If you’ve ever wanted to ride a horse with no name but have equinophobia, we’ve found something else that you can ride, which is also nameless. Dubbed “The Audi electric mountain bike powered by Fantic”, this new e-mountain bike will set you back at least $10,000. Inspired by the Audi RS Q e-tron Dakar racer, this two-wheeled off-roader might actually be worth the cash.
Lots of car companies are interested in the e-bike scene right now. GMC released one that pairs with the Hummer EV last year, while Polestar announced that it’s working on e-bikes with Allebike, and Porsche has a couple already available. For its entry into the market, Audi is teaming up with Italian e-bike manufacturer Fantic.
The result is the aforementioned “Audi electric mountain bike powered by Fantic”. At its core is a Brose S-MAG 36 Volt 250 Watt electric motor with up to 66 lb-ft (90Nm) of torque. It’s powered by a 36-volt 720 Wh battery pack. That force is transmitted to the rear wheel only.
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The frame is mostly aluminum with carbon fiber seat stays. Sram GX Eagle components sit alongside Mavic E-DEEMAX tubeless-ready wheels and Vittoria tires. Notably, this is a staggered setup with a 27.5-inch tire in the back and a 29-inch tire in the front. Audi says that it’s at home on a variety of terrain but will excel downhill. With 180mm of suspension travel, that’s not hard to believe.
“At Audi, we’ve been bold in our commitment to becoming a leader in providing sustainable premium mobility,” commented Andrew Doyle, Director Audi UK. “The Audi electric mountain bike in cooperation with Fantic is another fantastic example of how we can expand our mobility offering to customers that extends beyond the award-winning models they drive.”
Those who are familiar with Fantic might recognize that these specs are very closely in line with those of its XEF 1.9 Factory e-bike. It routinely trades hands for north of $8,500 so this one, starting at £8,499 (Aprx. $10,070 USD), isn’t all that much more considering its connection to Audi.
