Budget-friendly electric bicycles are a dime a dozen these days, and you can very easily snap up a bargain e-bike if you spend some time rummaging through various online shopping sites. Lots of e-bike brands focus on the budget segment, as they know it’s the easiest way to get more people on two wheels. A good example of this is Zundapp, and its Z808 electric mountain bike.
Those of you who are fans of vintage motorcycles would be familiar with Zundapp as a historic German motorcycle brand. Founded in 1917, the German motorbike manufacturer had a major role in transporting troops around during the war, however, following lackluster performance in the years after the war, it found itself closing shop in 1984. These days, the Zundapp brand has been resurrected, but instead of making motorbikes, it now makes budget-friendly electric bikes.
In the case of the Z808, it’s an all-around electric bike which follows the simple formula of a hardtail mountain bike. It rolls on 27.5-inch wheels, and has a barebones aluminum frame and rudimentary suspension fork from Zoom. While these may seem unimpressive, it goes without saying that simple tech speaks to longevity.
On the performance side of the equation, the Z808 is powered by a rear hub motor from Ananda. The Chinese-sourced Ananda M129 motor produces 250 watts of nominal output, and has a torque rating of 40 Newton-meters (28 pound-feet). Meanwhile, battery tech comes in the form of a 504-watt-hour battery that’s housed sleekly into the bike’s downtube. Here, Zundapp claims a range of up to 150 kilometers (94 miles) on a single charge, depending on riding conditions and terrain.
Zundapp has equipped the Z808 with a 27-speed drivetrain composed of an amalgamation of Shimano and Microshift components. This allows riders to pedal seamlessly alongside the motor, to both optimize range, and perhaps get a bit of a workout in. Furthermore, the bike’s hydraulic disc brakes ensure that the bike stops on a dime, both on and off-road.
When it comes to pricing and availability, numerous online retailers sell the Zundapp Z808, and shipping it to multiple parts of the world shouldn’t be too much of a challenge. For instance, on Amazon, it’s offered at the low low price of just 1,299 Euros, or about $1,429 USD. That said, Zundapp’s recommended retail price for the bike is 2,599 Euros, or about $2,859 USD.
