the automotive industry when he hired a fairly unknown young man by the name of Ferdinand Porsche. Together, they created the world’s first electric car in 1888, and a hybrid the following year they called the Lohner-Porsche Electromobil.
Lohner made the L125-Roller scooter in the early 1950s, and today it’s looking into the world of e-bikes.
This is an unusual e-bike, no doubt about it. Its design is unconventional, and although it takes a well-used conventional electric motor and battery layout once used by the likes of Pedego, the company did spend time rearranging the aesthetics of the e-bike. It softened the exterior with an encompassing line swooping around it highlighting the seat and giving it this retro look.
Where Lohner innovates, at least to our knowledge, is that the e-bike is actually a two-seater, meaning it might be closer to a moped than an e-bike. It frees up a much-needed space in the front of the frame with a compartment on the top of the frame that can hold 8L (2.11 U.S. gallons) and where you can put things away. Of course, it is lockable.
Although it has two seats, the performance of the Lohner e-bike is relatively modest. A 250W motor with a peak of 600W gives it a nominal torque of 12 Nm with peaks of up to 40 Nm. The e-bike is powered by a 46V, 11Ah, 396 Wh lithium battery and includes 8 gears.
As far as range and speed, the Lohner e-bike has a maximum speed of 25km/h (15.5 MPH) with 3 levels of electric pedal assist (e-assist) that can accelerate it up to 6 km/h (3.7 MPH) from the handlebar throttle to 25 km/h (15.5 MPH) using the pedal torque sensor. The company claims a range of 96 km (almost 60 miles) in Pedelec mode.
Making Sense Of The Lohner E-Bike
At 34,5 kg (76 lbs.) the Lohner e-bike is a hefty bicycle with a cool retro look with a maximum cargo weight of 150 kg (about 330 lbs.). The Lohner e-bike isn’t available yet, but the company is taking preorders right now.
