When Himiway proposed launching special US state versions of its e-bikes, the company hosted a poll to see what its users wanted most. California and Florida scooped up the most votes, and now we’re looking at what could be the first-ever US state e-bikes. And they look pretty cool, if you’re into sunny states.
Both models are based on the Himiway Zebra, itself a high-powered fat tire electric bike.
The bike can reach speeds of up to 25 mph (40 km/h) and includes a high-capacity 48V 20Ah battery. That 960Wh battery claims a maximum range of 80 miles on pedal assist, though you’re more likely to get less than half of that on throttle-only riding.
Even so, the Zebra has proven popular as an adventure-style fat tire e-bike that can handle street and trail riding. California and Florida are both known for having plenty of both, and so it seems like a fitting model to customize for the two states.
So just what goes into Himiway’s special-edition versions?
Special-edition California e-bike
The California e-bike has a purple gradient base color that is said to have been inspired by the evening sky over Southern California.
Famous Golden State landmarks grace the bike’s tubes, including San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge on the left and a Venice Beach sunset on the right.
The top tube features Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, with Himiway’s updated version of the star now featuring a bicycle.
Special-edition Florida e-bike
The Florida special-edition e-bike includes a shirtless Florida man with a mullet wrestling an alligator one-handed while trying not to spill his beer in the other hand.
Just kidding! Though there is an alligator! It’s one of several animals that represent the diverse wildlife that calls the Sunshine State home.
The local flora is also included, such as South Beach’s palm trees and the state’s famous orange blossoms that have become an iconic Florida symbol.
Key West’s Conch Republic gets a shoutout in Himiway’s custom paint job, showing off the southernmost point in the continental United States.
The entire scene is painted on top of an ocean blue seascape emblematic of the beautiful shallow waters around the state.
The two e-bike models go on sale today, and Himiway expects them to begin shipping by the end of March.
The bikes are priced at $2,299, which is a $300 premium over the base models that come in the comparatively bland color options of gray or white.
Only 100 units of each bike will be produced, so you better act fast if you want to make one yours. If you happen to miss it though, might I suggest a DIY version with this pack of stickers instead?
Electrek’s Take
That’s a bold strategy, Cotton. Let’s see if it pays off for them.
We’ve seen a bit more of these special-edition e-bikes lately, such as the limited-edition Fucare Libra in a special-edition colorway and the Founders Edition Juiced HyperScrambler 2 with unique parts in addition to a special colorway.
As someone who believes we are still early in the e-bike revolution, I like the idea of some of these special-edition e-bikes one day becoming collector’s items. I don’t know if it will happen, but I’d love to see it.
Considering so many e-bikes are produced, I imagine record-keeping could be difficult. There must be close to 100,000 RadRover e-bikes out there, for example. In another 20 or 30 years, how will we know which model year they were or when they were made (outside of their obvious production run timeline)?
But when you roll up to Barret Jackson’s auction block in a few decades on a Florida-themed limited- edition Himiway and there are only 99 others in existence, that might mean something. Maybe.