Micah Toll

Get ready, New Yorkers. A new bill could soon extend the same car license plate and registration requirements to e-bikes in the largest city in the US. But despite ostensibly focusing on safety, some argue that the move is a misguided attempt to target marginalized communities.

My regular readers may remember that two years ago, I was winning so hard at life that I bought myself a brand-spankin’ new boat as a treat. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still on an independent journalist’s salary here though, so when I say that I had “boat money”, I mean I scraped together enough to buy a $1,000 electric boat directly from China. It’s now been two years since that Alibaba delivery, so let’s see how it’s held up and what it looks like now.

I’ve spent countless hours here at Electrek doing detailed hands-on testing of hundreds of electric bikes. Through thousands of miles of riding, I’ve been fortunate to learn these e-bikes inside and out, top to bottom and front to back. That long-term experience with real-world e-bike testing has helped me find the best electric bicycles on the market for just about any budget.

Below are some of the top e-bikes I’ve hand-tested for every price range, current as of December 2024. It’s the last chance to grab some great holiday deals on a new e-bike! And just like the ultra-competitive e-bike selling year last year, 2024 has turned into a year of impressive e-bike sales not to be missed. So check out the awesome e-bikes below, any one of which could become your next electric bike.

If you’ve been on the fence about getting one of JackRabbit’s quirky little micro e-bikes, then this is probably the best deal you’re ever going to find on a JackRabbit OG.

California has been attempting for years to roll out an incentive program for electric bicycles, with the project continuously delayed due to funding and mismanagement issues. Now we’ve finally received word that the long-awaited program is set to begin before the end of the year.

The Priority Current has spent years as the flagship electric bike produced by Manhattan-based Priority Bicycles. Now the company has just unveiled the next-generation model, known as the Priority Current Plus.

It retains a lot of what made the original such a success, including an extremely torquey mid-drive motor, Gates carbon belt drive, and Class 3 operation with speeds of up to 28 mph (45 km/h). But now there are also plenty of new features offered on the Current Plus – all without a price increase.

Segway is planting its e-bike flag in the US with a new dedicated electric bike team ahead of the upcoming launch of its two hotly anticipated long-range electric bicycle models, the Segway Xafari and Xyber.

If you’ve been hoping to snag a new Rad Power Bike electric bicycle for a discount – and if you happen to have another older e-bike to trade in – Upway has a deal for you. The electric bicycle marketplace known for selling used and overstock e-bikes at steep discounts has partnered with Rad Power Bikes to turn the brick-and-mortar RadRetail locations into physical trade-in points for older e-bikes.

Can-Am, a subsidiary of BRP (Bombardier Recreational Products), marked a significant milestone this week as its first electric motorcycle rolled off the production line.

Each year the Micromobility America conference meets in California to showcase the latest companies and advancements in the light electric vehicle world. The sister show to Micromobility Europe, this year’s North American conference moved to Southern California, bringing to Costa Mesa an array of just about every type of micromobility device you could imagine, from e-bikes, e-scooters and fully-fledged electric motorcycles to four-wheeled neighborhood electric vehicles.

While it’s hard to cover every single company from the show, we did our best to pull out as many highlights as possible. See them below, or watch the video for an up close and personal experience. Or both!

Today I bought an electric bike that I don’t need and that I will never ride. But this isn’t about me. It’s about the company that makes the bike. More specifically, it’s about how today, on Giving Tuesday, the e-bike company Lectric eBikes is setting an example not just for the entire e-bike industry, but for modern capitalism as a whole with a philanthropic program that speaks to the core of the company’s values.

It’s happened again – not long after Yamaha announced that it was ending sales of its electric bicycles in the North American market, now the Swiss e-bike maker Stromer is pulling out of the US and Canada.

This year’s shopping holidays are set to reveal some of the best electric bicycle and e-scooter sales we’ve ever seen thanks to the perfect storm of overstocked models, meeting year-end sales targets, and good ol’ relentless competition. The e-bike industry has been hammered for a couple of years now, and while that has put many companies in a squeeze, the upside is consumers are getting some of the best deals we’ve ever seen. With countless electric bicycle brands operating now in the US and even more models to choose from, here’s some help separating the wheat from the chaff.

This week on Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This time, that includes the launch of the Lectric XPeak 2.0 fat tire e-bike, Ride1Up’s Prodigy XC eMTB on super sale, a roundup of great e-biking gear, cheaper Zero motorcycles inbound, Husqvarna’s newest e-moto launch, Yadea shows off its scooters at EICMA, and more.

As one of the few people who can claim to now be in my third decade of living an electric bike-focused life, I’ve tested a lot of gear over the years. Between the gear I buy for myself and the piles of random stuff that shows up on my doorstep from overzealous PR agencies, I’ve gone through a wide range of tools, locks, clothing, accessories, and more. Here are my favorites of all the stuff I’ve tested this year.

In a world where every new e-bike launch seems to be bigger and more powerful than the last, there’s a certain comfort to feeling something nice and small between your legs again. I’m talking, of course, about the JackRabbit OG2 micro e-bike. It’s the latest update to JackRabbit’s original (literally OG) tiny format electric two-wheeler, and by God, it’s better than ever!

Lectric Ebikes has long set the standard for other companies to follow in the budget electric bicycle space, continuously rolling out new models that offer never-before-seen value. A new cargo e-bike with more features? They did it. A new off-roader with better components? They did that, too. But what about the company’s best-selling model, the Lectric XP 3.0 folding fat tire e-bike? It’s due for an update, and here’s what you can expect.

As part of Zero Motorcycles’ new approach to affordability, the California electric motorcycle maker is increasingly relying on strategic partnerships in the industry to help lower costs and leverage production experience. Now we’re getting word that one of the company’s key partners, Hero MotoCorp, is closing in on its first Zero-enabled electric motorcycle model.

It’s giving a whole new meaning to “from Zero to Hero.”

The days of hearing riders ripping up and down suburban streets on loud, illegal dirt bikes may be numbered as more brands introduce compelling electric alternatives. Husqvarna’s new Pioneer electric enduro may not prevent the wheelie gangs, but it will surely do something about the noise and the non-road legal aspect.

We recently caught up with Yadea, the most prolific manufacturer of electric vehicles in the world, to see the company’s new products at the EICMA Milan Motorcycle Show.

Candela, the Swedish electric boat maker known for its hydrofoil recreational boats and commercial ferries, is grabbing headlines yet again. This time the company is announcing a new C-series funding round and the first P-12 electric ferry headed to the US.

Electric bikes are revolutionizing how we move, making commuting, fitness, and outdoor adventures more accessible and fun. They are useful as both a fun recreational tool and a powerful alternative to car ownership, making them a versatile tool for millions of people in the US and around the world.

Whether you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint, avoid traffic, or enjoy a boost on uphill rides, there’s a lot to love about e-bikes. And now that the holiday shopping season is bearing down upon us, more people than ever will likely be hopping on a new e-bike soon. But before you dive in and get your own, here are 10 essential things you should know.

The Phoenix-based electric bike maker Lectric Ebikes has been on a tear lately, launching updated versions of its wildly popular electric bicycle models. The latest in a string of affordably priced updates is the new Lectric XPeak off-road e-bike, packing a surprising amount of tech and upgrades for a surprisingly low price of just $1,399. And to sweeten the deal even further, the launch promotion includes over $300 in free accessories, too.