Micah Toll

Legacy motorcycle brands are taking bold steps into the electric future, but not all attempts have hit the mark. Can-Am and Kawasaki, both respected for their performance and unique legacies in the gasoline-powered world, have since entered the commuter e-motorcycle market with varying degrees of success, to put it kindly. But now with storied motorcycle brand Royal Enfield set to join the e-motorcycle market, can the much adored brand finally succeed where others have failed?

The next time you run that stop sign and hear a siren click on behind you, the blue and red lights in your rear view mirror might look a bit different. But don’t let the bicycle helmet fool you, that ticket is going to sting just the same even if it comes from a police officer riding an e-bike instead of a motorcycle or police car.

Russians have begun testing a locally-made electric motorcycle for combat use in their war against Ukraine. It is no secret that the nearly three-year-long invasion has led to significant Russian losses including thousands of destroyed tanks and other military vehicles. Now the Russians appear to be getting even more creative with their military vehicle selection.

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 several bankruptices from companies like Juiced Bikes, FUELL, and Energica, as well as some fun news like Microlino’s newest microcar and more.

FUELL Inc., the electric bicycle and e-motorcycle startup built largely on the name of the legendary motorcycle visionary Erik Buell, has entered into chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings.

The JackRabbit XG is basically the stronger, bigger brother of the famous little JackRabbit micro e-bike, and I had the chance to test one out to see how well a tiny little EV could work for the average commuter. As it turns out, little is big these days!

X Shore, a leading Swedish electric boat maker, has just announced its largest single sale yet. The company is preparing to fulfill an order of 32 electric boats signed with M Yachts, a yacht management service.

Juiced Bikes, the much-lauded Southern California electric bicycle maker, appears to have been sold at auction for around US $1,225,000.

The Italian electric motorcycle maker Energica has officially declared that it is ceasing operations and entering bankruptcy proceedings, ending speculation about the company’s precarious financial situation.

Legacy motorcycle maker Royal Enfield has released a teaser ahead of its expected electric motorcycle launch next month at the Milan Motorcycle Show (EICMA).

Gogoro announced today the expansion of consumer sales of three of its electric scooters in the Singapore market, marking a major expansion from the company’s commercial fleet-based entry into the market.

Energica, Europe’s leading electric motorcycle maker and often considered ‘the Ducati of e-motorcycles’, appears to be in financial distress. New reports from local media indicate that the Italian motorcycle maker may be headed for collapse.

The Microlino has turned heads ever since its unveiling nearly eight years ago. After taking a twisting, turning route towards production, the electric microcar has since proven to be a potent and fashionable little runabout in cities around Europe. Now the little EV is getting a makeover with the unveiling of its newest version, the Microlino Spiaggina.

An early pioneer in the North American electric bicycle market, Juiced Bikes appears to be in collapse. According to many customers, the San Diego-based e-bike company has largely ghosted them and failed to respond to repeated customer service inquiries. At the same time, the company’s website is out of stock on all products and its assets appear headed for auction.

In a confusing announcement, eBay has unveiled new plans to ban the sale of electric bicycles by certain users on its platform in the UK. However, the criteria for eligibility and plan specifics both remain unclear.

As Hurricane Milton heads towards Florida’s Gulf Coast threatening a lethal combination of high winds, storm surge, and heavy downpouring rain, here’s a reminder of what to do if you own an electric bike and expect to be in the path of a powerful hurricane.

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 updates from Bosch’s new line of motors and batteries, new e-bikes from brands like Urban Arrow and Engwe, an analysis of a reduction of e-bike fire deaths in NYC, and more.

If you’ve been following the news on electric bicycle fires in the US, you’ll already know that New York City is widely seen as the epicenter, often catching headlines for battery fires. The city hosts more electric scooters and e-bikes than ever before, and yet this year is seeing a drastic drop in fatalities caused by battery fires.

Beam Global, a company that builds sustainable infrastructure solutions for the transportation industry, today unveiled a new off-grid charging platform designed to provide secure charging for up to 12 electric bicycles.

Last week, we reported on news of Gogoro’s founder and CEO, Horace Luke, resigning amid accusations of subsidy fraud by the company in its domestic market of Taiwan. Now we’ve learned that the Taiwanese government has concluded that there is insufficient evidence to support the claims of fraud in an investigation relating to an earlier case of misidentified non-domestic components.

Urban Arrow, a major player in the premium electric cargo bike market, has unveiled its newly updated Family Line of eCargo bikes featuring the Bosch Smart System. The cargo bike company, known for its practical and family-friendly front loader design, aims to provide a powerful, sustainable alternative to cars with this launch, targeting families who want to embrace urban mobility with a premium ride.

Bosch has long been a leader in the premium electric bicycle drivetrain market and now looks to further build on its strong foundation with the launch of several new products. Electric mountain bikes (eMTBs), which are a staple of Bosch’s e-bike prowess, are likely to benefit most from the new motor and larger battery options.

I’ve always enjoyed electric watersports devices, and have a long history with everything from electric surfboards to electric boats. But it’s the category of electric sea scooters that likely offers the most accessiblity to the average person, providing fast and fun water excitement without the larger upfront cost and complexity of larger vessels. The Sublue Vapor is the latest in a string of electric sea scooters I’ve tested over the years, and it’s the fanciest one yet.

Which would you rather have, a fast-charging e-bike or one with 217 miles (350 km) of range? With the new Engwe LE20 electric cargo bike, apparently you can have both.