Cambridge, Massachusetts - Right off the bat, Michael Burtov said he and his team at technology startup GeoOrbital did not re-invent the wheel.
But, in a sense, they did.
After two years and five prototypes the Cambridge-based startup has developed a new type of electric bicycle wheel that has steered the company into crowdfunding stardom, raising more than $1.2 million (R17 million) at a record-setting pace on Kickstarter.
The newly developed bicycle wheel has the major components of an electric vehicle - a 500 watt motor, a lithium battery and a suite of electronics, all arranged to fit perfectly into the radial of a wheel made out of high density foam to avoid a flat tyre.
GeoOrbital founder and CEO Michael Burtov explained: “The unique thing about this wheel is that we rearranged it; we kind of re-imagined how we put these things together.”
Practical system
That wheel, which costs roughly $800 (R11 400), transforms any bicycle into an electric bike that can accelerate to 30km/h in six seconds.
“It's not a more efficient system, it's just a more practical and applicable system,” said Burtov, adding that his wheel has a USB port, enabling riders to charge their smartphones on the go.