HydroRide: These e-bikes do not require a battery and are just as efficient

At present, more e-bikes are sold in Germany than conventional bicycles without an electric drive, so the technology is now well developed and well established. The vast majority of e-bikes use batteries to store significant amounts of energy, up to the kilowatt hour range. In this context, there are also concepts that rely on hydrogen for energy storage.

HydroRide is one such company that uses this type of energy storage. The Swiss-based e-bike manufacturer is not primarily targeting private customers, but rather rental companies and other commercial customers who are likely to benefit from the cheap and extremely fast charging processes: the batteries do not have to be charged for hours. Instead, the hydrogen containers can be changed in just three to ten seconds. The extent to which this is really advantageous in practice is likely to depend on individual circumstances: a rental company could also simply keep exchangeable batteries in stock.

Not only are two matching e-bikes on offer, but also a matching hydrogen generator. The generator can be operated with solar energy, whereby 20 grams of hydrogen can be produced in 5 hours - the starting material is high-purity water. The manufacturer has presented two different e-bikes. The Sport Bike is a bike with a rather futuristic look, and a foldable e-bike will also be offered.

The maximum speed is stated as 23 km/h and the range as 60 kilometers, which is more mid-range in terms of electric bikes.