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Delfast Dnepr Electric Motorcycle Sets Record at Bonneville Speed Week 2021

By General Posts

by Cristian Curmei from https://www.autoevolution.com

The current electric movement is extending further than anyone may have previously imagined. One company pushing electric speed limits is Delfast with their most recent speed record setting action at Bonneville Speed Week 2021.

If you haven’t heard of Delfast yet, it’s time to catch up as this team is breaking all kinds of barriers. Since the Ukrainian-based manufacturer of e-bikes set a Guinness World Record for “Longest Range” back in 2017, the company has fallen under the attention of many a circle, even providing their EVs to police forces around the world.

Their most recent achievement, and one worth the attention, is their newest speed record achievement at Bonneville. Now, they did go out there with an e-bike, but alongside said e-bike, with an electric motorcycle based on a previous Bonneville visitor, the “Dnepr Electric” motorcycle from back in 2018. This bike set the record at 104.78 mph (168.62 kph) in the “A” Omega category.

The rider of the vehicle back in 2018 was Serhii Malyk, a Ukrainian racer and multiple title champion that just so happens to love hanging out at Bonneville and kicking up salt on just about anything that’s fast.

Ever heard of Dnepr? Well, this Soviet-ran manufacturer’s history began before WWII. However, it wasn’t until 1952 that the company ran full steam ahead. With a design focused primarily on military use, these puppies are still found today, some still sporting the sidecars of their time.

What really brought fame to this brand was their attempt in copying an existing motorcycle design, the BMW R-71. Without any apparent documentation, Soviet engineers decided to copy the BMW model. With a 22 hp engine, four speeds, and shaft drive, the Soviet’s named it the M-72.

Well, a most recent acquisition of the Dnepr trademark and all intellectual property rights by Delfast has granted the Ukrainian manufacturer the ability to step into the electric motorcycle game. After all, how else are you going to “grow” a business?

With this eye on the EV revolution, Delfast has taken the previous Dnepr Electric motorcycle, and upgraded the version to include an updated controller, and most importantly, a synchro motor inclusive of permanent magnets. Overall, it’s cranking out a top 100 kW of juice, the equivalent to 134 horsepower. However, Delfast states a top 136 horsepower output in their press release.

Honestly, at this point, it doesn’t even matter. Why? Because they did it! They set a new record speed of 107.2 mph (172.52 kph), near 3 mph (4.82 kph) faster than the record. Sure, it may not seem like much, but those extra two-something miles are proof that the work and tech this team is developing is on the right track. For this ride, Serhii was the choice pilot once again. After all, he seems to have the most experience with this bike.

What does all this mean for Delfast and Dnepr? Well, for Delfast it means a new era of electric research, one that falls into an existing category of vehicles, motorcycles, allowing them to really accelerate their growth, and for Dnepr it means the brand continues to live on. Win-win if you ask me. From here, there’s only one way to go; back to Bonneville next year, with a bigger, better, stronger, faster machine. Can’t wait to see what electric motorcycle they’ll be showcasing for road use.

Delfast Bikes to break away from production in China

By General Posts

by Cristian Curmei from https://www.autoevolution.com

Delfast Bikes Does the Unthinkable and Starts Breaking Away From PRC Production

There’s no doubt that e-bikes are what booming in the urban mobility game. One company carrying the torch and leading the way for e-bikes is Delfast Bikes.

It’s possible you’ve heard of Delfast Bike by now. In case you haven’t, know that this is one of the e-bike manufacturers you should be keeping an eye on. Between 2014 and 2017, this company was hard at work delivering a different sort of product, parcels or packages, but behind closed curtains, Delfast was hard at work developing their own machine able to withstand the treacherous roads of Kyiv, Ukraine.

In 2016, this company began selling its first e-bike, and just a year later, in 2017, set a Guiness World Record for the longest e-bike ride on a single battery charge, 367 km (228 mi). How? Well, I mentioned the team had been working on something behind closed curtains, mainly, it was a battery management system.

Let’s face it, the e-bikes this team creates have way more to do than just simple battery management. Another aspect of design that Delfast seems to be partaking in, is that of creating an overall rugged and capable bike. How rugged? If you’ve been following along with autoevolution, you’d know that even the Mexicali Police are now using products from Delfast to monitor crime. Imagine seeing police officers silently chasing down fugitives. The days of horseback riding are over.

Recently, this EV company ran a $3,000,000 crowdfunding campaign to help expand and ease company operations. Now, anytime a company asks investors to throw in some cash, you’d better be sure they deliver. Such a doubt has no place if we’re to be talking about Delfast. By the end of the campaign, this team had raised $400,000 more than they initial sum aimed for.

“We are delighted to raise such a record amount in three months. This funding will take us one step closer to our goal to build an industry-leading e-bike manufacture and support a climate-safe transportation community around the globe,” said Daniel Tonkopiy, co-Founder and CEO.

But why was this campaign needed in the first place? I thought you’d never ask. Think if it this way. Before this crew launched the campaign, they already had $100 million in pre-orders. $100 million! Give the people $3,000,000! I wonder what the investor portfolios are looking like.

With the newfound cash, Delfast has invested in a production center in their own backyard and not in the current PRC. It looks like, slowly but surely, this team wants to transfer their e-bike production out of China, something a lot of e-bike companies see as out of the question.

A few days ago, the e-bike manufacturer released an announcement stating they’ve signed an agreement with Kyiv-based tech company ELMIZ. If you’ve never heard of ELMIZ, not to worry, your future Delfast e-bike will be assembled with the help of a company that has been specializing in the production of space docking systems, laser navigation and radio communication systems, and even automated devices for space vehicles. And that’s just a part of the story, ELMIZ also produces charging stations for electric cars, mining equipment, and porous cast aluminum for mechanical engineering, not to mention lighting systems.

“The factory has a wide experience in producing complex electronics, space systems and charging stations for electric vehicles. Considering its resources, expertise and qualified engineers, we can be sure that our e-bikes will be produced in a high quality and in accordance with our requirements,” says Tonkopiy about the agreement.

Currently, the new facility will be able to manufacture five e-bikes per month, while the goal is to increase production to 50 units per month by the end of 2021. One major benefit that Delfast customers can now look forward to is an increased production capacity, meaning you’ll get your bike sooner than anticipated; shorter delivery times for U.S. and E.U. clients by up to three weeks.

In my opinion, keep your eyes peeled as this company is setting a new standard for how an e-bike should perform. If you feel you’ve missed out on the investment opportunities this company has offered in the past, don’t. They are on a clear growing curve and even now is a good time to hop on the fastest e-bike for 2021 according to Forbes.

Right now, an Earth Day campaign is running on the manufacturers website that drops $1,556 off the 3.0’s starting price of $6649. So, you can get the freshest menace form this team for $5,256. Honestly, for that price, you’re buying an electric motorcycle that just happens to include a pedal-assist function.