Earlier this week, our team here at Lectric released a brand new cargo eBike, the Lectric XPedition. The design process for this ride was our most extensive to date, so we sat down with our cofounders, Levi and Robby, and product manager, Matt, to discuss how this eBike came to be!
Check out the blog and video below to learn about this epic new adventure.
---
It was January 2020 when Levi and Robby first hit the drawing board to create an electric cargo bike that could accommodate a large payload while maintaining long-range abilities and enough power to take on sizeable hills.
"There is no cargo eBike out there within $2,000-3,000 that can even compete with it (the Lectric XPedition)," explains Levi. At the end of the day, this eBike can go faster, carry more weight, achieve longer range, and go up steeper hills than the competition. Overall, it's more capable than all of Lectric's competitors.
Robby explains how we wanted the XPedition to be a "one size fits most" kind of model. So, we deliver these eBikes to riders' doorsteps fully assembled with a folding stem and adjustable handlebars.
The rear-end webbed frame of this eBike is designed to carry "a ridiculous amount of weight," in Levi's lingo. It also ensures great balance for the rider, no matter the size of their rear rack load.
Robby reveals that the team's overall vision for this eBike was driven by accessories. All of the accessories for the XPedition are listed "a la carte" so that riders can customize their cargo eBike to meet their needs. Popular use cases include families transporting children, food delivery riders, longer-range adventures with a heavy load of gear (think fishing), and even transporting a friend or date to a movie or restaurant. The team also shared that there will be more XPedition accessories to come soon!
The testing process for the XPedition was extensive. The Lectric product team brought the eBike to San Fransisco to see if it could conquer some of the steepest hills in America! They were pleased to see it take the city by storm and conquer every hill it took on - even with added weight!
To make this cargo eBike feel like a true car replacement, our product manager, Matt, included an 11:28 freewheel, slick tires, and a brand-new Lectric PWR™ System for optimized power and range. Within the Lectric PWR™ System, pedal assist levels actually dictate how many Amps (or how much power) are going to the rear wheel, while not limiting its speed in the same way that pedal assist has before. Matt explains in depth how this feels for riders and adds, "the Lectric PWR™ System gives the control directly to the customer. They get to choose exactly how much assistance they receive as they ride."
The team did not cut any corners while designing this electric cargo bike and included high-grip quick-release pedals, a chain idler pulley (tensioner), and twist-grip throttle as standard components to elevate its performance.
Lastly, Robby explains that this cargo eBike design was built off of our vast experience with the variety of eBikes that came before the XPedition; including the XP 3.0, XPremium, XP Lite, XP Trike, and Long-Range options. Our team here at Lectric wanted to offer the functionality of a cargo eBike at an attainable price, and we worked long and hard at it to finally present this awesome ride to the eBiking community!
Check out the full XPedition Design Series below!