"Major bicycle manufacturer Kent is announcing today its first electric bicycle designed specifically for children. The Kent Torpedo packs an e-bike system onto a 20″ kids bike, charging up the ride with more distance and speed.
Before you start pulling out your pitchforks, know that the Kent Torpedo is a pedal assist e-bike.
That means it doesn’t have a throttle. It’s not a mini-motorcycle for children, it’s just a normal pedal bicycle that benefits from an added assist motor.
The motor is mounted in the rear wheel and adds 180W of power in full power mode. There are medium and low power modes that provide even softer assist.
An LED battery meter is mounted on the handlebars that also houses the power mode selector.
The motor doesn’t add any assist unless the rider is pedaling, and the assist cuts out immediately when pedaling stops. The brake levers that control a pair of V-brakes also have sensors to cut motor power any time the brakes are pulled.
The motor is supplied by an adorable little 24V 5.2Ah battery with just 125 Wh of capacity. In low power mode, the battery is sufficient for 15 miles (25 km) of range.
Of course if the battery ever runs out, the e-bike simply turns back into a standard pedal bike powered by a morning bowl of Wheaties. There’s even a six-speed transmission that makes the bike extra pedal-friendly even without any electric assist."
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