ebikes

Wallke’s electric bikes have never shied away from high-power motors or heavy duty frames. But with the Wallke X3 Max, the company doubled down to give us twice the motors for an all-wheel-drive ride.

I’ve spent many years covering just about every awesome light electric vehicle that has come out of China, from e-bikes and e-scooters to more obscure rides like electric three-wheelers and more. After over a decade in the digital trenches, I’ve felt mighty overdue for a firsthand look at where these fun and functional personal electric vehicles come from. So I made the trip to China and snuck my way behind the scenes at a number of factories to check out some of the biggest and most important players in the industry.

Michigan’s Mackinac Island has introduced a new speed limit for electric bicycles, slowing down one of the only motorized forms of transportation in the town.

A Californa resident recently took electric bicycle maker Delfast to court over non-delivery of the company’s new electric bicycle model after an apparently successful crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo failed to result in a delivery.

In the e-bike world, we often joke that some of the beefier and more massive US-market electric bikes are more like small electric motorcycles. Well, a brand called Happyrun must have heard us and pulled the ol’ “hold my beer!” The result is the Happyrun Tank G100, which may wear a pair of bicycle pedals but is all motorcycle from the ankles up.

After teasing the launch of its first two-wheeled product, the drone and camera powerhouse DJI has now unveiled an electric mountain bike under the Amflow brand. Take a look at the new Amflow PL, powered by DJI’s own new drive system.

It sounds a bit out of left field, but there’s not really any other way to interpret a new teaser posted by drone maker DJI on the brand’s Instagram. It looks like DJI has an electric bicycle in the works.

As much as I love the nicer and more refined electric bikes that use higher quality parts and better construction for years of worry-free riding, I understand how important the entry-level market is for making electric bicycles as accessible as possible. And e-bikes like the $799 Engwe L20 2.0 are putting more butts on seats than ever before, combining low prices with performance that will likely surprise you!

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.

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.

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.

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.