Phosgo Go 5 Ultra Solar E-Bike Review: An ambitious solar e-bike with a few quirks

[Redaktion]

The Phosgo Go 5 Ultra takes a unique approach to e-bike utility by integrating solar panels directly onto the wheels, aiming to provide riders with a self-charging platform.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Phosgo-Go-5-Ultra-Solar-E-Bike-Review-An-ambitious-solar-e-bike-with-a-few-quirks.1360139.0.html

[PHOSGO]

Thank you, Stephen, for the detailed and candid review. The bike you tested was an early, non-retail prototype. The production-spec Go 5 Ultra has since officially launched on Indiegogo, and we would like to clarify several important differences:

1. Crosswinds: We recognize that solar-covered wheels behave differently from conventional wheels. In our separate challenging-weather test, the bike remained stable and controllable under the tested conditions. However, we still recommend slowing down or avoiding riding in extreme weather.

2. Assembly: The loose valve extender, tire leak, and damaged pedal thread occurred on the early prototype sample. We have since strengthened our production assembly, component inspection, and final quality-control procedures.

3. Fenders: Full-coverage fenders are included as standard equipment on the production Go 5 Ultra, addressing the water-spray issue experienced during the prototype test.

4. Overnight power consumption: Our assessment is that the drain may have been related to the early prototype's IoT system, which had not yet been fully configured and may have repeatedly attempted to connect overnight. The IoT configuration has since been updated for the production version.

5. Battery and range: The tested prototype used a 499Wh battery and an Ananda M100 motor, while the production version uses a 720Wh LG battery and a 750W Bafang M430 mid-drive motor. The prototype's range and power-consumption results therefore do not represent the final production model.

6. Solar charging: The four panels provide a combined rated peak of 200W, while real-world output varies with sunlight, orientation, weather, and shadows. In our separate test, the system generated approximately 138Wh during about four effective sunlight hours while the bike was parked upright.

We have published the corresponding crosswind and solar-charging test videos across our social media channels. Since links are not permitted here, anyone interested is welcome to search for PHOSGO and view the test footage.

We sincerely appreciate the feedback—it has helped us improve the Go 5 Ultra. We would be happy to share further updates and welcome a follow-up evaluation of the production version.