‘Unlike anything you’ve ever seen before’ I tested Acer’s very weird AI-powered e-bike for a whole month

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Acer ebii 20: One-minute review

Every industry has its disrupters. Those designers and manufacturers who decide to make a product with the aim of redefining and disrupting everything people previously thought they knew. Apple did it with the iPhone, Nothing is attempting it with other electronic gadgets like the CMF Watch Pro and CMF Buds Pro 2, and Acer has attempted it here with the ebii e-bike.

When I first heard that Taiwanese electronics company Acer had released an e-bike, I couldn’t quite believe it. I actually did some Googling to check if there was another company who had decided to use the same company name. There wasn’t.

Acer ebii 20 — (Image credit: Future / Paul hatton)

The carbon belt drive is long-lasting and low-maintenance. An advertised life of 19,000 miles for the belt means it’ll take a long time to require replacement. Not having any grease to deal with not only makes maintenance a breeze but also removes the risk of getting it on your clothes.

LG cells has a maximum range of 100 km / 62 miles. This is far from the longest the best electric bikes have to offer, but it is more than adequate for any commute. A four-hour recharge can be easily achieved while either at work or overnight before riding it again in the morning.

The CGO600 Pro is perfectly positioned as a city commuter. The medium-to-thin tires eat up the miles, and handling around traffic is light and easy. The price is comparable with most of its competitors for this e-bike type, and, given its fantastic performance, it’s one of the best commuter bikes on the market at the moment.

Acer ebii 20 review: Specs

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Component	Acer ebii 20
Size range:	157cm x 102cm
Motor:	250W
Top speed	15.5 mph / 25 kmh
Power:	460W Lithium-ion Battery
Control:	Phone app
E-bike classification:	Class 1
Speeds:	Single-speed
Brakes:	6.3-inch Hydraulic Disc Brake
Frame material:	Aluminum
Weight:	23.5 kg / 51.8 lbs
Range:	110 km / 68.35 miles

I decided not to look at the price until after I had carried out most of my testing, because I didn’t want to be unduly influenced by it either way. Now that I know the price, all I can say is that I didn’t expect it to cost anything like what Acer is charging for it. On performance alone I would have put it around the $1,250 / £1,250 / AU$1,800 mark. With that in mind, I’d much rather spend my money on something like the ENGWE MapFour N1 Air.

Engwe L20. It’s not that I don’t like it per se, but like the 1962 Peel P50 car, it just takes a little time to know exactly what you’re looking at.

As well as that solid white block that spans the two wheels, one of the most notable deviations from a standard e-bike design is the inclusion of a single-armed front fork. Despite it being more than sturdy enough, it just felt mentally wrong not having my weight distributed across two forks.

When I first saw the e-bike, I thought it would be foldable. I spent time looking for a catch that would allow me to fold it up, but let me save you the hard work; this is not a foldable e-bike, despite the design suggesting it should be.

It’s a shame, because this is one bike that could have really benefited from the folding mechanism. This is a long, heavy bike that is cumbersome to move around. When I compare it to the lightweight Brompton G-Line or even the Engwe P20, I think Acer has missed a trick.

If we consider the sweet spot for this type of design, it would have to be a city-based urban dweller who still has the space to store a fully assembled bike. Unless you could fit it in your elevator, you’ll also want to make sure you can store it at ground level because it weighs a hefty 23.5Kg.

The weight in and of itself is not necessarily a huge problem, but what is is the way it is distributed across the bike. With most of it located towards the front, I found it a little awkward and at times unsafe to handle.

More positively, I love its airless tires, which are thick enough to make easy work of any uneven roads or paths. There’s also a super bright front light, which is integrated into the main frame. I would like to have seen an integrated rear light as well, but Acer decided against this.

Acer ebii 20 review: Performance

Fast-acting brakes
A useful set of security features
Lack of overall power

The ebii’s performance is a bit of a mixed bag. The e-bike is driven by a quality carbon belt which is both smooth and reliable. Even though it might be slightly less high-performing than a chain, there’s always the benefit of having very little to worry about in terms of maintenance.

Brake performance is also a win for the ebii thanks to hydraulic disc brakes (160mm rotors), which provide efficient stopping power. Due to the time of year, I wasn’t able to test it in the wettest of conditions, but I had no problems stopping when I needed to, even when performing an emergency stop.

From a security point of view, the ebii excels as a result of an auto-lock system that utilizes Bluetooth to lock the bike when you leave and unlock it when you’re nearby. I found this feature incredibly useful, although, much like a keyless car, it’s slightly unnerving walking away, not knowing whether it’s truly disabled.

Moving onto where the ebii didn’t perform so well, and unfortunately it’s in the area which matters most for e-bikes. It was rather disappointing to find that the 250W front hub motor found it difficult to pull the weight of the bike efficiently enough, even when cycling along flat roads. Don’t ever get me started on the lack of assistance up medium inclines. Much of these could have been addressed with a higher-performing motor, and if it was positioned at the rear, then that could have also helped.

One of the other frustrating things about the ebii was that there was a constant white noise emitted from the handlebar unit. That might have been bearable, but unfortunately it was also paired with a repetitive ticking sound. From my research, it appears that this was because I didn’t have a SIM card inserted. I’ve read of others having the same problem.

Acer ebii 20 review: Battery life

Limited range, especially when using boost mode
Detachable battery
Helpful battery integration with the app.

Battery life is one of the most important considerations when it comes to purchasing an e-bike. If the battery doesn’t have enough capacity to take you between your location and your destination, then it’s a pointless piece of kit, especially considering the motor resistance on the ebii is so strong that you can’t ride it without electrical assistance.

Managing battery life is where Acer’s technology comes into its own. Thanks to the ebiiGo app, users can track the amount of remaining battery life and thereby make sure they have enough juice left in the tank to make their desired journey. It’s also possible to select boost mode, smart mode, or eco mode to help manage what you do have left.

Additionally, there’s an ebii Assist mode that tailors the riding experience thanks to some handy AI learning techniques. For example, after learning your riding style, the e-bike is able to tweak the “motor output to provide effortless riding based on” your pedaling power and current road conditions. This tailored experience also extends to managing battery consumption based on your chosen destination. Personally, I preferred to be in total control of my ride, but if you’re happy with the computer taking the reins, then this will work well for you.

Tenways CGO600 Pro or the Brompton C-Line, is pretty limited. I would like to add that I wasn’t the first person to ride the test unit and so couldn’t guarantee how many miles it had already been subjected to.

I loved being able to remove the battery and charge it indoors. That way I could keep an eye on it rather than leaving it charging elsewhere. I recently tested a Quella e-bike with an integrated battery, which made it impossible to charge anywhere else but where the bike was locked up.

As a quick side note, it’s also possible to USB-C charge laptops, phones, or other devices by connecting them to the battery. Very clever!

Battery life score: 3.5/5

Acer ebii 20: Scorecard

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Category	Comment	Score
Value	A very expensive for what it is. Better performing e-bikes are available at this price point.	3/5
Design	A unique design but an unbalanced weight distribution.	3.5/5
Performance	Fast-acting brakes and a useful set of security features but lacks motor power.	3.5/5
Battery Life	A limited range, but AI helps to manage the battery well.	3.5/5

Also consider

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Component	Acer ebii 20	Tenways CGO600 Pro	Engwe P275 Pro
Size range:	157cm x 102cm	157cm x 96cm	98.5cm x 188cm
Motor:	250W	250W (UK) / 350W (US)	250W Brushless Motor
Top speed	15.5 mph / 25 kmh	15.5mph / 25kmh (UK) and 20 mph (US)	15.5mph / 25kmh
Power:	460W Lithium-ion Battery	36V 10Ah Lithium-ion Battery with LG Cells	36V 19.2Ah SAMSUNG Lithium-ion
Control:	Phone app	Small OLED Display	Bafang TFT DP C244
E-bike classification:	Class 1	Class 1	Class 1
Speeds:	Single-speed	Single-speed	Bafang 3 levels automatica gear shifter
Brakes:	6.3-inch Hydraulic Disc Brake	TEKTRO Hydraulic Disc Brakes	180mm Front & Rear Tektro hydraulic disc breaks
Frame material:	Aluminum	Aluminum	6061 Aluminum Alloy
Weight:	23.5 kg / 51.8 lbs	18kg including accessories	25.3kg
Range:	110 km / 68.35 miles	100km / 62 miles	260km (PAS 1 level), 150km (PAS 5 level)