Micah Toll

Tern’s popular Vektron folding e-bike just got a big upgrade for the US market. The urban mobility brand has announced the launch of the fourth-generation Vektron, now available in two models, including a long-awaited belt-drive option that promises lower maintenance and a cleaner ride.

Solid-state batteries have long been the holy grail of electric vehicles, especially for light EVs like electric bicycles that are usually charged indoors. They hold major safety benefits over traditional lithium-ion batteries, plus offer better energy density, making it possible to use smaller batteries or simply fit more capacity in the same-sized battery pack.

Rad Power Bikes, one of the most well-known electric bicycle companies in North America, appears to be headed for collapse as troubling signs have continued to stack up.

SUPER73 just pulled the curtain off its latest e-bike, the SUPER73-MZFT, and it looks like the brand is coming back to its roots – with a twist. Known for building retro-inspired, moto-style electric bikes that blur the line between fun and functional, SUPER73 now says the MZFT represents the first in a new generation of e-bikes that’s designed to welcome in a broader, more diverse group of riders – especially those just getting started.

NIU is back at EICMA 2025 (the Milan Motorcycle Show) with a fresh lineup of electric two-wheelers that push the boundaries of performance, design, and smart connectivity. The Chinese electric mobility giant, already known for selling over 5 million electric scooters and motorcycles across over 50 countries, used the Milan show to unveil its 2026 product range – and it’s clear NIU is looking to hang on to that leader status.

At EICMA 2025, Honda finally pulled back the curtain on its first full-size electric motorcycle with the first-ever public unveiling of the Honda WN7. As someone who’s followed the electric motorcycle space for over a decade, I’ve been waiting a long time to see Big Red bring some serious voltage – and it looks like that moment has arrived.

While NIU showed off a full lineup of production-ready electric scooters and motorcycles at EICMA this year, one of the most eye-catching was something you can’t buy just yet – but will definitely want to. It’s called the Concept 06, and it’s NIU’s boldest vision yet for the future of electric two-wheelers.

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 a new e-bike model from Tenways, California kills off its e-bike voucher program, a review of the new VMAX VX2 Hub e-scooter, Zero launches a scooter, NIU’s got a new micro-car, and more.

When it comes to high-performance electric scooters that are still reasonably priced, it’s a tricky balance. Most affordable scooters are underpowered and wobbly. The powerful ones often creep into motorcycle territory – with prices to match. But the VMAX VX2 Hub might just be the sweet spot we’ve been waiting for. It’s fast, it’s strong, it’s well-built, and most importantly – it actually feels good to ride.

Let’s dive into what makes this scooter stand out.

In a landmark move for sustainable maritime transport, Swedish firm Candela is bringing its hydrofoiling electric vessel, the Candela P‑12, to the Maldives, promising faster, cleaner, seasickness-free transfers from the airport to the remote atolls.

Zero Motorcycles turned heads in Milan at EICMA 2025 with the unveiling of its new LS1 electric scooter, a sleek and practical 60 mph (100 km/h) commuter built for European city streets. With its swappable batteries, off-board charging, and smart safety tech like ABS and traction control, the LS1 is clearly a strong contender in the urban EV space. It also marks a major shift for Zero, expanding beyond full-size electric motorcycles into a more accessible, everyday format.

But will it come to the US market?

Royal Enfield’s new electric motorcycle brand, Flying Flea, just pulled the wraps off its second model – the scrambler-inspired FF.S6 – at EICMA 2025, and it’s an agile, tech-packed machine that brings serious trail-ready vibes to city streets.

Earlier this year, we covered the unveiling of the NIUMM, an electric microcar designed for urban residents (and especially those with a NIU scooter already, since it shares the same batteries). Now the company is actually bringing it to market.

Zero Motorcycles, long known for its powerful electric motorcycles, is diving deeper into the world of urban mobility with the launch of the all-new LS1 electric scooter. Unveiled today at EICMA 2025 in Milan, the LS1 is designed to expand Zero’s reach beyond motorcycles and into the increasingly important city commuter segment.

Verge Motorcycles just took the wraps off the next evolution of its flagship Verge TS Pro electric motorcycle at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan, revealing a dramatically upgraded version of its best-selling model. And we’re here to see it firsthand.

British electric motorcycle maker Maeving just launched its first two-seater model in the US: the Maeving RM2. This marks the company’s latest move to bring its classically styled electric motorcycles across the Atlantic – this time with a roomier seat, extra utility, and the same swappable battery design that helped put Maeving on the map.

TENWAYS, the e-bike brand known for its increasingly sleek and refined yet affordable city e-bikes, is shifting gears with the launch of its newest model – the Wayfarer. Debuting today, the Wayfarer blends city practicality with trail-ready capability, offering a 500W rear hub motor that peaks at 750W and a massive 85-mile (137 km) range.

California’s ambitious statewide electric bicycle incentive program is officially dead – and it didn’t even get a funeral. After years of buildup, delays, and surging public interest, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has quietly ended the program, rolling the remaining $17 million of the original $30 million budget into its “Clean Cars 4 All” initiative without even making an official announcement.

When it comes to electric bikes, the JackRabbit OG2 Pro barely qualifies as one – and that’s kind of the point. With no pedals, a seat barely higher than your hip, and a wheelbase shorter than some skateboards, this is less a traditional e-bike and more a bite-sized personal transporter that feels like a cross between a folding bike and an electric scooter.

But after riding it around for the past few months, I can confidently say: it’s an absolute blast. It’s more powerful than it looks, it’s easier to transport than you’d expect, and it’s simply more fun than you can imagine. It’s the small-format whip that I wish had existed years ago.

Latin America’s electric mobility transition is kicking into high gear, and Brazil-based Vammo is emerging as its battery-swapping champion. The São Paulo startup just closed a $45 million Series B funding round led by Ecosystem Integrity Fund, with backing from Qualcomm Ventures, 2150, Construct Capital, and others – positioning the company to expand across the region’s megacities and build what it calls the backbone of Latin America’s clean transport network.

If you thought that 60 mph (100 km/h) electric scooter was a good idea, you might want to think again. It’s getting easier than ever for police to catch illegally fast micromobility devices with simple roadside tests.

LiveWire, the electric motorcycle brand spun out of Harley-Davidson, has just given us a closer look than ever at its upcoming lower-cost, smaller-format electric motorcycles ahead of their larger unveiling at the Milan Motorcycle Show (EICMA) next week.

Electric vehicles are known for plugging in – but one startup wants them to simply soak up the sun instead. Bako Motors is building compact electric cars and cargo vans with solar panels on the roof, letting them charge directly from sunlight and cut their dependence on wall sockets altogether.

The number of e-bikes that charge via USB-C just doubled. From one… to two.

Rivian’s ALSO e-bike, the company’s new micromobility offering spun out of its automotive division last week, includes a USB-C charging port for its battery – joining Ampler’s Nova, released earlier this year, as the only other known e-bike to embrace this modern charging standard.