E+ Electric Bikes - Elite Mountain Bike

The powerful, rugged E+ Elite Mountain Bike (photo via Electric Motion Systems website)

Like a little raw speed with your electric bike?

I clocked my tester E+ Elite Mountain Bike from Electric Motion Systems at around 25 miles per hour on a flat straightaway with no pedaling.

The Elite version of the E+ bikes (designed for 'off road use only') comes with a 1000 watt in-wheel motor, but you can get 750 watt motor versions of the E+ bike in Cruiser or Mountain Bike styles that don't have the 'off-road only' stipulation.

The power of the in-wheel NiMH battery and motor system is definitely one of the major selling points for an E+ bike. Mounting the battery and motor low on the bike is also supposed to help keep the bike stable by creating a low center of gravity. The logic is flawless, but in practice it didn't make the bike feel appreciably more stable than any other e-bike that I've ridden.

So here's what I liked about the E+ Elite bike that I tested -

The in-wheel battery and motor design gives E+ bikes a distinctive silhouette (photo via Electric Motion Systems website)

1. Speed and Power - Press down on the throttle lever and the bike takes off. It's like a stealth moped.

2. Rugged design - The bike felt fully capable of handling some light off-road action. The bike's manual indicates that the E+ Elite Mountain Bike can handle paved roads, gravel surfaces and even rough trails with small obstacles, but it does emphasize that the bike should not be used in a jumping scenario. Although it would have been nice if the E+ Mountain Bike came with some splash/mud guards - especially since the bike is designed to allow light off-road use where there's usually a lot of dirt, mud, gravel and other earthy stuff.

3. Made in the U.S.A. - Electric Motion Systems is based in Virginia, and that's where it makes its E+ bikes. I like the idea of supporting domestic production, both in the interests of reducing environmental shipping costs and supporting American workers (particularly in a recession).

4. Style - The E+ Elite Mountain Bike got admiring looks and comments from bike messengers, European tourists and others. It's not flashy, but it will get noticed.

5. Cruise Control - I don't think I've seen this feature on any other e-bike. Press a button on the E+QUE Display/Controller unit on the handlebar and the bike will attempt to maintain a set speed. It's pretty nifty.

6. Regenerative Mode - Like the OHM bike, the E+ bikes can be set into regenerative mode to recharge the battery while going down a hill (or perhaps when the bike is mounted into a stationary rack). Unfortunately, it seemed harder to use the E+ regenerative system than the OHM system. Even on a downhill slope, I had a hard time pedaling the E+ bike in regenerative mode.

Now here are the things that irked me about the E+ Elite Mountain Bike:

1. Price - Even though I didn't pay to test the bike thanks to the generosity of Electric Motion Systems and Scott Gibson of EcoPioneer, I can't test a product without considering its price (and therefore its value). After all, Tesla Motors may make a beautiful electric sports car, but the price puts it out of reach for most consumers.

The E+ Elite Mountain Bike carries a MSRP of approximately $4,000. For perspective, consider that a new Vespa LX50 scooter for MSRP $3,299. True, the Vespa uses gasoline and is therefore less eco friendly, but it does get 95-100 mpg and goes 39 mph (according to the Vespa site).

I'm just saying that I think it will be hard for most people who aren't rolling in dough to spend $4,000 on an electric bike when they could get a gas scooter for hundreds of dollars less (actually thousands of dollars less if they are willing to get a Yamah C3 or Honda Ruckus scooter).

Now Electric Motion Systems is running a limited time offer to give customers a free Elite upgrade plus a rebate. These deals bring the price of the bike down to a more palatable $3,095 with free shipping.

That's better, but it's still a lot of dough and a few hundred dollars more than some other e-bikes we tested like the OHM Urban XU500 or the A2B Electric Two Wheeler (both of which retail for around $2800).

Push-Lever Throttle - The E+ Elite Mountain Bike uses a push-lever thumb throttle on the right handlebar. When you want the motor to kick in, you have to push down on the throttle. It sounds simple enough, but in practice I much preferred the twist throttle used on the A2B bike. As one of my commenters pointed out on the A2B review, it's actually quite safe to have a throttle that needs to be twisted toward you in order to generate power because it makes it much harder to accidentally gun the motor when reaching for the brake. But with a push-lever thumb throttle, I did just that and nearly accelerated into trouble a couple of times when I was trying to execute a sudden braking maneuver.

Weight - Like the A2B, the E+ Elite Mountain Bike tipped the scales around 70 lbs. Since mountain bikes already have more resistance than road bikes due to their thick tires, I found it nearly impossible to pedal the E+ Elite Mountain Bike without constantly using at least a little bit of battery power. I would urge Electric Motion Systems to prioritize weight reduction in their R&D effort, since a 10 or 20 pound lighter bike (like the OHM XU500 or the iZip Via Rapido) is much easier to pedal with pure human power - extending the range and providing the possibility of some exercise. (The combination of mountain bike seating and the need to constantly push the throttle with my thumb ended up putting a lot of pressure on the outside fingers of my right hand. In fact, after one long ride, my little finger and ring finger on the right hand were partially numb and tingly for hours. Not a good feeling.)

Maybe you would prefer your E+ electric bike in a Beach Cruiser style? (photo via Electric Motion Systems website)

Range - Electric Motion Systems says that the E+ Elite Mountain Bike should be able to go 25-28 miles on a full battery at 15 mph with a 185 lb. rider on flat ground and no pedaling. I weigh a good 25 lbs less than that theoretical rider and managed only around 15 miles of range with occasional pedaling on mostly flat terrain. For some of this time, I was experimenting with the Cruise Control feature of the bike (which I later found out might reduce range according to some online forums), but I still have to say that I was disappointed that the battery didn't last a longer distance.

Recharging Process - Not only did the recharging process take many hours, but the process of connecting the charger to the bike itself is a bit cumbersome. (In fact, I ever cut my hand a little bit trying to disconnect some wires in order to get access to the charging plug the first time I tried to recharge the bike. After that, I wore gloves when taking the charger on and off the bike.

Also, because the battery is built into the wheel, it's impossible to take the battery off the bike for recharging without removing the whole front wheel. In my opinion, that's a significant drawback to the E+ design. One of the nice things about the designs of many e-bikes - even much less expensive bikes like the iZip Via Rapido - is that it's easy to park the bike at a rack and remove the battery to take it into an apartment or office for charging. To be fair, taking the wheel off the E+ Elite Mountain Bike isn't that hard, but it is a heavier, more time-consuming, dirtier process than just sliding a battery pack out of the bike and literally putting it into a shoulder bag or bookbag.

Bottom Line - If you have deep pockets and are looking for a fast, rugged, made-in-the USA electric bike that can deliver some serious off-road fun, the E+ Elite Mountain Bike could be just the ticket. For urban commuters, I think there are some less expensive and more versatile options like the A2B (for twist-throttle fans) or the iZip Via Rapido (for those who prefer pedal-assist).

Where to Buy:

The Ellsworth Commute Ride, just one of the sweet custom designs offered by E+ (photo via Electric Motion Systems website)

You can order an E+ Elite Mountain Bike - or any of the other electric bikes that Electric Motion Systems makes - directly through the company's website.

Be sure to check out the sweet array of custom designed e-bikes that E+ can build on request.

Since every e-bike feels different, I'd highly encourage you to test ride an E+ bike at a local dealer in the U.S. or Canada before making a purchase decision.

Be sure to ride safely, wear a helmet and check the local regulations covering the use of e-bikes in your community.

Disclosure - E+ loaned me an Elite Mountain Bike to test and review for approximately one week. I returned the bike to an E+ representative at the end of the test period.

CleanWell hand sanitizer

CleanWell with Ingenium(TM) hand sanitizer

I'm somewhat of a germaphobe.

(I used to be an extreme germaphobe, but I'm in recovery. To anyone who has trouble relating, just try riding the NYC subway for a while and see if you don't start washing your hands compulsively.)

I guess the technical name for this fear-of-germs is mysophobia. I think the fear has been pretty well ingrained and promoted by sensationalist media programming hyping pandemic fears, which explains why millions of Americans lather themselves in 'antibacterial' soaps containing triclosan, despite some concerns about bacterial resistance and health effects on humans and other creatures (like frogs).

When it comes to hand sanitizers, of course, the most prominent ingredient is usually alcohol. Johnson & Johnson, for example, has achieved tremendous success with its Purell sanitizer, which relies on 65 ethyl alcohol for its germ-killing power. The advertising on Purrell bottles claims the product will kill 99.99% of germs.

Aside #1 - According to HowStuffWorks, ethyl alcohol is the same alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, so theoretically you could carry around a pint of vodka to use as a hand sanitizer, although it would probably be a more pricey solution -- unless you know where to get really cheap vodka.

Aside #2 - I have heard contradictory information over the years about whether hand washing or alcohol gels do a better job of sanitizing the hands. Internet research failed to clear up the issue to my satisfaction -- although it did reveal a disturbing report from USA Today that use of alcohol gel in one Nebraska hospital failed to lower infection rates.

The estimable Mayo Clinic says that antibacterial soaps are no more effective at killing germs than regular soap. It also says that alcohol gels do a better job at slaughtering bacteria than soap and water, but it still recommends washing if your hands are visibly dirty.

All of which brings us (at last!) to the review of today's product - CleanWell natural sanitizers.

One of the main selling points of CleanWell is that they are alcohol-free, but still claim to kill 99.99% of all germs thanks to an ingredient called Ingenium(TM), which as near as I can tell from CleanWell's website is made up of essential plant oils, primarily thyme.

Now lots of people might be interested in having an alcohol-free sanitizer. Despite Purell's marketing claims, I know from personal experience with alcohol-based sanitizers that they do sometimes leave my hands feeling a bit dry and irritated. The question is whether thyme (and other essential oils) kill germs as well as alcohol does.

I found one abstract of an article online (from Applied Microbiology) that purports to show that thyme does in fact do a good job of killing E. Coli bacteria.

More important, CleanWell points to results from ATS Labs in Egan, MN to support its claims for the germ-killing power of Ingenium. According to the results in the CleanWell press kits, the lab tests showed that Ingenium killed 99.99% of various nasty germs (staph, pneumonia, etc.) in 15 seconds.

The safety aspect of CleanWell is certainly appealing. CleanWell's press materials state that the product has the EPA's lowest possible toxicity rating and therefore does not have to carry any warning labels. In fact, it is marketed as 'safe for kids'.

CleanWell with Ingenium(TM) hand sanitizer

CleanWell's sanitizer is available both in wipe and spray format. The wipes are labeled as being cruelty-free. It's not clear if they are biodegradable, however.

The pocket-size sample spray that CleanWell sent over has a nifty design, although it's not clear if the plastic bottle is recyclable. (It's not labeled with any recycling number.) Also I wasn't sure if one pump of the mist/spray was enough to kill germs on my hands or if I should pump once for each hand? It might be nice if CleanWell could add some instructions to the label.

If you do have sensitive hands, CleanWell could be a great sanitizing option since the wipes didn't dry out my hands at all. In fact, they're pretty much saturated with moisturizing liquid. If anything, CleanWell could reduce the moisture a bit and still have a very nice wipe product -- although perhaps the wipes really need to be saturated with Ingenium to work properly...

Finally, the scent is really nice. Plenty of wipes have a harsh chemical or highly perfumed scent that can be embarassing, even nauseating to use -- especially if you're wiping or gelling right before/after eating. The light herbal scent of CleanWell is subtle, pleasant and generally inoffensive.

In conclusion, CleanWell looks like a nice hand sanitizer option. As a non-scientist, it's hard for me to say for sure whether it's really safer or cleaner than an alcohol-based gel/wipe, but I'm inclined to say that it appears a bit safer and greener. I would love to see the company move toward biodegradable wipes and recyclable/recycled bottles if it truly wants to embrace an eco-friendly identity.

FYI, The Daily Green published an interesting article last year on the whole hand sanitizer gel craze. I think The Daily Green may be overstating risks of triclosan (and I believe there plenty of alcohol gels on the market that don't contain triclosan), but triclosan's prevalence in human waste streams is disturbing.

On the other hand, The Daily Green wasn't a huge fan of CleanWell either partly because of a lack of information around inactive ingredients. Well the spray bottle I received did have an ingredient list including aloe leaf juice, citric acid, orange oil, oats, litsea oil, oregano oil and water -- all of which seem relatively innocuous to me from a human health standpoint. It does also contain Copper PCA and dicapryl sodium sulfosuccinate, both listed as low hazard ingredients by the Enivronmental Working Group, and sodium citrate, which apparently is safe enough to be an ingredient in ice cream! :)

Overall, I think CleanWell deserves strong consideration by eco-friendly shoppers looking for some portable protection from germs.

Where to buy:

Purchase online from CleanWell (8 pack of 10-wipe packets for $21.99, 6 pack of 1-ounce spray bottle with 225+ sprays for $16.99). Incidentally, these prices are much lower than the cost of other hand sanitizers I've seen marketed as eco-friendly.

You can also use the CleanWell store finder to locate a retailer near you that carries the product.

Disclosure - CleanWell provided me with complimentary samples of its hand sanitizing products to test while writing this review.

Toyota Camry Hybrid

2010 Camry Hybrid - stylish but subtle hybrid (photo via Toyota.com)

In the last few months, I've had a chance to test drive both a Toyota Camry Hybrid and a 2nd generation Prius.

I liked both cars, but from an eco-friendly standpoint it seems to me that the Prius is the clear winner. In Colorado, I averaged approximately 50 mpg in mountainous terrain on the 2nd gen Prius. By contrast, in admittedly horrible traffic in and around the New York metro area, I averaged only around 30 mpg in a 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid.

Now I presume that the 3rd generation Prius (i.e. the 2010 model year currently for sale in dealerships and advertised on Toyota's website) gets even better mileage and delivers even better performance than the Prius I tested, but I'll restrict my comparison to the older Prius that I actually test drove.

So how does the Camry Hybrid match up against a (last generation) Prius?

For me, the Prius wins by a knockout, offering better manueverability, better forward visibility and much better electric-only performance at low speeds. Indeed, one of the selling points of many hybrid cars is that they are supposed to be able to use electric power only to save gas and propel the car at low speeds. The Prius lived up to this billing, but while the Camry shut down its gas engine at stop lights to conserve gas, it seemed impossible to drive the Camry at more than about 5 mph without having the gas engine kick back in.

In terms of performance, neither car will win any drag races. Both perform admirably when cruising at high speeds, but you'll need to leave plenty of time for accelerating, merging and passing.

So why would a buyer putting eco-friendliness high on her list of purchase criteria choose the Camry Hybrid over the Prius? I can think of only a couple of reasons:

1. Anonymity. Prius drivers advertise their eco-minded attitudes to the world. Remove a couple of subtle little badges and the Camry Hybrid looks just like any of the other countless Camrys on the road. Some people like standing out. Others perfer to fly under the radar - the Camry Hybrid accommodates that desire.

2. Sedan v. Hatchback. I quite like hatchbacks both for their style and their versatility, but some people just want to drive a sedan. Since the Prius is only available as a hatchback, that pretty much disqualifies it from contention. I will say however that the Camry's battery pack reduces its trunk space considerably (a point emphasized in this review at eHow.com). One big suitcase will completely fill the trunk space. Fortunately, the Camry Hybrid comes with standard 60/40 split fold-down rear seats, providing some much-needed extra cargo space (as long as you aren't carrying any passengers in the back seat).

The comfortable, predictable interior of the Toyota Camry Hybrid (photo via Toyota.com)

3. Comfort. Both cars are comfortable from a driving standpoint. In fact, I think I found the Prius even more comfortable than the Camry Hybrid, but the Camry definitely has a bit of a more plush feeling, more of an intangible cushiness factor. For example, dual-zone climate control comes standard and you can upgrade to an options package with heated front seats.

4. Size. The Camry Hybrid is slightly bigger than the Prius. Both are mid-size cars, but the Camry is a few inches wider and more than one foot longer. The Camry Hybrid also weighs about 600 lbs. more than the Prius. For people who equate size with safety and weight, the Camry Hybrid may feel like the safer choice. Also, because of its bigger exterior dimensions, it has a few more inches of interior space, which may make it more comfortable for some people. (These perceptions may have some basis in reality. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gives the Camry Hybrid its highest 5-star rating for frontal crashes, whereas the 2009 Prius received only 4 stars. The 2010 Prius had not yet been rated at the time of this review.)

Bottom Line - It's great to see lots of hybrid cars coming to the market for buyers of all tastes. The Camry Hybrid could be the perfect car for someone who wants a solid, comfortable mid-size sedan with good gas mileage (rated 33 city / 34 highway) at a decent price.

IMHO, the Prius is clearly the more eco-friendly car and also a much better value. The Camry Hybrid carries a MSRP of over $26,000 (my tester was $28,138 nicely equipped and including delivery processing and handling fee). For comparison, the base version 2010 Prius carries a MSRP of $22,000 -- although the top-line version does go up over $27,000.

Incidentally, although the Camry Hybrid is clearly the more eco-friendly choice, it's probably very hard to justify the Hybrid version of the Camry on an economic basis. The non-hybrid base Camry (MSRP $19,395) has a nearly identical highway mpg rating (33 mpg vs 34 mpg for the hybrid) and gets 11 fewer mpg in city driving (22 mpg vs 33 mpg for the hybrid).

To the casual observer, it's just a stylish sedan. But we know this 2010 Toyota Camry is a hybrid. (photo via Toyota.com)

Using oversimplified calculations that assume an average mpg half way between the highway and city numbers, we'd get an average mpg of 33.5 for the Camry Hybrid and 27.5 for the regular base Camry. In other words, over 100,000 hypothetical miles of driving, the Camry Hybrid should require 2,985 gallons of gas, while the regular Camry should require 3,636 gallons of gas. Assuming a gas price of $3 per gallon, the regular Camry would require approximately $2,000 more gas over 100,000 miles, which means you would need to drive more than 300,000 miles before you could make up the extra cost of the hybrid purchase.

(Of course, you would make the hybrid premium more quickly if gas prices rose to $4 per gallon or higher as they did in 2008...)

It will be very interesting to keep an eye on innovation in the hybrid sedan segment over the next year or two. With plenty of competition among the Camry Hybrid, the Nissan Altima Hybrid ( 35/33 mpg), the Ford Fusion Hybrid (an impressive 41/36 mpg) and the Mercury Milan (also 41/36 mpg), hopefully we'll soon see some breakthroughs on price, battery performance and/or mileage.

Where to Buy -

Use Toyota's website to find a Toyota dealership near you.