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Acer Is Swapping Laptops For An AI-Infused Electric Bike

Acer is swapping laptops for electric bikes

(Image credit: Acer)

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on our sister site, Tom’s Guide.

Acer has taken a break from desktops and laptops to venture into the world of electric bikes.

The Taiwanese computing firm has unveiled the lightweight, 35lb “ebii” e-bike that, it says, is an “AI-driven smartbike for city dwellers looking to make their commute easier.” We don’t have a release date yet, so if you need some electric wheels right away, check out our best electric bikes guide here.

With a suitably futuristic-looking design (crafted from an aluminum alloy) the ebii boasts a top speed of 20mph and a 70-mile range on a single charge. Acer says it’ll take about two-and-a-half hours for the bike to charge up.

According to Acer, the AI comes into play by learning riders’ preferences and shifting gears for them depending on road conditions. Other features include the ability to auto-lock when a linked phone goes beyond a certain distance from the bike.

Airless tires mean riders shouldn’t have to worry about punctures and Acer has also fitted the ebii with collision detection sensors and built-in lights.

“With auto-lock systems and GPS positioning, you’ll never have to worry about where you parked your bike again,” Acer said. “ebii is also designed to send immediate alerts whenever someone tries to move ebii without you.”

(Image credit: Acer)

Acer ebii electric bike: Price and availability

An accompanying smartphone app will give you information on battery life, recommended routes, and your current speed. You’ll also be able to use the ebii’s removable lithium-ion battery as a (somewhat) portable power pack to charge your phone or laptop.

A few accessories, like fenders or a rear rack for pannier bags, aren’t included as standard but can be purchased as optional extras.

Acer hasn’t revealed a price tag for the ebii yet, but we wouldn’t be surprised if it landed somewhere around the $1,500 premium e-bike benchmark we’ve seen from other manufacturers. At least it should be cheaper than the $10,000 asking price from Audi for its recent e-Tron electric mountain bike.

See also: Apple’s Google Maps Rival Wants You To Ditch Your Car For An E-Bike One Day

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