Nokia unveils bike-mounted mobile charger

Nokia is aiming its bicycle-mounted charger at emerging markets

Nokia has unveiled a system that will allow users to charge their handsets by pedalling a bicycle.

The Nokia Bicycle Charger Kit combines a small dynamo and generator that converts some of the energy spent pedalling the bicycle into electricity, which can then be plugged into a Nokia handset.

The charger is slated for arrival by the end of the year and will cost about €15 (£12.50).

Nokia is planning to target emerging markets where customers may not always have ready access to electricity and may need to find other ways to charge handsets.

"You must look at a number of things when it comes to power management, such as ensuring that the phone's operating system is as power-efficient as possible, " said Nokia vice president Alex Lambeek.

"Now, with our innovative bike charger, people get even more freedom to use their Nokia without worrying about battery life."

The company revealed the charger as part of a larger campaign to target the growing emerging market sector, including the release of four handsets ranging in price from €30 to €45.

Two of the handsets introduce support for multiple SIM cards. The C1 model will allow users to switch between two different cards, while the C2 will support simultaneous active SIM cards.

Nokia said that the four handsets will be released to retail over the third and fourth quarters of this year.