Latest audio The branded E-Tron is an electric mountain bike, and its branding is far from subtle. Literally, it’s called the Audi E-Tron Electric Mountain Bike. Automakers partnering with bike companies is nothing new. In fact, one of the most famous is the parent company Audi by Volkswagen in partnership with Trek, the company gives away a bike when you buy one Jetta version of Trek. However, in this case, Audi won’t be giving away the E-Tron Electric Mountain Bike as it retails for an attractive $10.126.
Audi says the car is inspired by Race car RS Q E-Tron Dakar, which in itself looks more like the shoe you wear on a mountain bike than a car. It carries the same orange and black construction markings color as the racer Dakar, making the car look quite functional. Audi has high hopes of beating the returning champion Toyota in this year Dakar . protest with the refurbished RS Q. Unfortunately, two of the real Dakar machines broke down during the 2023 race (Read our in-depth, behind-the-scenes story here), one was so hard that driver Stephane Peterhansel passed out, while a third, driven by Mattias Ekstrom, finished 14th overall.
Hopefully the Audi E-Tron Mountain Bike will have more luck getting the rider to the finish line. It should, because it’s actually made by Italians electric bicycle expert Fantic, using its XMF 1.7 as the base. It’s powered by a 250-watt Brose S-Mag 36 electric motor that delivers 66 pound-feet of torque, while the bulging lower frame rail houses a Fantic-made, 36-volt, 720Wh lithium-ion battery battery. No maximum speed or range is specified.
Both Audi and Fantic branded e-bikes come with a derailleur, chain, gear lever and brake from Sram, as well as the Selle Italia saddle. While Fantic XMF 1.7 without Audi branding will price around $6,700, there are some details that are not up to standard on the Fantic e-bike. Audi has fitted its version with a fork, spring and shock absorber from the suspension specialists at Öhlins, providing 180mm more travel than the standard Fantic’s 170. You can still pair your own Audi clone for less than the asking price, but if you can drop $10,000 on an e-bike, the difference won’t be as significant.
If the Audi E-Tron e-bike is too expensive for your wallet, there are always products associated with other car brands. Harley Davidson’s electric bike starts at $3,399 but not built for off-road. Can compare e-bikes worth as much as Hummer is priced at 3,999 USDwhile Jeep’s electric bike costs 9000 USD.
