Hellobike Launches Yunqi, the Next-Generation E-Bike, to Offer a Safer, More Efficient Urban Transportation Solution to Help Citizens Maintain Social Distancing

HONG KONG and SHANGHAI, April 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, Hellobike has launched Yunqi, the next-generation e-bike model equipped with smart voice navigation systems, to offer a safer, more efficient urban transportation solution to help citizens maintain the social distancing. The feature can be activated through the Bluetooth connection and offer riders route directions while keeping their focus on the road.

As China has seen a drastic drop in the number of newly confirmed cases of COVID-19, many cities are emerging from the lockdown. While people are turning to shared mobility services to maintain a safe physical distance to avoid the resurgence of the virus, E-bike is becoming a popular mode of transportation among urbanites. According to the data from Hellobike, the number of e-bike riders in Wuhan has experienced a tenfold jump compared to the day before the city was sealed off on January 23.

As the first e-bike to feature Beidou navigation service, one of the world-leading satellite navigation systems, Yunqi e-bike comes equipped with a high-end chipset that provides precise navigation and positioning. Powered by a wide range of leading technologies including Beidou, GPS and citywide Wi-Fi, Hellobike has significantly improved operation and maintenance efficiency, allowing staff to pinpoint damaged e-bikes quickly with digital maps. With the system optimization, Yunqi e-bike automatically disables the unlock function when the battery volume is below 30%, which reduces the risk of malfunction of vandalism.

Challenges loom ahead as people embrace shared mobility services

Shared mobility services have mushroomed over the past years in China with shared bicycles and e-bike are beginning to gain a strong foothold in the 3rd and 4th tier Chinese City. Shared bikes have benefited citizens who need to take short trips ranged from 3 – 8 kilometers. Cheap and Efficient, the shared E-bike is designed to help riders better handle a much longer distance. As of now, near 1 billion Chinese citizens take trips on two-wheelers daily, 700 million of which are made on e-bikes.

"Shared Modes of travel, along with advancing technology and online platforms, have reshaped travel habits in China. Shared two-wheelers ease traffic congestion and take the pressure off public transportation, providing users with a convenient way to get from subway stations to their offices", said Li Kaizhu, co-founder and president of Hellobike of Hellobike.

"However, shared e-bike businesses still face the problems of bike maintenance, limited parking. Efficient battery swapping is a challenge for e-bike providers," said Li Kaizhu.

With leading technologies, Hellobike aims to shape the future of e-bike

To offer a better riding experience, overcoming the technology barriers is the key. Chief among them is the battery. In April, NingdeZhixiang, a joint venture Hellobike established with CATL and Ant Financial, has raised USD 28.3 million (RMB 200 million) in fund from Zhonhen, a power electronics solution provider, which will be used for developing the next-generation e-bike battery.

For years, Hellobike has been pioneering the technologies for e-bike battery with CATL Battery, a leading vehicle battery manufacturer. The joint venture of Hellobike with CATL and Ant Financial NingdeZhixiang has also further expanded its cooperation with Zhonhen in the development of the battery-swapping station with the aim to provide e-bike users with a faster and cheaper way to replace flat or faulty batteries on the go.

"In the face of the challenges of the industry, we strive to improvae the technologies for e-bike, offering new models, better batteries and smarter features for the future of shared mobility. At Hellobike, we continue to align our mission to benefit our city and give our communities access to efficient, eco-friendly transportation", Li Kaizhu added.

SOURCE Hellobike