Electric bikes aren't exactly known for their aesthetics. But, with its most recent product-development project, the French upstart Coleen looks to change that, taking Jean Prouvé's classic World War Il-era design and giving it a 21st-century twist.
Every Coleen bike comes with a lightweight carbon frame weighing 1.9 kilograms (4 pounds), automated features like a screen display and a keyless ignition, and the ability to sync with a smartphone. Two models are available for pre-order, Mariniere and Opale, for €5,990. They will top out at 15 miles per hour (24.1 kilometers per hour) and have a range of more than 62 miles (99.8 kilometers). The first models will be delivered in July.
The project team took an agile approach during the bike's development. “Because we worked on an innovative problem, we couldn't anticipate everything,” says Audrey Lefort, one of the bike's designers and co-founders, Biarritz, France.
—Audrey Lefort, Coleen, Biarritz, France
Coleen's founders hope that their bikes, like Mr. Prouve's, will “reinvent the pleasure of urban travel,” she says.
