With the changing legislation regarding electric scooters and bicycles comes many concerns related to restrictions and PZP payments. That's why we decided to test one of the bikes that meets the requirements for not having to pay any PZP. It is a folding e-bike mainly for the city, Engwe P1.
The bicycle complies with the legislation and has an EPAC label, which contains all the necessary data in the event of an unexpected inspection by state authorities. In the review, we will describe in detail the individual components, driving characteristics and also test the range on a single charge.
Where to buy Engwe P1?
The "folder" from the ENGWE workshop is available in the EU warehouse Geekbuyingu. Delivery is free and will take 3 to 12 working days. There are no additional fees and the package will be delivered to your door by courier. Don't forget to use the discount coupon below.
The e-bike also comes with a 7-liter waterproof bag for the back carrier, front basket and phone holder. Geekbuying will add more to your order gift basket to celebrate the 10th birthday of the ENGWE brand free, which contains practical gadgets, such as a safety vest, a cap, a 10-liter shopping bag, a key ring. Birthday gifts are shipped separately from the China warehouse and will therefore take a little longer to arrive.
Important: For orders from Geekbuying ours applies VIP support, which you get after download our Chrome extension only on the computer (never buy through the app at this store).
Engwe P1
More coupons
Express delivery from a European warehouse free of duty and VAT.
This product will be delivered to you by express from a local warehouse in Europe. Delivery from EU warehouses usually takes 2-10 days and is delivered by courier. You don't pay any extra fees, customs or VAT on delivery.
Technical specifications
Door Design | Engwe P1 |
---|---|
Dimensions in disassembled state | 1630 x 630 x 1220 mm |
Dimensions when folded |
95 x 85 x 45 cm |
Frame size | 20" |
Weight | 25 kg |
Recommended rider height | 150 - 190 cm |
Maximum load capacity | 120 kg |
Maximum speed | 25 km/h (32 km/h after unlocking) |
Address | up to 100 km in assisted mode / 47 km with pure electric drive |
Assistance levels | 5 levels – 20 / 35 / 55 / 75 / 99% |
Water resistant | IPX4 |
Brzdy | disk mechanical |
cushioning | front fork |
Engine power | 250 W |
Drums | 36V / 13Ah / 468Wh |
charging | 4 - 6 hours |
Tires | 20 "x 2.3" |
Rich and high-quality packaging
Electric bicycle Engwe The P1 arrived to us in a rather large box, in which it is stored with the front wheel, handlebars and some components removed.
The entire frame, including wheels and handlebars, is protected by foam reinforcements. They are tightened with eska tapes in order to perfectly protect the bicycle from damage during transport. It goes without saying that there are also hardened reinforcements at the front and rear wheels so that the bike does not move in the box.
The manufacturer pleased us with rich accessories and several bonuses that we do not normally see in the package. Here you will find, for example, a smartphone holder, a bag for a rear carrier or even a folding basket in front of the handlebars. Of course, the tools required for assembly, charger and manual are included.
From the factory, the bike comes without a throttle and works only in assisted mode. Engwe however, it packs a separate throttle controller with the option of unlocking the speed and making a purely electric drive available without pedaling.
Assembly of the bicycle
As we mentioned before, Engwe The P1 is in the box with the front wheel and handlebars removed. You can mount these parts relatively quickly, but it will also take some time to dismantle all the protective material.
We started by attaching the main vertical bar, which is height adjustable. We attached the handlebars to it using two screws and an Allen key. Here, the manufacturer chose to mount with only two screws, instead of four, as was the custom with other models.
We continued with the attachment of the front wheel. The axle is packed separately in a box with accessories. Next, we attached the stand to the frame so that we could lean the bike.
Next came the saddle, where we first had to insert a metal bar and then put it in place and tighten it with a quick release. The penultimate step led to the installation of the pedals, which by the way are folding, and at the very end we attached the front metal fender along with the light.
As you can see, there are several assembly steps and it is not enough to take the bike out of the box. However, the tools are available and everything is more or less intuitive, so even a less experienced person can handle the assembly.
Design and quality of workmanship
Engwe P1 looks like a classic urban puzzle. Basically, it is, but let's take a look at what it offers and why this particular bike should convince us to buy it.
The first positive for us is the design. He really succeeded. The bike looks simple, modern and is sold in several colors - black, white and gray.
The frame is made of aluminum alloy and looks good at first glance. However, after a few rides, we have to admit that, despite the good quality of workmanship, it creaks in several places. This is caused by the folding structure, which has several joints and joints, where friction and backlash can occur.
The bike otherwise has a typical folding construction with a joint in the central frame bar, where the fuse and removable battery are located. It is equipped with mudguards and also a rear rack.
Handlebars and display
The handlebars are 65 cm wide and on their left side we find a display with control buttons and a brake lever for the front brake together with an integrated bell.
On the right side is the brake lever for the rear brake and the Shimano shifter. However, this is only a very basic and cheap model of shifting, which we don't like to see on modern bikes these days. It has 7 gears, but a heavier gear could also be used.
The display is nothing new and we have already seen it in other models. It displays the current speed, driving mode, distance traveled and some status information. Unfortunately, only the symbol shows the battery capacity, the current voltage is missing.
The display looks good, modern, but it is very difficult to read in the sun. It contains three buttons - on / off and "+" and "-" buttons.
Option to unlock speed and throttle control
Despite the official certification for the category up to 25 km/h, the manufacturer also offers the possibility of unlocking the speed to 35 km/h through the so-called P-settings. You can access these settings by simultaneously holding down the plus and minus buttons at the bottom of the display.
The maximum speed limit is hidden under the P3 option. But that's not all. Engwe it also includes a manual gas controller, the so-called half-twisted throttle. It is a kind of half motorcycle gas. Half because only half of the grip rotates.
After replacing the original grip with an electric one with a gas controller, it is also necessary to activate it. You can do this by simultaneously pressing the right brake, turning the gas to the maximum position and then turning on the display using the button on it. After switching on, we hold the brake and gas for about 10 seconds and the controller is activated. You deactivate it using the same procedure.
After these steps, you no longer have to use the pedals and you can drive only by adding gas through the rotating grip. At the same time, this mode ignores driving modes 1 to 5 and goes at maximum speed in all of them.
Performance and driving modes
Engwe The P1 has a standard 250 W electric motor, which is located in the rear wheel. As we mentioned above, it provides a maximum speed of 25 km/h with the option of unlocking to 35 km/h.
As for driving modes, we have six available. The first is without electric drive and the other five are assisted by electric motors with speeds of 5, 10, 15, 20 or 25 km/h.
It is a classic Chinese e-bike, so you only need to spin the pedals at idle and the bike will always gradually start up to the maximum speed of the selected mode. In the highest mode and reaching a speed of 25 km/h, it is basically impossible to spin the pedals other than empty.
The bike has 7 gears, but even the hardest gear is not enough to help the bike manually from a speed of 25 km/h or higher. We pedal really fast at such a speed, which is irrelevant. A heavier gear for faster driving or a multi-cog front derailleur would do.
Height adjustment and comfort while driving
We can adjust the height of the handlebars in the range of 104-116 cm from the ground, or even the seat in the range of 75-90 cm. The distance between the handlebars and the beginning of the saddle is 55 cm.
Our editor is 185 cm tall and we have to admit that the bike is a bit small for his height. We would mainly need a longer seat post so that it can be adjusted higher. Even in the highest position, our knees were too bent, so the overall posture was not ideal.
If we drove exclusively in electric mode with manual throttle control on the handlebars, it doesn't matter so much here. But when twisting the pedals, it's worse.
As for the suspension, we only have a front suspension fork. It is completely ordinary, basic, but it cushions most common irregularities well. However, at higher speeds and larger holes in the road or on the pavement, it easily hits its limit, causing knocking.
Disc brakes and lighting
Engwe The P1 is equipped with disc brakes, but they are just ordinary cable brakes, not hydraulic. Their efficiency is not bad, they are sufficient for a speed of 25 km/h, but they are not high-end brakes. In addition, they also whistle.
We particularly appreciate the rear light, which is under the carrier above the rear wheel. It is beautifully wide, shines brightly and is easy to see even during the day. The front light is also good. It has sufficient dispersion, it can also be used for driving in complete darkness without any problems, but a slightly higher brightness would be nice.
Battery, range and charging
Engwe The P1 was equipped with a 36 V / 13 Ah / 468 Wh battery, which according to the manufacturer should be sufficient for up to 100 km in assisted mode, but probably the lowest, or 47 km with a purely electric drive.
Of course, we checked the range, as the manufacturer's data are measured under ideal conditions and low modes. Our editor weighs 75 kg and rode in Košice and the surrounding area.
We performed the first test in maximum assisted mode with number 5 at a speed of 25 km/h. We cranked the pedals almost all the time at idle, since we mostly went at maximum speed, so even though it was an assisted mode, it's hard to talk about any kind of assistance. We helped the bike only on two short but steep hills and at the start.
We measured the distance using a smartphone and the Strava application. In total, according to the application, we traveled 44.33 km. The display on the bike showed 48.2 km. We ended the ride when the last of the five parts of the battery was lit for a long time, so we estimated that the capacity was below 10%.
Before the second test, we increased the maximum speed and mounted the throttle controller on the handlebars. During this measurement, we did not assist the bike at all with the pedals and rode only using manual throttle control with a zero start. We took the same route and covered 30.5 km, which is almost 14 km less than in assisted mode at a maximum speed of 25 km/h.
Charging takes about 6 hours and the battery is of course removable. You can charge it on or off the bike. The disadvantage is the lock for the key on the underside of the frame, where the cables also lead.
Folding and accessories
At first glance, it is an urban puzzle, so those who will often assemble it will probably buy this bike. Whether for storage or transportation.
This process is quite simple. Just unlock the lever in the frame joint and fold the bike. Subsequently, the handlebars also fold down. In this condition, the bicycle measures only 95 x 85 x 45 cm. It's a shame that the bike in such a folded state doesn't snap somewhere to keep it in this position when being transported. It can easily happen that a folded bicycle falls apart when it is being transported.
As we mentioned in the introduction, we also received a pair of bags with the bike. One for the back carrier and the other for the front, a kind of replacement for the classic basket. Although the bike does not look very attractive with these bags, they are clearly practical and will also serve for smaller purchases.
Engwe P1: Final evaluation
Electric folding bike Engwe P1 is an excellent companion, especially in the city. It offers a power of 250 W, a maximum speed of 25 km/h and EPAC certification with a label on the frame, thanks to which this bike is not subject to the new regulation and you will not pay PZP for it.
We appreciate the excellent rear light, many accessories in the form of a bag for the rear carrier and a basket in front. We were also pleasantly surprised by the distance, when we covered 25 km at a speed of 44 km/h.
The manufacturer also offers the possibility of increasing the maximum speed and also includes a manual throttle control on the handlebars, thanks to which you can use the bike as a moped, but expect a lower range.
Engwe P1
More coupons
Express delivery from a European warehouse free of duty and VAT.
This product will be delivered to you by express from a local warehouse in Europe. Delivery from EU warehouses usually takes 2-10 days and is delivered by courier. You don't pay any extra fees, customs or VAT on delivery.
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"The bike meets the legislation"
Which one? According to the European one, this is not an electric bike, but an electric moped.
It has an EPAC label.