Micah Toll

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 Huffy bringing back its fun Green Machine drift trike in a powerful new form, Tern launching its new Quick Haul Long, taking a look at Rattan’s Pinus, Key Biscayne banning electric bikes, Mahle’s new lightweight e-bike system, and more.

I’ve been on the hunt for an electric mountain bike that would give me much of the performance of the fancier, high-priced models, yet without their major downside: that higher price. The Velotric Summit 1 rolled in at the perfect time, and while the bike itself isn’t perfect, it’s darn near exactly what I’d want from an eMTB that focuses on keeping prices down.

Tern, one of the leading innovators in cargo electric bike design, has just announced its newest model. Get ready to stretch, because here comes the Quick Haul Long.

EcoFlow, one of the most well-known names in the portable power station industry, today announced the launch of the company’s new EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3, an ultra-powerful portable power station that EcoFlow says is powerful enough to handle 99% of home appliances. For everything from refrigerators to air conditioning units and more, this is the big boy we’ve been waiting for.

According to a joint announcement, Castrol, a global leader in lubricants and part of the oil giant BP, today announced an investment of up to US$50 million in Gogoro, a global technology leader in battery-swapping ecosystems.

In what appears to be a first of its kind, a new law was just enacted in Arizona that seems to have swept up some electric bicycles in an effort to outlaw kids operating off-road vehicles.

As electric bicycles skyrocket in popularity and adoption rates soar, nearly everywhere in the US is seeing a higher number of e-bikes used for transportation. That is, except for one town that banned e-bikes and e-scooters devices altogether.

I’ve always found the sub-$1k e-bike segment fascinating. The bikes aren’t always the best, but the good ones are usually good enough for most casual and/or recreational riders. And this is the group of e-bikes with the biggest potential for winning over new riders who haven’t fully committed to the idea of a pricier e-bike replacing a good chunk of car miles. The $899 Starrun R20 is the latest folding fat tire e-bike that seems ready to compete in this quickly crowding market. So does it have what it takes?

Rattan, a long-time player now seeing increased penetration in the entry-level e-bike market, has rolled out new electric bicycle models for the 2024 riding season. And believe it or not, it’s the little guy that’s getting most of the attention. That’s right, it’s time to check out the company’s latest small format 20″ folding e-bike. Say “Hello” to Rattan’s new Pinus.

Electric motorcycles are likely not the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of BYD, the world’s leading electric car maker. But thanks to a new agreement, the company’s batteries are heading to Africa, where they’ll be used in Ampersand’s electric motorcycles.

Everyone loves a good comeback story. Rocky. The Karate Kid. CAKE? That’s right, the Swedish electric motorcycle company is preparing to rise again.

As electric boats slowly gain market share among recreational boaters, a different breed of silent, efficient speed boats is now targetting commuters. Hydrofoil electric ferries are coming to a river or lake near you, and multiple companies are working to make it happen.

Swiss-based VMAX has been a key player in the European electric scooter market since 2015, and last year expanded into the US market. Now we’re getting our first look at two new models released into the US market, the VMAX VX2 Extreme and the VX5 Pro.

MAHLE, the German e-bike drive system maker that is part of the larger MAHLE Group, has announced its newest electric bicycle motor system, the MAHLE X30.

If a proposed new bill eventually becomes law, higher-speed electric bicycles may soon have a tougher row to hoe in California.

Rad Power Bikes, one of the leading electric bicycle companies in the US, has announced its response to rising e-bike costs in the US after the tariff exclusion on Chinese-produced electric bikes expires.

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 all the cool stuff we saw at Micromobility Europe 2024, new low-cost Lectric XP Lite 2.0, an 80 MPH military e-bike, how Paris cleaned its air by kicking out cars, and more.

Golf carts are no longer just for cruising the country club. In fact, these days, they’re more commonly found zipping through neighborhood streets or joy-riding around beach communities. These smaller, more efficient alternatives to traditional cars might just be a good choice for your ‘second car’, believe it or not.

I recently had the chance to attend Micromobility Europe 2024, the latest industry tradeshow promoting the proliferation of right-sized personal electric vehicles. For two days, the show took to Amsterdam to showcase many of the newest innovations and companies pushing the envelope on what micromobility vehicles can offer to urban residents.

Here is a smattering of many of the most interesting things I saw (and test rode) while exploring the show.

The ‘One simple trick’ trope has long become a running joke among journalists, usually signifying the beginning of a scam. But every once in a while, it’s exactly right. Such is the case with how Paris was able to transform its air quality and thus the quality of life in the city in the run-up to the upcoming 2024 Summer Olympics.

So what was the trick? Kicking out cars.

At the Micromobility Europe conference in Amsterdam last week, I got my first look at (and first ride on) the new folding electric bike known as FLIT. As it turns out, there’s a new ultra-compact British folding e-bike in town.

In what could likely be a sign of continued overstocking issues in the North American electric bike industry, Ride1Up has drastically reduced the price of its much acclaimed Prodigy electric bike. Now just $1,495, this marks the lowest-priced Brose-powered electric bicycle ever from a major retailer.

There’s a good chance that when you were a teenager, getting your driver’s license was seen as a rite of passage, and you probably couldn’t wait for the freedom promised by that shiny new card in your credit card-less wallet. At least, that’s unless you’re a teenager today, and then the picture might not be so cut and dry. Unlike when I got my learner’s permit 20 years ago, today’s teenagers have already been enjoying a new form of affordable and effective transportation freedom: electric bikes.

And it’s changing the way they view getting a driver’s license.

This past week, I attended the Micromobility Europe event in Amsterdam, where I saw many familiar company faces and several new ones in the broader micromobility world. One of the most fascinating new startups I saw at the show was Hydroride Europe AG, which showed off several hydrogen-powered bicycles and a small at-home hydrogen generator for “recharging” the bike by producing small bottles of hydrogen gas.