Izip Express Electric Bike is Here

Online, March 2, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Los Angeles, CA - March 1, 2010 - Currie Technologies® announced today that their much anticipated and technologically advanced Izip Express™ is now available for sale in the United States.

In December of 2006, Currie announced a relationship with the Swiss engineering company, Dolphin eBikes. Since that time, leading experts from around the world have come together to collaborate on building this revolutionary product. The consortium of experts consists of specialists in every functional area of eBike design:

Currie Technologies®, one of the oldest and most established eBike companies in the US, has funded the project in cooperation with Dolphin and had its own team, led by Director of New Product Development, Bill Horner, himself a 30+ year bicycle industry product development expert, dictating the product's specifications and coordinating the efforts of the various specialists world-wide.

Dolphin, a company founded in Basel, Switzerland by design engineer Michael Kutter, designed the patented pedal-electric hybrid drive system with a transmission similar to the hybrid mechanics found in some hybrid automobiles. Michael and his engineer partner, Simon Weishaupt, have worked diligently with the many vendors to develop the Express'™ unique mechanical and electrical components and to create its unique design.

Sturmey-Archer, the 1902 originator of internally geared hubs for bicycles, now part of Sun Race Sturmey-Archer Group, exclusively manufacturers in their Taiwan factory for Currie, the unique, patented hybrid drive rear hub system that is the heart of the Express™. Currie has dubbed the drive system EVO Drive 2.0 which is the dual input planetary drive that blends human and electric power inputs for optimal performance and power.

Trinamic, a German motion controls company engineered and delivered all of the electrical control hardware and software elements and is supplying the most critical electronic components which are manufactured in Germany for precise quality and reliability.

Fairly Bike Manufacturing in Taiwan helped to engineer the bikes geometry and develop a second frame size that is suitable for larger riders. Fairly builds the Express™' precision frameset, while their Chinese affiliate, Wettsen Corporation provides the finished assembly services and complete bike inspection and testing services on the Express™.

So how did this diverse international group do with this project?

In a recent performance test conducted in the fall of 2009, ExtraEnergy, a non-profit organization headquartered in Tanna, Germany that has been testing the performance of LEVs (light electric vehicles) since 1993, had this to say about the Express™:

Nora Manthey, editor and a member of the ExtraEnergy test team wrote this in her test report after personally putting the Express™ through its paces;

"Convincing performance as far as range and assistance factor is concerned - a trend setting product! Admittedly, with a weight of 30.2 kg the [Express™] was one of the heaviest bikes among the faster models in the test. But also recorded the longest range on the second highest assist level on the tour route. It was really sensational to ride at an average speed of 31.5 km/h (19.5 mph) for 60 km (37.3 m) without having to recharge. On the mountain route the Express showed its origin, namely the Swiss mountains. With a sensational assistance factor of 1.3 on the mountain, it is able to surmount about 2,300 meters with one battery charge."

For full details of the test result for Express™ visit http://extraenergy.org."

"The Izip Express™ featuring our all new Evo-Drive 2.0 technology is now in-stock and available for immediate shipment" said Larry Pizzi, Currie's President. "Offering an experience unlike anything else out there in the eBike space today, the Express™ is designed to amplify your human power to that of a professional cyclist. You will find yourself conquering hills, headwinds and long distances like it's child's play."

"We are confident that the Express™ will make an eBike believer out of anyone that takes it for an extended test ride and to that end, we have created a very aggressive demo program for our Dealers and invite consumers to visit an authorized Dealer and the media to contact us directly to experience the ride" said Pizzi.

To learn more about the Izip Express™ Visit http://www.currietech.com and to view the Owner Operation Manual http://www.currietech.com/pdf/expressman.pdf.