Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/262687
VOL. 51 ISSUE 7 FEBRUARY 19, 2014 P85 pacitors to supply energy needs for braking and acceleration. The batteries employ an ad- vanced Li-Air technology offering extremely high energy density since it uses oxygen from the air instead of storing it internally in an oxidizer. Airy, open wheels contain the rotor component of hubless electric traction motors that use magnetic levitation tech- nology employing zero friction. When necessary, they double up as brakes. The iON's steering and sus- pension systems employ pivots that are mounted on the power module, while multi-axis gyros and accelerometers maintain sta- bility at all times. All-directional sensors for VSA (Vehicle Situ- ational Awareness) keep track of the surrounding traffic flow and make corrections to the PBS sys- tems as needed. Its highly advanced suspension system, called the m-link, utilizes magnetorheological damping which adapts to road conditions in real time using several on- board sensors that continuously vary the power of electromagnet- ic force that controls the damping characteristics of the suspension system. Core basic vehicle infor- mation is available via the com- pact instrument cluster, but full information and communication is transmitted to the rider's hel- met through a VSA system that overrides any lower priority com- munications when traffic density becomes significant. The Hero iON demonstrates the remark- able R&D capacity that Hero has developed in house in just a cou- ple of years. That's backed up by the new Hero SimplEcity also launched at Delhi, the first electric mo- torcycle to come from an India manufacturer powered by a 4kW electric motor in the rear hub. A lightweight urban e-bike, it's good for a top speed of 37 mph and promises to offer an efficient and reliable urban commuter tool, with weight to a minimum at 77 pounds thanks to all-aluminum construction. The SimplEcity has several in- novative features, including a re- movable 51V 20 amp/hour 1kWh battery pack for convenient re- charging, while dashboard data is delivered through the rider's smart phone mounted on the handlebars via the included Sim- plEcity application. There's a "walk' mode to let the rider roll it effortlessly alongside when walk- ing, or else to give it a push when taken upstairs for storage. "This is the dawn of a new era, indeed a significant milestone in the exciting journey that we set out on a little over two years ago," said Hero boss Pawan Munjal in presenting this array of novelties at the Delhi Auto Expo. "Back then we promised to bring a range of all-new products and innovations that will unlock a New Age of technologically superior and youth-focused two-wheelers under the Hero name. Today, we are living up to that commitment by unveiling the first of our own product range on completely new platforms, developed by our diversified pool of human talent, with the power of game-changing breakthrough technologies, intel- lectual creativity and innovations. "This is indeed yet another ex- ample of the India Story - the suc- cessful pursuit of our engineers to scale new technology frontiers on their own, and leverage the best of technologies available around the world to make superior prod- ucts which will cater to different geographies around the globe. Being the global leader in two- wheelers, we have been challeng- ing the routine and the conven- tional. Hero's new motto is to drive change through path-breaking in- novations. With our finger on the pulse of youth, we are therefore developing products that will cater to customers around the world, both in the near and long-term. We have now successfully devel- oped an ecosystem of technol- ogy research & development that is designed to think beyond the obvious, and deliver future-ready mobility solutions." The range of models, both production-ready and future concepts alike, that Hero's en- gineers and their development partners produced for display at the Delhi Auto Expo, demon- strate that he's not kidding. They have catapulted Hero MotoCorp on to the world stage at the fore- front of contemporary motorcycle design, and bode well for the company's expansion into new marketplaces. CN