General Motors has filed an application to trademark the term “Unity”, GM Authority has uncovered.
Filed on December 12th, 2019 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the filing is assigned serial number 88726081 and cites the goods and services category of “Bicycles and electric bicycles.”
The GM Authority Take
This particular filing is rather interesting, since GM already has Ariv, a brand of e-bikes that it launched over the past year in select markets in Europe. In June, we reported that the Detroit-based automaker was planning to introduce more robust Ariv e-bike models in the United States as well as in other territories in the future, though an exact timeline is unclear. As such, it could very well be that Unity could be GM’s go-to-market brand for electric bikes in the United States, given that GM has filed for the trademark with the USPTO.
As of this writing, Ariv offers two e-bike models – the Merge and the Meld, both of which initially went on sale in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. The Merge has a 240Wh battery and a GM-designed electric motor that provides electric pedal assist at speeds of up to 15.5 mph (25 km/h). It also comes with an eight-speed Shimano gearset. The Meld is a folding version of the Merge and features a single-speed transmission. Both models provide electric assistance when pedaling.
By comparison, GM e-bikes slated for the U.S. market would have a hand throttle, allowing the rider to accelerate and ride using the power of the motor and battery alone, without having to pedal. The America-market bikes could also potentially use larger batteries than the Ariv models offered in Europe. If GM’s U.S.-market e-bikes will be substantially different than the Ariv models currently on sale in Europe, then offering them under a different brand would certainly make sense.
Meanwhile, GM could have entirely different plans for the Unity name – one that is unrelated to its Ariv e-bike effort. We’ll keep our ears to the ground on this one, and report back as we know more. In the meantime, subscribe to GM Authority for more GM trademark news, GM Ariv news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
too bad rick james already has this copyright
what exactly is the advantage of having a foldable bike? does it make it easier for the homeless to pitch it into the river or ocean?