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Presentation: efw-Suhl E-Schwalbe

The swallow is flying again

The Schwalbe is making a brand new return with a striking, classic design, electric motor and modern technology. The retro scooter should combine cult character with a clean drive. Have a good flight!

At first glance, the illusion is perfect. These shapes, these curves – you can still recognize them as a swallow from 50 meters. Except that 25 years after production ended, this sparkling bird is not a perfectly restored specimen. But the exact opposite. A hand-made, mobile prototype in a retro design, a test vehicle. Conceived by committed enthusiasts, built in modern halls at a historical site in Suhl, Thuringia. The e-Schwalbe is a nod to the past, to a cult vehicle that many people associate with positive memories.

D.a, ox-eye indicators, 16-inch Heidenau models and a solid luggage rack with an adjustable strap are essential from the start. In addition, there is a storage compartment under the bench seat that just like back then does not hold a helmet. Only if you look closely, feel, will you recognize the most important differences: plastic body instead of sheet metal, telescopic fork instead of pushed short swing arm, hydraulically operated disc brakes instead of full hub drums. A low-maintenance toothed belt drive replaces the also clean, fully encapsulated chain of yore. And the glove compartment of the e-Schwalbe has a USB port for a cell phone and MP3 player.

The lack of an exhaust indicates the electric motor. Because it works without a gearbox, the gearshift and clutch, including linkage and lever, are also obsolete. The real highlight is hidden under the beautiful shell: the swing arm sits concentrically in the electric motor and rotates around the drive pinion of the toothed belt. As a result, its tension remains constant even when the two steeply standing struts are compressed. To this end, the 15-strong team at the Suhl electric vehicle works headed by head of development Dr. Andreas Leich developed the electric motor himself.

The designers mainly rely on German and European suppliers. And clever detailed solutions. The original swallow exposed the compartment above the hatch with a knurled screw and a one-piece cover made of sheet metal. The new model is smarter. Remote unlocking from the ignition lock opens the hinges on the left and right two flaps made of colored plastic. Up to three lithium-ion batteries sit underneath as a power source. They can be removed from any socket for charging, have the size of a briefcase and weigh ten kilograms each. Each battery pack contains 182 individual cells.

From spring 2012 the e-Schwalbe will fly in two versions. Initially 5.4 HP, 45 km / h fast and equipped with a battery pack for 4699 euros. With 1.44 kilowatt hours in eco mode, it should allow a range of up to 60 kilometers. Charging time: five hours. The stronger Schwalben sister carries two such batteries for 5799 euros. With the same chassis and identical engine, it achieves 8.2 HP continuous power and in sport mode a maximum of almost eleven HP peak power. Different software makes this possible for one of the three control units and the second battery pack. It drives the weight from 115 to 125 kilograms. For a surcharge, a parallel, third battery lifts the range up to 180 km, depending on driving style and performance.

700 charging cycles are guaranteed per battery. Thus, with a range of 50 kilometers you can achieve at least 35,000 kilometers with one battery. You have to go together at 45 km / h. The battery management system always puts the highest load on the most powerful battery. Even without a two-stroke rattle and blue haze: the combination of tradition and modernity seems to have succeeded. The recognition value is high. The e-Schwalbe has what it takes to achieve new cult potential, to become a public favorite in town and country.

Technical specifications

Blacksmith

Battery (s) to take with you: Up to three briefcase power plants fit in.

engine
Permanently excited synchronous electric motor, removable lithium-ion batteries, battery capacity 31.5 or 63.0 Ah (expandable to 94.5 Ah), charging time about five hours per battery pack, operating voltage 48 volts, final drive via toothed belt.
Rated output 4 kW (5.4 PS) or 8 kW (10.9 PS)
Max. Torque 40 Nm at 1900 rpm
landing gear
Central tube frame made of steel with beams, telescopic fork, Ø 32 mm, two-arm swing arm made of steel, two spring struts, front disc brake with double-piston floating caliper, Ø 260 mm, rear disc brake, single-piston floating caliper, Ø 200 mm, tires 90 / 80-16 and 100 / 80-16.
mass and weight
Wheelbase 1290 mm, total length 1923 mm, seat height 820 mm, weight 115/125 kg, payload 185-195 kg.
Two year guarantee
Price including additional costs 4699 or 5799 euros
InfoTel. 0 36 81/8 79 26 83, www.e-schwalbe.de

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