Erik Buell’s latest moto innovations are planned to start deliveries in 2024.
Remember the Fuell Fllow electric motorcycle? First introduced to the world back in the hazy days of April, 2019, those extra “l”s were there for a reason. It’s the latest creation from Erik Buell, you see—and if there’s one thing we should know about the man by now, it’s that he doesn’t know how to quit.
Toward the end of 2019, we dug up one of the many patents that Fuell has applied for with regard to technologies involved in the Fllow’s creation. At the time, we noted that the bike was already available for pre-order on the Fuell website, should intrigued potential buyers have $500 to spare. The first deliveries were expected to start rolling out to customers toward the end of 2020, we understood—and now, what happened next unfortunately becomes an instant stab in the heart.
You see, like everyone else, Fuell’s plans were sidelined by the pandemic. From the supply chain to investors, nothing was working out the way it had been planned. Just because everyone else was going through the same thing didn’t make it easy—but thankfully, the nascent electric endeavor managed to come out on the other side. That’s why, in November, 2022, Fuell is ready to re-launch the Fllow electric motorcycle—or rather, prelaunch it on a new platform called Prelaunch.com.
This time around, Fuell is aiming to secure 3,000 reservations for the Fllow, at $200 a pop. If it’s successful, it will then launch a crowdfunding campaign to bring the functional concept bike they’ve built to full production. Deliveries, Fuell says, should then start rolling out to customers in 2024.
What Are the Specs Like?
The Fuell Fllow makes use of a patent-pending rear wheel drive motor, which they’re calling a Transverse Flux Motor. It’s built exclusively by Fuell to power the Fllow—not sourced from elsewhere. It’s direct-drive; no need to worry about a chain or a belt. Claimed power is about 47 horsepower (with a 15-horsepower version available). The battery, which is integrated into the chassis and sits down low up front, is a 10-kilowatt-hour unit. Curb weight is 400 pounds.
Claimed urban range is about 150 miles, or 240 kilometers. Thanks to onboard CCS charging capability, Fuell says it’s possible to charge your battery up to full in just 30 minutes. Opt to go between 20 and 90 percent of a full charge, as most EV users do, and the company says you can charge it in just 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can of course plug it into a regular wall outlet at home for a slower charge, if you’re going to leave it parked for a while.
As you might expect of an electric motorbike in 2022, the Fuell Fllow also packs a connected dashboard and a host of features. Linked intelligent ABS, walk and reverse assist, eTraction control, blind spot detection, and front and rear collision warning are just some of the features mentioned in Fuell’s literature.
Importantly, Fuell says that the Fllow is designed to be modular, so individual components like the battery pack, rear wheel motor, and so on can be upgraded over time, as technology and your needs as a rider evolve.
Know what else the Fuell Fllow design has that no other electric motorcycle on the market in 2022 has? An onboard 50-liter secured storage space! There’s a frunk up front, which sits over the battery and is accessed from the top—where a fuel tank would be on a piston-powered bike. It can reportedly fit a full-face helmet, as well as whatever bag you like to carry your stuff in (of reasonable size). If there’s one thing I wish that most electric two-wheelers had, it’s more onboard storage space. Yes, I know batteries are currently quite large, and they have to go somewhere—but still. Nice work, Fuell design team.
What’s it cost?
Interestingly, Fuell opted to stick to its original pricing target from 2019 with this new Prelaunch.com effort. In 2022, the target price remains set at $11,995. Booking a reservation for a Fuell Fllow on the Prelaunch.com platform (which we’ll include a link to in our Sources) will run you $200, but it also knocks $2,000 off the total MSRP—and you get a bonus Fuell Carbon modular helmet, exclusively made for Fuell by French helmet maker Veldt. Currently, Fuell plans to offer the Fllow in your choice of four colors: Silver, Red, Blue, or Black.
The Story So Far:
Source: Prelaunch.com
