New Ora Ïto-designed E-Bike opens up the British city

(Image credit: TBC)

E-bikes are on the up, as commuters shun public transport and cities clamp down on ageing private cars. As a result, more people are discovering the sheer joy of riding electric than ever before, and the unprecedented surge in demand has encouraged new brands to enter the market, along with new approaches to design.

This month, Paris-based bike makers Angell launched their E-Bike in the UK. The company’s selling point is the bike’s lightness and its design – it was shaped by the French industrial designer Ora Ïto to have a futuristic, seamless experience. The flowing frame gives the bike a curvaceous profile, creating a hi-tech, minimal appearance. Weighing in at just under 16kg, the Angell is powered by removable 2kg battery pack that can be charged in just 2 hours. Top speed is around 25km/h and the 70km range should take care of almost every daily riding situation. A small internal battery powers the touchscreen ‘dashboard’ as well as the automatic locking, inbuilt geolocation, and motion detector system.

Angell's E-Bike, Paris-based bike makers Angell launched their E-Bike in the UK — Angell's E-Bike, Black Edition

Angell was founded in 2018 by Jules Trecco and Marc Simoncini, the founder of pioneering French online dating service meetic. One of the duo’s intentions for Angell was to lure drivers from their cars – the inclusion of brake light and indicators gives riders a sense that they’re slotting safely into regular traffic alongside motorbikes and scooters. Reflectors built into the wheels also help with visibility and an accessories partnership with Closca brings a stylish helmet into the mix, with a front pannier system and wooden basket for extra cargo space, the Angell is urban transport well worth considering.

‘It was doubly interesting, the chance to work on a future mobility project,’ says Ora Ïto, ‘this is a hybrid object with a brief for a design that was totally in tune with my philosophy: ‘simplexity’. I wanted the bike to be completely no-frills, stripped back to the basics. That gives it its own identity, what makes it unique. Ultimately it is more than a bike. It is truly a mobility object, a future mobility object.’

Accessories by Fosca, including a helmet

INFORMATION

Angell E-Bike, £2,690, accessories from Closca

Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.