Rad Power Bikes, once the dominant force in North America’s direct-to-consumer e-bike boom, has officially found a new home. Life Electric Vehicles Holdings (Life EV) announced this week that it has completed a court-approved acquisition of Rad Power Bikes’ brand, intellectual property, inventory, and certain operating assets.
The move positions Life EV as the new owner of one of the most recognizable names in the e-bike industry. The company says it plans to continue operating under the Rad Power Bikes brand in the United States while expanding retail operations in select markets.
For longtime Rad riders, one immediate question will be what happens to existing customer commitments. Life EV says it intends to support Rad customers by honoring certain warranties and gift cards in accordance with the terms of the asset purchase agreement, though details are not clear at this time regarding which prior commitments will be honored.
Rad Power Bikes played a major role in shaping the modern North American e-bike market in the pre-pandemic years, quickly becoming the largest e-bike company in the country at the time. Founded in Seattle, the company helped popularize affordable, practical electric bikes aimed at everyday transportation rather than niche cycling enthusiasts. Models like the RadRunner and RadRover became common sights on city streets and bike paths across the US.
Life EV says it plans to build on that foundation while focusing on improved operations, product development, and customer experience.
“Rad Power Bikes has helped define the e-bike category in North America with its innovative products and passionate rider community,” said Life EV CEO Rob Provost. “Respecting and preserving that legacy is foundational to this acquisition.”
One notable part of the plan involves bringing more assembly to the United States. Life EV says it intends to transition production toward US-based assembly through affiliated manufacturing operations using a Foreign Trade Zone structure. The goal is to combine global component sourcing with domestic assembly, potentially improving supply chain visibility, quality control, and tariff management.
Life EV is also building a broader portfolio of electric mobility brands. The company is already connected to Serial 1, the premium e-bike brand that originally spun out of Harley-Davidson.
For Rad Power Bikes, the acquisition marks the latest chapter in a turbulent few years for the once high-flying brand. But with a new owner promising operational improvements and a claimed renewed focus on innovation, Life EV is betting that Rad’s strong brand recognition and broad rider base can help power the company’s next phase of growth in the fast-evolving micromobility market.
Electrek’s Take
This will be a fascinating one to watch. I’ve covered Rad Power Bikes for almost as long as there has been a Rad Power Bikes, and over the years I’ve watched the company and my contacts therein whittled down until today, where I’m not aware of anyone left from the original company.
It’s unclear how many Rad employees made the jump over when Life EV bought the company, or if it only scooped up the valuable assets and plans to restart afresh with the Rad name. I’ve reached out to Life EV and will update if I hear back.
But for now, it appears the old Rad is officially gone, at least in terms of the people who built the brand into what it is today, or at least what it was at the end of 2025. I think it is worth pausing on that and remembering that Rad Power Bikes wasn’t just a once-dominant electric bike brand but a collection of dedicated e-bike lovers who built the foundation of what eventually grew into the now highly diverse and well-developed US e-bike market. It may be a sad day for those who remember the heyday of the company, but perhaps it is not the final chapter in Rad’s book.
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