ebikes

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.

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.

Los Angeles-based electric bike brand Hi-Power Cycles has announced the opening of a new “defense division” known as HPC Defense. To kick things off, they’ve unveiled an 80 mph (130 km/h) military electric bike as one of the division’s first products.

In a world where electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular, it’s no surprise that the Tesla Model Y and Model 3 are the best-selling EVs in the United States. But what if I told you that the third best-selling electric vehicle in America isn’t a car at all? It’s actually an electric bike!

In what should come as a surprise to absolutely nobody, Lectric Ebikes has done it again. North America’s leading value e-bike brand has just unveiled another doozy, this time upgrading the popular XP Lite model with some serious value-added features. Meet the new Lectric XP Lite 2.0, complete with Gates carbon belt drive and hydraulic disc brakes.

Micromobility Europe, the euro-focused sister show of the Micromobility America conference, is one of the main industry-focused trade shows concentrating on a wide variety of small-format vehicles designed for personal mobility. That includes everything from e-bikes and e-scooters to golf carts and micro-cars. If it rolls, moves a few people, and doesn’t look like something you’d never want to park in a crowded city, it will probably be there.

For the next two days, June 5-6, the show is hitting Amsterdam to feature a range of new vehicles, a curated list of industry speakers, and more. It’s a veritable who’s who of industry titans from micromobility company CEOs to policy makers and industry analysts. And somehow they agreed to let me in, too!

New York City is on the brink of implementing congestion pricing, a bold move aimed at reducing traffic in Manhattan’s most congested areas. While this initiative promises to alleviate gridlock and generate funds for public transportation, it also means drivers will face additional costs to navigate through certain parts of the city. But what if I told you there’s a way to avoid these fees entirely?