Bikes Stories August 11
EUNORAU, the makers of electric bikes both large and larger, is blazing a new trail for both its customers and its company. The Spectre S is its new flagship electric bike, built to rocket up rough terrain and bomb down with equal grace. As the company’s first foray into a new segment of the industry, there are improvements to be had, but this solid freshman entry should catch the eye of the varsity team.
Bikes Stories July 21
REI, the nation’s premier outdoor equipment retailer, enters the e-bike space with its CTY e2.2. For reasons unclear, REI decided to enter the electric bike space with a city bike rather than something made for off-road. If their goal was to nail down a commuter bike and test out their mettle, I believe they’ve succeeded.
Bikes Stories February 1
Texas-based Zooz has made a wildly fun and stunning electric bike in a unique space uncovered by bike companies. If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if you made an electric bike ride like a BMX and a Buick, then you’re not alone. Zooz has done that and much more with the gorgeous Zooz 750 reviewed here. While it’s loads of fun and can be useful sometimes, it doesn’t fit into traditional e-bike categories, except for one, sort of.
Bikes Stories June 29, 2017
Electric bicycle companies are a dime a dozen these days, so when we were contacted by the somewhat-unimaginatively-named “Electric Bike Company,” I didn’t expect much. I hadn’t heard of them before, but found out they were headquartered nearby, in sunny Newport Beach, California, so figured why not take a trip to the beach and have a look at what they have to offer?
What I found is a small company that makes a real gem of a bike, with good quality components, well-thought-out design, and at a very reasonable price point (starting at $1,299) compared to the competition.
Bikes Stories June 1, 2017
Most of the clientele Andrew Davidge’s Santa Clara-based electric bicycle company attracts are people for whom biking has become a thing of the past, the bike itself an afterthought – maybe a once-in-a-while thing, if that.
Which is why one of the key draws the company he founded – Vintage Electric Bikes, which started shipping its first bikes in 2013 and which is launching a new fifth model in June – is the design of its rides. The idea is pretty straightforward, marrying simple, California-built bikes with the chrome-laden charm of old, classic cars… expand full story
Bikes Stories May 11, 2017
I had the pleasure of joining the Trek team in New York City this morning for a small briefing and a ride over the Williamsburg Bridge to Brooklyn on the new Trek Super Commuter 8S which due for consumers in the US later this Spring. What got us interested in this event wasn’t so much the Bosch 350W motor/500Wh battery technology but the marketing Trek was using in its campaign to sell this $5000 bike…
Bikes Stories July 11, 2016
Bombardier Recreational Products, better known as BRP, is having a lot of success with its Can-Am Spyder. It delivered the 100,000th unit last year. During the summer, you can’t travel far without driving by one on the road. The single rear drive wheel with two front wheels for steering is an interesting platform for an electric drivetrain and BRP knows it.
The company has been financing a project to create an all-electric version of the vehicle with the CTA and the Université de Sherbrooke for the past 5 years. They finally unveiled the all-electric concept at EVS29 last month. expand full story
Bikes Stories June 14, 2016
Harley-Davidson unveiled its Livewire project two years ago almost to the day. While the all-electric concept with only ~60 miles of range was lacking compared to other models already available today, it showed that one of the most iconic motorcycle company, which is also obviously entrenched in internal combustion engines, is at least looking at other powertrain technologies.
At the time, Harley-Davidson made it clear that Livewire was only a concept (and good-looking one – see pictures below), but now the company confirms that it plans to bring its first electric bike to market “within the next five years”. expand full story
Bikes Stories June 6, 2016
From 9to5Toys.com:
We’re not just talking about electric bikes as a “one day” or “down-the-road” solution any more. With smaller batteries and greater range, what once was a dream is now a feasible reality. The latest alternative fuel creation comes way of Lithium Cycles, a group out of South California that has eyes on bringing a retro-style battery-powered bike to the masses. So far, interest is heavy. The Super 73 Electric Bicycle has already raised over $165,000 in just a few days on Kickstarter…
Bikes Stories May 24, 2016
Airbus has a wholly-owned subsidiary called APWorks, which is set up to develop additive manufacturing techniques – especially metallic 3D printing – for the supply chains of Airbus’ main businesses. From time to time, the company releases independent products developed through their manufacturing work for Airbus.
The latest of such product is particularly interesting to us at Electrek: a 3D printed all-electric motorcycle. expand full story
Bikes Stories May 20, 2016
Victory Motorcycle announced a surprise participation at the Isle of Man TT with the newly unveiled all-electric motorcycle: Victory RR. The Victory RR is another child of Victory Motorcycle’s union with electric bike maker Brammo through their parent company Polaris. expand full story
Bikes Stories March 30, 2016
We recently stumbled upon a small Austrian-based company called Johammer. The firm is building an interesting futuristic-looking electric motorcycle: the Johammer J1. They launched the vehicle last year, but they recently ramp-up production and we are now seeing more of the vehicle reminiscent of a Star Wars pod racer with chopper-like handles. expand full story
Bikes Stories March 17, 2016
Electric bike maker Zero Motorcycles filmed an interesting live tour of its Scotts Valley factory in California yesterday. You can watch the full video below. expand full story
Bikes Stories February 22, 2016
From 9to5Toys.com:
As eBikes have gained traction over the last few years, a variety of styles have come to fruition through crowdfunding and startup companies. Initially we saw plenty of industrial designs but thankfully more traditional cruisers are hitting the scene.
Faraday has been cranking out electrical for just over five years. The San Francisco bike shop recently took to Kickstarter to fund its latest creation: the Cortland and Cortland S. With just a week to go, Faraday has flown past its crowdfunding goal. There’s still time to grab one before the campaign ends, but you’ll need to act fast as nearly every model has sold out…
Bikes Stories February 4, 2016
In his latest letter to reservation holders, Lit Motors CEO Daniel Kim confirmed that the startup has been granted 9 unique patent applications in the U.S. for its auto-balancing electric vehicle (AEV) technology. expand full story
Bikes Stories February 3, 2016
Paris, the city that pioneered the huge bike share Vélib’ system a decade ago and more recently began offering Small electric cars to rent via its Autolib’ program looks like it will begin offering an in-between electric scooter renting program operated by Cityscoot company. The company is said to offer 1000 of the quiet mopeds around Paris available to anyone over 20 with a moped license… expand full story
Bikes Stories January 6, 2016
Without even trying out (not available in US yet) a Gogoro scooter I love the idea. It is a 2-wheeled vehicle that runs on two Lithium battery packs which contain the same Panasonic 18650 batteries that line the bottom of the Tesla Model S and X. While a Model S contains about 7,000 of these to hit about 70-90kWh, the Gogoro’s battery packs are only 1.3kWh each (so around 100+batteries/ea) and can be exchanged in a charging bay. The 2.6kWh, according to Gogoro’s specs will take the good looking scooter about 60 miles at 60mph (0-31 in 4.2secs). While solid specs, that’s not at all what makes Gogoro a gamechanger…
Bikes Stories December 22, 2015
The new budget bill approved by the US Congress last week included an important extension to the 30% investment tax credit (ITC) for solar, but it also brought back the less popular (but welcomed) tax credits for electric motorcycles. expand full story
Bikes Stories December 18, 2015
Alta Motors, formerly known as BRD Motorcycles, announced having delivered the first all-electric Redshift to customers this week.
The first lucky owners are Eric Gauthier and Jeannine Smith, who own and operate Suspension Performance in Mountain View, CA. expand full story
Bikes Stories December 17, 2015
Zero Motorcycles raises $1 million in funding to bring the total to over $64 million
As Zero Motorcycles’ 2016 models are starting to arrive to dealerships, the company raises $1 million in funding to bring the total to over $64 million, according to Crunchbase.
Bikes Stories December 11, 2015
Three-wheeled half-enclosed electric motorcycle: Arcimoto SRK 8 [Video]
In the latest Translogic episode, Buckley visits Arcimoto in Oregon to test their latest prototype three-wheeled half-enclosed electric motorcycle: the Arcimoto SRK 8.
Bikes Stories November 17, 2015
After a successful launch in Asia, Gogoro will now try to introduce its electric “Smartscooters” to Europe starting with Amsterdam in early 2016. You can’t buy the Gogoro’s Smartscooter anywhere because they need to be supported by the company’s network of battery swapping stations (picture above). expand full story
Bikes Stories November 13, 2015
This week BMW’s Motorrad division unveiled an all-electric concept version of its RR motorcycle called “eRR”. The company didn’t reveal any specific information about the new concept, which it described as an “experimental vehicle” – meaning it isn’t likely to hit the market anytime soon.
But the group released the following pictures: expand full story
Bikes Stories November 10, 2015
Zero FX electric motorcycles ride the Rubicon trail [video]
Zero Motorcycles released today a video of its R&D team riding down the tough Rubicon trail with Zero FX’s. The company didn’t add any music to the video, which is clever because it highlights how quiet the bikes are…
Bikes Stories October 19, 2015
The 2015 Tokyo Motor Show is starting next week and several manufacturers already announced the debut of new electric vehicles, including Nissan’s Teatro and Mitsubishi’s eX, now Yamaha says it will unveil 6 new concepts, including a new two-wheel drive all-electric motorcycle and an electric car. expand full story
San Francisco-based Mission Motorcycles, a maker of high-end electric motorcycles, recently filed for bankruptcy amid financial troubles. In the filing, current CEO Mark Seeger said the company is so low on cash that it can’t afford to pay for an attorney for the bankruptcy process, but while recently talking with Reuters, former CEO Derek Kaufman dismissed the company’s lack of money and instead blamed Mission’s demise on Apple’s poaching of top engineers. expand full story
Bikes Stories October 15, 2015
Zero Motorcycles, a maker of battery-powered motorcycles, is at the American International Motorcycle Expo in Orlando, Florida today to unveil its 2016 lineup and announce 2 new models.
On top of the new models, the company is also presenting a new motor design, a faster charging infrastructure, a new lithium-ion cell chemistry for more capacity and efficiency, and it will lower the price on two base models while adding more features and performance throughout its lineup. expand full story
Bikes Stories October 9, 2015
Rimac Automobili is a Croatian car company better known for being the maker of the Concept_One electric supercar, but it is also the maker of the little known Greyp G12 high performance electric bike and the company recently introduced a successor to the G12: the Greyp G12s. expand full story
Bikes Stories October 2, 2015
From 9to5Toys.com:
It has been a big month for electric vehicles, with Tesla notably stealing the show with its event earlier this week and delivery numbers today. On the lower end of the cost spectrum, there is an ever increasing interest in affordable battery-driven transportation. We have already seen motorcycle and skateboard prototypes that each offer a unique alternative to traditional counterparts.
The eBike community is growing as well. One of the more intriguing electric bikes on the market comes way of Sondors. After previously raising over six million dollars on Indiegogo, Storm and his crew are back with a refreshed model and a lower price tag on Kickstarter that makes this affordable eBike more attractive than ever.
Bikes Stories October 1, 2015
Zero Motorcycles will launch its 2016 lineup in 2 weeks
Zero Motorcycles confirmed earlier this week that it will unveiled its 2016 lineup of electric motorcycles at the American International Motorcycle Expo in Orlando, Florida on October 15th.
Bikes Stories September 14, 2015
Mission Motorcycles, a maker of high-end electric motorcycles, filed for bankruptcy
Amid financial troubles and co-founder scuffles, Mission Motorcycles, a maker of high-end electric motorcycles, filed for bankruptcy last week. In a letter obtained by local news-outlets, CEO Mark Seeger said the company is so low on cash that it can’t afford to pay for an attorney for the bankruptcy filing process.
Bikes Stories September 8, 2015
The electric bikes of Burning Man 2015 [Video]
Today is the last day of Burning Man 2015 in the middle of the Black Rock desert of Nevada. Black Rock City, a temporary city of thousands, will dismantle tomorrow. The festival is known for its display of art and gifting economy, but also for the often extravagant vehicles use to explore the city.
Bikes Stories September 4, 2015
Bikes Stories August 13, 2015
The E-Raw concept electric motorcycle combines wood and steel for a one-of-a-kind look
From 9to5Toys.com:
We don’t usually feature concept vehicles, generally opting to wait until they are ready for release to the general public. But a new e-bike from Expemotion has caught our eye and we had to share it with you. The E-Raw concept blends natural and man-made materials that results in a stunning two-wheeled creation. From the simple steel tube chassis to the wooden seat that wraps around the motorcycle acting as placeholder for a would-be gas tank, this bike is eye-popping.
It has a built-in spot on the dashboard for your smartphone and a red/white metal enclosure for the motor. Amongst all the prototypes that we have seen recently, the E-Raw is one of our favorites. No word on its release or future plans, but you can head over to Expemotion for more details.
Source: Asphalt and Rubber
Bikes Stories July 30, 2015
Earlier this year, Victory Motorcycles bought Brammo’s electric motorcycle business and now Brammo’s Empulse R becomes Victory’s Empulse TT. Other than the badges and a light styling refresh, the bike is roughly unchanged. Going for $20,000 and with an advertised range of 140 miles, the Empulse could represent an interesting higher-end alternative to the very popular Zero electric motorcycles. expand full story
Bikes Stories July 15, 2015
If you know of Rimac Automobili, it’s probably for being the maker of the Concept One electric supercar, but the Croatian car company is also the maker of the little known Greyp G12, a high performance electric bike. Performance comes at a price, the G12 starts at 6,500 EUR ($7,200 US), but the bike is equipped with a 1.3 kWh and a battery management system (BMS) based on the knowledge acquired during the conception of Rimac’s $1 million electric supercar. expand full story
Bikes Stories May 20, 2015
Zero Motorcycles announced today a significant price reduction for its 2015 model line. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) is lowered by $1,350 across all of the 4 models offered by Zero. The company cited the fall of battery cost and energy density increase as reasons for the price reduction.
Bikes Stories March 17, 2015
A bike like this would be a better transition for Apple than going directly to cars. And I want one done right.
Bikes Stories June 5, 2014
There are roughly a dozen companies making electric skateboards, versus just a handful a few years ago, according to people in the nascent industry. There are skateboard lights, skateboard locks, skateboard storage racks, and boards made from recycled fishnets. The skateboard, it seems, has become a hotbed of innovation.
None of this stuff is aimed at what you might call real skateboarders. Instead it is for the growing number of urban professionals who don’t want to drive to work. Kyle Doerksen, inventor of the Onewheel, illustrated this distinction while touting his contraption’s powerful brakes.
Where the Segway left off, the motoized skateboard comes in. The venerable skateboard is certainly not as stable but for those of us who grew up perfecting our balance and who still have some of that skill left, this is a great and dare I say, fun mode of transportation (even up hills). The Li-Ion tech just makes the boards lighter.
Just make sure there are smooth streets without potholes and rocks on your commute.
Bikes Stories November 7, 2013
If you’re looking for a high end electric motorcycle, check out Zero’s 2014 lineup released this week. New Features include with increased horsepower and torque that put them into the superbike range but at the weights of offensive linemen. From Wired:
Everyone crows about horsepower, but torque is what you feel when you nail the gas pedal or twist the throttle. It’s a better measure of acceleration, and for 2014, Zero has cracked the infamous 100 pound-foot mark with its new SR electric motorcycle.
Torque is measured in pound feet — or, for the rest of the world, Newton-meters — and the Zero SR puts down 106 lb-ft — 56 percent more than its standard S counterpart, and a figure that brings it in line with some of the biggest, brashest, and beefiest bikes in the world. But unlike those bruisers and cruisers, the SR tips the scales at a relatively svelte 400 pounds. High grunt and low mass let you hit 60 mph in 3.3 seconds.
Bikes Stories October 30, 2013
Mission seems like the Tesla of motorcycles as president Mark Seeger stops by with his groundbreaking halo product, the limited production RS superbike. Only 40 of these will be assembled by hand in the USA but clearly there is a market for these if things go well.
Perhaps the hardest part? Convincing motorcyclists that they don’t need to be obnoxiously loud. expand full story
Bikes Stories October 16, 2013
It is hard not to like this idea: You replace your rear bike wheel with this special FlyKly wheel which houses a motor, a controller, and some batteries. You set the speed with a smartphone or Pebble app.
On the downside, you are also replacing your rear gear sprockets and shifting mechanism and it doesn’t seem like you can have too much control with a smartphone for changing speeds while biking.
Estimates look like the product will hit production late next year.
Bikes Stories July 28, 2013
Love this idea: You carry around a little Motor/battery pack and pop it on any bike. Rubbee is taking pre-orders on their Kickstarter page.
Specs:
The Rubbee Drive system fits every standard bicycle tyre from 16 in to 29 in (700c). Smaller tyre sizes may interrupt a smooth operational use. Width of the bicycle tyre may vary between 20mm to 60mm. expand full story
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