Stark Drive Is Moving to 48V Across Our Lineup!

Hello Stark Drive Army!

We are super excited to announce that Stark Drive is being upgraded for 2020 in many major ways.

Although much of our staff has been working from home due to the ongoing pandemic, we have still been looking for ways to improve every aspect of Stark Drive and we are pleased to announce those upgrades to you today.

48V versus 36V

When we first launched Stark Drive in 2017, we chose 36V for several reasons. It was more common in the industry and with higher production volumes of 36V bikes worldwide, we were able to secure amazing pricing starting at only $399 for our base model. The battery packs for 36V bikes also require 1/3 less cells to achieve the AH ratings on our packs in comparison to their 48V equivalents of the same capacity however a 36v battery based systemwide voltage requires 1/3 more current for the same amount of power which is a definite downside. This means that riders would be putting more strain on the battery packs which consequently results on diminished total battery life.

However as you increase the voltage of the packs it puts less strain on the battery pack, drawing less current and consequently less strain on the wiring and therefore reducing the heat generated by internal resistance on the battery packs meaning higher efficiency. One can even reduce the diameter of the wiring diameter on the bike.

While you may ask: How do you fit the extra cells in the battery pack when the in-frame hidden battery pack has a fixed size? We actually switched to a larger frame size after generation three of Stark Drive (we are currently in generation 4) in preparation for the switch to 48V.

Our challenge was keeping the same pricing industry leading low pricing while upgrading to a more expensive motor, more expensive battery pack and higher quality controller. The good news is that as 48V bikes become more and more common the bulk pricing has decreased for all these components and as we have always focused on small margins on large volumes, we have been able to negotiate with our suppliers to keep our industry beating pricing while improving the bike from top to bottom.

A 48V bike gives our riders 33% more of everything, longer range, more power and more fun. A higher voltage system is also great for customers that are limited to 250w engines as you are benefiting from the extra power to give you much more assist and acceleration even if the maximum allowable assist is up to 25kph.

Improve Braking System

With the extra power that a 48V system provides we had to upgrade the braking System on Stark Drive to give you more stopping power.

Improved Front and Rear Led Lighting System

The new Stark Drive electrically integrated rear light has been upgrade from 4 to 11 LEDs that operate at 48V meaning they will be much brighter and more visible in even sunny conditions. An excellent safety feature for those that you zoom past.

The Front light has been upgraded from 2 standard LEDs to 4 High Illumination LEDs which offer much better visibility in low light conditions illuminating a much greater distance in front of you.

Hub Motors up to 1000W!

Possibly most exciting of all is that we are launching bikes with hub motor power up to 1000W. This combined with the systemwide 48V will deliver unparalleled power and speed for those that want to take Stark Drive off road in even the most challenging terrain.

Stark Drive Mini with Maximum Power

We have also improved Stark Drive Mini by upping the system voltage to 48V as well as increasing the hub motor power to 350W making this city commuter bike even more capable no matter the road conditions wherever you live.

Production Finishing Early September 2020

This new batch of bikes with more power and range are all finishing early September 2020 with many already spoken for. In order to secure your bike you can pre order here: www.starkdrive.bike/stock to ensure that its delivered to you as soon as possible.

Sincerely

Stark Drive Team
Stark Drive LLC