Final month I used to be lucky sufficient to make a journey to China and go to seven completely different micromobility firms, every of which invited me to tour their manufacturing facility, check out their new merchandise, or attend their main occasions. The journey is one thing of a sequel to the first Chinese language manufacturing facility tour journey I took final 12 months (with the documentary of that journey racking up thousands and thousands of views on YouTube).
Within the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing detailed articles and movies about every of the next visits. However within the meantime, take into account this as a preview of what’s to come back.
Bafang manufacturing facility tour
Bafang is maybe the very best recognized Chinese language electrical bicycle part producer. The corporate is extensively regarded for its motors, which have been its flagship merchandise for over a decade. Everybody within the e-bike trade is aware of that if you would like a stable motor (and don’t need to pay for a German motor), you go to Bafang.
However because it seems, Bafang makes just about the whole lot else on an e-bike too, now even together with the batteries.
Lengthy-time followers of my articles and movies may keep in mind that I really took a tour of Bafang’s manufacturing facility all the way in which again in 2019. The corporate has since expanded to a a lot bigger manufacturing facility and the manufacturing processes have additionally improved. That was a very fascinating factor of my go to, having the prospect to see simply how a lot has modified within the final 5 years.
For instance, automation has helped substitute lots of the jobs beforehand executed by hand within the manufacturing and meeting traces for elements like motors and controllers. Nonetheless, the working setting has improved significantly for sure duties like effective soldering which are nonetheless executed by extremely educated arms. The older fume hoods that when hung over workstations as a way to filter out soldering exhaust have now been moved into the work surfaces, which means that as a substitute of soldering fumes rising up previous the nostril of the employee on the way in which to vents, the gases at the moment are sucked downwards and out to the filters. What was as soon as an answer to guard everybody besides for the rapid employee is now an answer to guard everybody.
The battery manufacturing facility was one other fascinating a part of the go to, as batteries are one of many latest elements added to Bafang’s shortly increasing lineup.
The method is extremely automized. First, particular person battery cells are sorted by machines into essentially the most comparable resistances, then grouped into modules which are ultrasonically welded collectively. Human arms return to the equation with the meeting of the battery modules into the circumstances, after which the batteries are despatched for inspection on the finish of the meeting line.
Earlier than the batteries could be packaged for cargo although, each single pack is put by way of a cost and discharge cycle to check for anomalies. Huge racks run down the hallways with lots of of batteries at a time present process testing.
Different new improvements that Bafang has begun integrating into its product traces are its personal internally geared hubs with automated transmissions in addition to hub motors with built-in transmissions. One drawback that has plagued the e-bike trade is using present transmission elements that weren’t meant for high-power motors however quite human leg energy. With Bafang creating its personal bicycle transmissions which are designed to work with greater steady energy present in electrical bikes, reliability ought to see a major enchancment.
There’s much more the place that got here from although, so be sure to keep tuned for my full report from the manufacturing facility, coming quickly!
NIU Manufacturing facility Tour
I’ve ridden a NIU electrical moped since 2020 and have lengthy been a fan of the model, which is named a number one electrical good scooter model. The corporate’s designs have typically been imitated, however there’s no substitute for the true factor, particularly as NIU has quickly expanded its big selection of choices.
My tour began within the manufacturing facility showroom, which underscores simply how vast that product line really is. We’re used to seeing the corporate’s export merchandise, however there’s an much more numerous lineup of home electrical two-wheelers designed for the Chinese language market.
From there, we moved to the manufacturing facility ground the place scooters are assembled. Flying conveyor techniques with hanging part cabinets are pre-loaded with all of the elements essential for constructing these scooters, permitting line employees to pluck off the mandatory elements as they float by at every stage of the meeting course of.
The scooters go collectively surprisingly shortly as they transfer down the road, with check riders ready for them to roll off the ultimate ramp. After the scooters are inspected and test-ridden, they’re finally moved into a large storage warehouse and loaded onto vehicles for delivery everywhere in the nation and export to worldwide sellers.
In one other a part of the manufacturing facility I noticed the standing electrical scooters present process comparable processes, with an meeting line conveying the scooters alongside as employees assembling them forward of in depth rider inspections and check rides.
I additionally had the prospect to check trip a number of of NIU’s electrical automobiles, from the standing electrical kickscooters to their greater velocity mopeds and full-size electrical bikes, to even the corporate’s Sur Ron-competitor electrical dust bike.
That bike, the street-legal NIU XQi3, was impressively highly effective, and I needed to be cautious to maintain the entrance wheel down when rolling off the road.
I’ll nonetheless at all times be a fan of the corporate’s mopeds although, or “seated electrical scooters” relying on how true to the time period moped you’d prefer to be. As a lot enjoyable as electrical bikes and dust bikes could be, there’s one thing so utilitarian a couple of seated electrical scooter that makes it the right automobile alternative for me.
EUNORAU Headquarters Tour
I’ve been driving EUNORAU electrical bikes for years and years, however this was my first probability to lastly meet the group behind the bikes. I visited their headquarters close to Hangzhou and took a tour by way of lots of the firm’s previous, current and future e-bikes, together with fashions nonetheless within the works.
From there, I visited their operations heart the place the corporate has a big warehouse stocked with nearly the whole lot you can ever have to service and help e-bikes. Along with EUNORAU’s Las Vegas service heart, the corporate is able to ship out elements from its headquarters when essential.
I even acquired a glance behind the scenes on the firm’s new BKRE service, which is extra vital than ever with the growing variety of e-bike firm closures. Mainly, BKRE shares lots of the elements utilized in widespread electrical bikes from firms which have folded. Meaning house owners of these e-bikes can have someplace to show sooner or later in the event that they want help. Looking for a random controller or show could be almost not possible with out figuring out the precise factories these elements come from. With its deep community of connections within the e-bike manufacturing trade, EUNORAU can discover alternative elements for almost any electrical bike made in China.
They inventory a lot of these elements already on a number of rows of cabinets of their warehouse. For elements they don’t have already got available, house owners can contact BKRE and with a bit of luck, the fitting half could be present in a number of days and despatched out anyplace on this planet.
Final however not least, I wasn’t about to depart with out the prospect to trip a bunch of EUNORAU’s electrical bikes.
I had the whole lot from the brand new model of the corporate’s fats tire electrical trike to triple-battery electrical bikes to four-wheeled electrical quad bikes at my disposal.
I zipped across the space of the town they have been situated in on a number of of the corporate’s e-bikes, testing out the brand new elements and enhancements which have come from listening to the suggestions of 1000’s of consumers.
There’s much more to come back although, so be looking out for my deep dive article and video on the expertise!
Yadea Retail Seller Present
This was completely wild! The final time I used to be in China, I visited certainly one of Yadea’s huge factories. Yadea is the world’s largest electrical automobile producer. They make the whole lot from mild electrical scooters for recreation and commuting to heavy-duty electrical trikes for industrial use. However their important merchandise are seated electrical scooters, of which they produce thousands and thousands.
This time, Yadea invited me to attend the corporate’s Retail Seller Present. There have been over 4,000 sellers there, principally from China but in addition from all all over the world. The present was completely huge!
Along with the massive attendance, Yadea had examples of lots of the varied fashions of electrical automobiles they produce. I noticed some acquainted fashions but in addition skilled dozens of fashions I’d by no means seen earlier than.
From Sur Ron-style electrical dust bikes to Vespa-style vintage-looking electrical seated scooters, Yadea had all of it there. I even checked out the corporate’s new sodium-ion batteries and quick charging expertise, which may very well be an enormous recreation changer for longer-lasting, safer batteries.
The sheer selection seen on the present was mind-blowing. I’ve coated electrical automobile firms for years, attended dozens of commerce exhibits, and test-ridden actually lots of of automobiles. However I’ve by no means seen a single producer with such a breadth of automobiles as this.
Dahon Headquarters Go to
Dahon wasn’t the primary to invent a folding bicycle, however the firm was one of many earliest to popularize them with commercialized fashions. The corporate’s first folding bikes, launched in 1984, are nonetheless extremely wanted, and surviving examples carry excessive costs on the resale market. Extra not too long ago, Dahon has expanded its vast line of folding bicycles to incorporate many various kinds of folding electrical bikes.
I toured Dahon’s showroom to see lots of the soon-to-be-released fashions that may land in dealerships later this Spring. Speaking to the group, I realized extra about what makes Dahon’s folding e-bikes so particular, together with a give attention to body rigidity that helps cut back that telltale flexy feeling on many folding bikes out there.
After trying out the brand new lineup of Dahon folding e-bikes within the showroom, I headed outdoors to expertise them firsthand. From ultra-lightweight e-bikes to a brand new electrical gravel e-bike and even a heavy-duty electrical tricycle for carrying cargo and youngsters, the Dahon fashions have been a blast to trip.
Ending up the go to, the group took me on a night group trip that they get pleasure from a number of instances a month as an opportunity for the group to spend time driving collectively on the good bicycle trails round Shenzhen.
Zhenmin golf cart manufacturing facility tour
Zhenmin gave me entry to their whole manufacturing facility to see how electrical golf carts and neighborhood electrical automobiles are produced. The corporate builds a variety of fashions and begins from the bottom up, welding frames and fabricating our bodies proper there within the manufacturing facility.
The method is basically guide, with employees hand-forming and welding the assorted elements.
Lots of the firm’s fashions are exported to India, whereas others are bought in varied nations in Asia and South America.
The warehouse for accomplished golf carts ready to ship out was huge, with lots of if not 1000’s of models ready in varied packaging levels for his or her journeys.
As with a lot of my different visits, I used to be completely satisfied to take the chance for some check rides. I began with a lifted electrical golf cart constructed for a US-based firm (although I needed to cowl the model’s logos). I can’t let you know which one, however I’ll be excited to see them convey this beast of a golf cart to market. It’s extremely highly effective, to the purpose that I nearly threw myself out the facet of it on a pointy flip.
I additionally tried smaller and fewer beast-like machines, together with these designed for aged riders. They have been enjoyable in their very own manner, and there’s one thing good about not having centrifugal forces combating over your limbs. There’s undoubtedly nonetheless a spot out there for modest neighborhood electrical automobiles!
Heybike Alpha check trip
Additionally in Shenzhen, I had the chance to go to Heybike’s new headquarters. The corporate not too long ago moved into a brand new Shenzhen workplace, and their group is clearly fairly completely satisfied about all the additional area. There wasn’t an excessive amount of to see inside but, so as a substitute we spent many of the go to testing out the corporate’s new Heybike Alpha electrical bike.
It was simply unveiled at CES and is the model’s first mid-drive electrical bike. The highly effective motor proved to be extremely torquey, serving to me climb up each dust and concrete hills with ease. I may even climb stairs on the bike!
The fats tires make fast work of each on-road and off-road surfaces, and mid-drive motor with included torque sensor is a pleasure to make use of. Nonetheless, you undoubtedly have to be cautious with it as a result of the acute torque of the motor requires some care when shifting to go straightforward on that drivetrain.
We don’t know the ultimate worth of the Heybike Alpha on the time of writing, however it’s anticipated to be some of the reasonably priced mid-drive electrical journey bikes available on the market, serving to to proceed Heybike’s technique of worth pricing on the corporate’s present line of numerous types of electrical bikes.
I’ve already shared my check driving video on that bike, so be sure to test it out right here!
Keep tuned for extra!
Ensure you examine again over the subsequent month or in order I launch a devoted article and video on every of those visits.
The journey was an eye-opening expertise, and I hope to provide you all that very same feeling of going behind the scenes to see what goes into these automobiles that we so generally use every day!
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