ebikes

This week on Electrek’s new Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This week that includes the recently unveiled Arcimoto MLM 3-wheeled leaning electric bike, new e-bike motors from Valeo and Biktrix, new stealthy e-bikes, testing the Tesla Cyberquad for Kids, and lots more…

Anyone who has been following recent pricing trends in the electric bicycle industry has experienced quite a roller coaster ride. Prices over the last year or two have repeatedly climbed and dropped as leading e-bike companies jockeyed for position while simultaneously weighing the increasing pricing pressures on the industry.

North American e-bike leader Rad Power Bikes is now raising eyebrows (and sending stomachs into chests if we want to keep that roller coaster analogy alive) as the company flirts with lower prices on two of its most popular models.

The Fiido T1 may not be the most revolutionary electric bike out there, but it still manages to stuff itself full of value, making it an interesting addition to the electric utility bike market.

In a bid to clean up the city and reduce the chokehold of traffic congestion, Paris plans to ban cars from much of the historic part of the French capital.

Canadian electric bike company Biktrix has never shied away from high-power motors. Several of the brand’s e-bikes feature what used to be one of the most powerful mid-drive e-bike motors on the market: the Bafang M620 Ultra motor. I say “used to be” because it has now been surpassed by Biktrix’s own in-house developed Biktrix XD motor, and the new motor solves all of the major problems we’ve previously seen with such high-power mid-drives.

The folks over at the electric bicycle company FLX caught lightning in a bottle two years ago when they launched the original Babymaker electric bicycle. Now the company is back up on a hill in a thunderstorm, jar in hand, hoping to do it again. And this time they’ve brought and even better e-bike than the first time around.

Meet the Babymaker II.

The Aventon Sinch was already one of the best-quality small-diameter-wheel fat tire e-bikes in the value category, but now it’s gotten even better. That’s thanks to a host of new upgrades from the company, including an ultra-comfortable folding frame with low step-through design that makes it easier than ever to quickly mount up and ride.

And of course Electrek made sure to have the first look at the new Aventon Sinch Step-Through, as I’ve been testing it out ahead of the bike’s launch today.

Remember that time 14 months ago when French company Valeo announced the development of a new electric bicycle mid-drive system that included a built-in automatic transmission? Electrek remembers.

And now that drive unit is ready for production. It will soon be available on several e-bike models thanks to partnerships with over a dozen electric bicycle companies.

Electric bicycles can largely be grouped into two categories: Those powered by hub-motors and those powered by mid-drive motors. The former are generally seen as more affordable due to the simpler technology, while the latter are often increasingly premium offerings that employ more sophisticated drivetrains. But the upcoming EUNORAU D6 electric bicycle looks to bring that mid-drive performance in at a hub-motor price.

Electric bicycles come with added electric motors to make riding quicker, easier, and more fun. Throttle e-bikes don’t even require pedaling at all, turning them into little electric mopeds. And that easy operation also opens the door to serious utility possibilities, such as effortlessly carrying a second rider on the back.

There are plenty of dual-passenger e-bikes out there to choose from, and this Valentine’s Day might be the perfect time to take a look.

Porsche isn’t playing around when it comes to electric bikes. Not only has the German automaker already launched its own line of electric bicycles, but now we’re getting word that Porsche has bought up yet another company in the e-bike industry.

When Rad Power Bikes launched the RadRunner 2, it didn’t show off a laundry list of new updates. Instead, there were only a few key changes. And that’s because the affordably priced RadRunner was already such a popular e-bike that it only required a few small updates to make it better than ever before.

As the old adage goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

There’s nothing more “personal” than an electric bicycle named the Babymaker. And after selling over $13 million worth of the original e-bike, FLX has announced that it’s coming back with a new and improved Babymaker II e-bike.

I’ve long called the Lectric XP 2.0 the best bang-for-your-buck electric bicycle because it offers so much utility and performance for its modest $999 price. And with the step-through version of the e-bike, Phoenix-based Lectric eBikes has made the popular two-wheeler more accessible than ever before.

Electric bicycles have been putting more new and returning riders on two wheels than ever before. And in case anyone needed more proof that e-bikes are a key component of the future of transportation, the latest data and market research shows that sales volume and revenue are heading into the stratosphere.

The Model Y from Electric Bike Company is one women’s e-bike that I’ll happily ride anytime, anywhere. And so will my wife.

That’s the impression we came away with after getting the chance to test out a beautifully-outfitted Model Y electric bike recently in California.

Belgium-based urban electric bicycle manufacturer Cowboy has shared interesting data gleaned from its ridership, providing insight on how much fitness benefit is offered by electric bikes.

The Eunorau Cargo Max uses a similar setup to the Eunorau G20 e-cargo bike that we previously tested, but swaps in a more affordable direct drive motor instead of the pricier mid-drive. Having put some good miles on the Eunorau Cargo Max recently, I’m ready to tell you exactly what I like (and don’t like) about this budget-friendly e-cargo bike.

It may sound foreign to Americans, but being paid to cycle to work on a pedal bicycle or electric bike is common in many countries.

I’ve always loved the way Aventon makes its electric bicycles. They exude a level of craftsmanship that far exceeds their modest prices. But the new Soltera offers a masterclass in building a lightweight, modestly powered e-bike for commuter use.

The idea of army vehicles usually conjures up images of battle tanks and Black Hawks, but there’s a long history of two-wheelers making the draft as well. But while bicycles and old motorcycles were the bikes of choice for decades, electrification is changing the face of two-wheeled army transports around the world.