- So we here at The Verge love electric rideables.

- 所以我們The Verge的人都喜歡電動車。

Hoverboards, skateboards, scooters, motorcycles, mopeds,

懸浮板、滑板、滑板車、摩托車、輕便摩托車。

unicycles, tricycles, you name it, we've ridden it.

獨輪車，三輪車，你能想到的，我們都騎過。

But I'm here to tell you why I think electric bikes

但我在這裡要告訴你，為什麼我認為電動自行車

in particular are more than just a fun tech fad.

尤其是不僅僅是一種有趣的科技時尚。

I think they could actually be the future of transportation.

我認為它們實際上可能是未來的交通工具。

But that said, there's a lot out there,

但說起來，外面有很多。

and you don't wanna get fooled.

你不想被愚弄。

So here's some stuff you need to know about e-bikes.

所以這裡有一些關於電動自行車的東西，你需要知道。

(downbeat remixed music)

(節奏感強的混音音樂)

Obviously e-bikes are not new.

顯然，電動自行車並不新鮮。

They've been around for decades.

他們已經存在了幾十年了。

And if you live in China or Europe, it's a good bet

如果你住在中國或歐洲，這是個不錯的選擇。

that e-bikes are already a way of life for you.

電動自行車已經是你的一種生活方式。

In Europe, for example, e-bikes have long helped

例如，在歐洲，電動自行車早已幫助了

older adults maintain independence and are just now

老年人保持獨立，現在才

really blowing up with younger riders.

真正吹起了年輕車手。

But here in the U.S., e-bikes are still pretty niche.

但在美國，電動自行車還很小眾。

They only account for a 4% of total bikes sales.

他們只佔自行車總銷量的4%。

Compare that to more bike-friendly countries

與更多的自行車友好型國家進行比較。

like the Netherlands where there are more e-bikes sold

像荷蘭，那裡有更多的電動自行車銷售。

than regular bikes.

比普通自行車。

Overall, experts predict that worldwide sales

總體而言，專家預測，全球銷售

will hit $23.8 billion by 2025.

到2025年將達到238億美元。

But Americans are slowly coming around.

但美國人正在慢慢回過神來。

Sales of electric-bikes in the U.S. have grown

美國電動自行車的銷售量有所增長

more than eight folds since 2014.

自2014年以來，超過8次折。

It took a long time to get to this point.

花了很長時間才走到這一步。

Now one of the first patents for an electric-bike

現在是電動自行車的首批專利之一。

was registered in 1895 by an inventor named Ogden Bolton.

1895年由一位名叫奧格登-博爾頓的發明家註冊。

Now Bolton didn't actually end up making or selling

現在，博爾頓實際上並沒有最終制造或銷售。

any of his bikes,

他的任何一輛自行車。

but amazingly some of the same design details can be found

但令人驚訝的是，一些相同的設計細節可以發現

in e-bikes today.

在電動自行車的今天。

A rear hub motor with a battery centrally mounted

後輪轂電機，電池集中安裝。

on the frame.

在框架上。

Now I know what you're thinking.

現在我知道你在想什麼了

What the hell is he talking about?

他到底在說什麼？

A rear hub motor, amps and volts.

一個後輪轂電機，安培和伏特。

I don't wanna get ahead of myself.

我不想自作主張。

So let's talk about the basics before we get to

所以，在我們開始討論之前，我們先來談談基本的東西

why e-bikes are the future of transportation.

為什麼電動自行車是未來的交通工具。

(upbeat dance music)

(歡快的舞曲)

So generally speaking e-bikes are bicycles

所以一般來說電動自行車就是自行車

with a battery-powered assist that comes through

帶電池供電的輔助系統，通過以下方式實現

when you pedal or in some cases use a throttle.

當你踩踏或在某些情況下使用油門時。

Pushing on the pedal activates a small motor

踩踏板可以激活一個小電機。

that gives you a boost.

這給你帶來了動力。

So when you're zipping up a hill

所以當你在山上飛馳的時候

or cruising over rough terrain,

或在崎嶇的地形上巡航。

you don't have to break a sweat.

你不必出汗。

Twisting a throttle does the same thing

擰油門也是一樣的道理。

but without pedaling.

但不踩踏。

There are two types of motors.

有兩種類型的電機。

There's the mid-drive which is located in the middle

有一個位於中間的中置驅動器。

of the bike usually between the two pedals.

的自行車通常在兩個踏板之間。

And then there's the hub motor which is located

然後是輪轂電機，它位於...

in the center of either the front or the rear wheel.

在前輪或後輪的中心。

There are pros and cons to both types of motors.

兩種類型的電機各有利弊。

Hub drives have been around forever and tend to be cheaper

集線器驅動器已經存在了很久，而且往往比較便宜。

and more versatile.

且用途更廣。

They're really excellent motors for anyone needing

他們是真正優秀的電機，對於任何需要

a reliable e-bike for long, mostly flat commuting.

一款可靠的電動自行車，適合長時間、大部分時間的平地通勤。

Mid-drives are usually smaller and lighter

中置驅動器通常更小、更輕。

and can allow for greater torque than hub drives

並可實現比輪轂驅動更大的扭矩

making them well suited for hilly areas and off road use.

使其很適合在丘陵地區和非公路上使用。

Their center position on the bike also creates

他們在自行車上的中心位置也創造了

a more balanced ride.

更平衡的騎行。

And changing a tire on a mid-drive bike

而在中置驅動自行車上換胎的時候

is usually less of a pain in the ass.

通常是不那麼麻煩的。

E-bikes also tend to use different types of sensors

電動自行車也往往使用不同類型的傳感器

to determine how best to dole out power.

以確定如何最好地分配權力。

There are two types, torque sensors and cadence sensors.

有兩種類型，扭矩傳感器和節奏傳感器。

Torque sensors regulate the motor based on

扭矩傳感器根據以下情況調節電機

how hard you're pushing the pedals,

你有多大力氣推踏板。

while cadence sensors work off of how fast you pedal.

而節奏傳感器則根據你踩踏的速度來工作。

Good bikes use torque sensors while the low enders

好的自行車使用扭矩傳感器，而低端車則使用扭矩傳感器。

have cadence only, and a lot of bikes use both.

只具有節奏感，很多自行車都使用這兩種。

I highly recommend testing out both types of motors

我強烈建議對兩種類型的電機進行測試

before buying an e-bikes to see which is the best for you.

在購買電動自行車之前，看看哪種電動自行車最適合自己。

Think about how you plan on using the bike.

想想你打算如何使用自行車。

Commuting, off-roading, touring?

通勤、越野、旅遊？

The better e-bikes brands usually match the appropriate

比較好的電動自行車品牌通常會搭配相應的

motor placement with the type of bike they're selling.

電機放置與他們銷售的自行車類型。

Most mountain bikes come with mid-range motors

大多數山地車都配有中檔電機

while the majority of commuter bikes sold

而大多數通勤車的銷售

in hill-less Amsterdam are hub based.

在無山的阿姆斯特丹，以樞紐為基礎。

♪ They see me rollin' ♪

他們看到我滾

♪ They hatin' ♪

他們恨

♪ Tryin' to catch me ridin' dirty ♪

試圖抓住我騎'骯髒的的

(funky percussion music)

(時髦打擊樂)

Now let's talk power.

現在我們來談談權力。

Manufacturers will often offer power ratings

製造商通常會提供額定功率

for a variety of reasons.

由於各種原因，。

Until recently power ratings

直到最近，功率等級

were a way for bike companies to dance around

是自行車公司繞開的一種方式

Europe's strict importation laws

歐洲嚴格的進口法

which prohibited anything stronger than 250 watts.

其中禁止任何超過250瓦的設備。

But now the continent allows the sale of bikes

但現在大陸允許銷售自行車了。

with way more powerful motors, which is good

用更強大的電機，這是很好的

because it allows bikes to be seen as a viable

因為它讓自行車被視為一種可行的交通工具。

alternative to cars.

汽車的替代品。

Still power ratings can be pretty subjective,

功率等級還是很主觀的。

and you can probably get away with just ignoring them.

你可能會得到與只是忽略他們。

To get a better idea of how much maximum power

為了更好地瞭解最大功率有多大，我們可以從以下幾個方面著手

you'll actually feel, check to see if they list

你會實際感受到，檢查他們是否列出了。

the volts and the amps.

伏特和安培。

Multiply those two together to get the watt hours

將兩者相乘，得到瓦特小時數。

or the number of watts that can be delivered in an hour.

或在一小時內可輸送的瓦數。

This gives you a great sense of how much range you'll get.

這樣就能很好的瞭解到你的續航能力。

For example, Rad Power Bikes' excellent cargo bike

例如，Rad Power Bikes的優秀貨運自行車。

the RadWagon has a battery pack that is 48 volts

RadWagon的電池組是48伏。

and 14 amp hours.

和14安時。

48 times 14 equals

48乘以14等於

672 watt hours.

672瓦時。

If you're thrifty with your energy usage,

如果你對能源的使用很節儉。

each mile you travel will cost you about 20 watt hours.

每行駛一英里將花費你大約20瓦時。

Therefore, a 672 watt hour pack will get you

是以，一個672瓦時的電池組將為您帶來以下好處

about 34 miles of range.

大約34英里的範圍。

(light electronic music)

(輕電子音樂)

Alright, let's talk classes.

好吧，讓我們來談談課。

There are three classes of e-bikes in the U.S.

美國的電動自行車有三類。

Class one is pedal assist with no throttle.

第一類是踏板輔助，沒有油門。

Class two is throttle assisted but with a maximum

第二類是油門輔助，但最大限度的

speed of 20 miles per hour.

時速20英里。

In a class three, it's pedal assist only, no throttle,

在三類車中，只有踏板輔助，沒有油門。

but with a maximum speed of 28 miles per hour.

但最高時速為28英里。

In Europe they only have two classes.

在歐洲，他們只有兩個等級。

Class one, which is by far the most popular,

第一類，這是目前最受歡迎的。

has a maximum speed of 25 kilometers an hour

最高時速25公里。

with no helmet required.

不需要戴頭盔。

Class two is 1,000 watt plus motors

第二類是1000瓦以上的電機。

capable of going 45 kilometer an hour,

能夠以每小時45公里的速度行駛。

require a helmet and can't be ridden on bike paths.

需要戴頭盔，不能在自行車道上騎行。

They're basically motorcycles.

他們基本上是摩托車。

So where can you buy an e-bike?

那麼，哪裡可以買到電動自行車呢？

Well, your local bike store is honestly your best bet.

嗯，你當地的自行車店是你最好的選擇。

You're gonna get a selection that's been curated

你會得到一個選擇，已經策動

by the owners, and the folks that work there

由業主，和鄉親們在那裡工作

are gonna have answers to all your burning questions.

會有答案 你所有的燃燒的問題。

Amazon is obviously another place,

亞馬遜顯然是另一個地方。

but there's some pretty serious trade-offs

但也有一些相當嚴重的權衡。

that you have to consider.

你必須考慮的。

Your bike could arrive pretty banged up.

你的自行車可能會被撞得很慘。

And the companies that sell e-bikes on Amazon

而在亞馬遜上銷售電動自行車的公司呢？

are a little bit ephemeral, here one day, gone the next.

是有點短暫的，今天在這裡，明天就消失了。

It's not just Amazon of course.

當然，不僅僅是亞馬遜。

A majority of the e-bikes sold in the U.S.

在美國銷售的電動自行車中，有大部分。

are just cobbled together from off-the-shelf

都是現成的。

Chinese made parts that you can find in the catalog.

中國製造的零件，你可以在目錄中找到。

And if that sounds easy, it's because it is.

如果這聽起來容易，那是因為它是。

It helps explain why there are like a billion

這有助於解釋為什麼有像十億

e-bikes companies on Kickstarter and Indiegogo

Kickstarter和Indiegogo上的電動自行車公司

trying to impress you with their flashy designs

譁眾取寵

and futuristic tech.

和未來科技。

Many don't come with warranties or any customer support.

許多人沒有保修或任何客戶支持。

And it's very likely that you're buying a Chinese model

而且很有可能你買的是中國型號的產品

that's just been rebranded for Western marketing

改頭換面

and sold at a markup.

並加價出售。

If you find an e-bike that you like,

如果你找到一輛你喜歡的電動自行車。

an interesting test is to search the bike's specs

一個有趣的測試是搜索自行車的規格。

on Alibaba to see if something similar

在阿里巴巴上看看是否有類似

is being sold in Asia.

正在亞洲銷售。

It might even be cheaper.

甚至可能更便宜。

Alright, so I promised to explain why I think

好吧，我答應過要解釋為什麼我認為... ...

that e-bikes are the future of transportation.

認為電動自行車是未來的交通工具。

So here we go.

所以在這裡，我們去。

First, it lowers the barrier to biking.

首先，它降低了騎車的門檻。

So if you're someone who's older or you're stressed out

所以，如果你是上了年紀的人，或者你的壓力太大

about the strains of biking, it really lowers the barrier,

關於騎車的勞累，確實降低了門檻。

and it's easier to justify getting on a bike and just ride.

而且更容易證明騎上自行車就可以了。

You're more likely to ditch your car or delete you Uber app

你更有可能拋棄你的車或刪除你的Uber應用。

if you know you're gonna get to where you wanna go

如果你知道你會到達你想去的地方。

without getting sweating and stressed out.

而不至於汗流浹背、壓力山大。

And look, if you're worried about electric bikes

你看，如果你擔心電動車的話

taking all the fun out of cycling, well, you're wrong.

把所有的樂趣了自行車， 好了，你錯了。

A study of the cognitive and psychological effects

認知和心理影響的研究。

of outdoor cycling actually found the same results

戶外騎行的結果其實也是一樣的

for e-bikes and traditional bikes.

用於電動自行車和傳統自行車。

Let's say climate change has got you down.

比方說，氣候變化讓你失望了。

Electric bikes are way more sustainable

電動自行車更具有可持續性

than electric cars.

比電動汽車。

They're gonna make our cities more livable,

他們會讓我們的城市更加宜居。

and they're gonna help clear up traffic congestion.

他們會幫助清除交通擁堵。

So as our cities are becoming more congested,

所以隨著我們的城市越來越擁擠。

some companies are turning to e-bikes

一些公司正在轉向電動自行車

to make their deliveries.

以使其交付。

Domino's Pizza recently announced they're gonna be using

多米諾披薩最近宣佈，他們將使用

Rad Power Bikes to make pizza deliveries in some cities.

鐳射動力自行車將在部分城市進行披薩配送。

UPS is using electric cargo bikes.

UPS正在使用電動貨運自行車。

German delivery company DPD is gonna be using

德國快遞公司DPD將使用

these really cute looking mini trucks

這些真的很可愛的迷你卡車

that are actually e-bikes in disguise.

其實是變相的電動自行車。

E-bikes are changing the way that businesses

電動自行車正在改變企業的經營方式

are doing business.

正在開展業務。

(light uplifting music)

(輕快的音樂)

So the other day I was riding an e-bike to work,

所以有一天我騎著電動自行車去上班。

and a remarkable thing happened.

然後發生了一件了不起的事情。

Well, first, I wasn't killed, which,

好吧，首先，我沒有被殺，這。

in a city as deadly for bikers as New York,

在紐約這樣一個對騎車人來說是致命的城市。

is a minor miracle.

是一個小小的奇蹟。

But more importantly I got to the office super quick,

但更重要的是我到辦公室的速度超快。

much faster than if I had taken the subway,

比我坐地鐵快多了。

and I wasn't a sweaty, stressed out mess when I arrived.

而我到了之後，也不是一個滿頭大汗，壓力很大的爛攤子。

Here e-bikes are almost exclusively used

這裡幾乎只使用電動自行車

by food deliver workers, and it got me thinking about

送餐員，這讓我想到了。

how far behind the rest of the world the U.S. is

美國有多落後於世界其他國家？

when it comes to bikes.

當涉及到自行車。

We see them more as recreation than as transportation.

我們更多的是把它們看作是娛樂而不是交通工具。

Something to be used in fair weather

晴天用的東西

and not in the rain and the snow like the Dutch do.

而不是像荷蘭人那樣，在雨雪天氣裡。

But come on, our U.S. women's team just beat them

但是，我們的美國女隊剛剛擊敗了他們。

in the World Cup.

在世界盃。

Surely we can compete in the saddle as well.

當然，我們也可以在馬鞍上競爭。

Our streets are designed for cars,

我們的街道是為汽車設計的。

and pedestrians and bikers are really just an afterthought.

而行人和騎車人其實只是後話。

But e-bikes can open up a whole world,

但電動自行車可以打開一個完整的世界。

especially for people with different abilities.

特別是對於不同能力的人來說。

Look, they're not gonna solve everything,

聽著，他們並不能解決所有問題。

but I can guarantee that once you start riding,

但我可以保證，一旦你開始騎。

you're not going to wanna stop.

你不會想停止。

Did we make that word up?

這個詞是我們編的嗎？

Is that a real word, rideable?

這是一個真實的詞，可騎？

It's like a lunchable, but you ride it.

這就像一個午餐，但你騎它。

(laughs) What the hell is that thing?

(笑)那到底是什麼東西？

(engine hums)

（發動機嗡嗡聲）

- [Assistant] Maybe it'll be really quick.

- [助理]也許會非常快。