This Electric Bike Cargo "Train" Can Pull 1,000 Lbs

Welcome to Ride Review, your weekly roundup of the latest rides and technologies in the world of micromobility. Here’s what you need to know today.

Some housekeeping before we begin:

• ???? Earlier this week we announced that Micromobility Europe will be returning to Amsterdam on June 5-6. Thus far the response has been fantastic—so much so that we sold out of Super Early Bird tickets within the first 24 hours. If you missed your chance, don’t fret. We’re running a special holiday offer of €135/ticket for a limited time - book here before they run out too.
• ?? The Rider’s Choice Awards semifinals cutoff is coming next week, at which point the bottom 30% of vote-getters will be removed from the polling. Make your voice heard in nearly 100 categories, including Best Commuter Ebike, Best Operator, Best V2X Technology, Best Accessories, and more - vote now.

What You Need to Know Today

Typical cargo ebikes can handle at most a few hundred pounds of cargo, but that is changing soon. French startup Pelican announced the Pelican Train, a series of modular electrified trailers that can be pulled behind an ebike, capable of transporting up to 1,000 lbs (454 kg).

Traditional bicycle manufacturer Cervélo has entered the electric arena with the Rouvida, a high-end ebike powered by the Fazua Ride 60 motor system. It can switch between gravel and road configurations via flip chips, but the switching process requires a dealer-applied firmware update.

These bikes say “GasGas” on the side, but don’t worry, they’re electric! Made by the Spanish motorcycle manufacturer GasGas, the Moto 1 & 2 are Class 2 electric bikes on motocross-inspired minibike frames.

On the latest episode of the podcast, Melvin Lian of VoroMotors discusses his scooter company’s journey, from its beginnings in Singapore to its current base in Los Angeles. Melvin details the challenges he faced in Singapore, including strict regulations that culminated in an overnight ban on scooters. Melvin also talks about the company’s innovations in seated scooters, its distribution of Kaboo and Dualtron, as well as its own EMOVE line of vehicles.

Reebok E-Mobility celebrated its official launch at Ispo Munich 2023. Among other products, the Hong Kong-based company is bringing a range of “Assembled in Europe” electric bikes and scooters to market, primarily targeting larger mass suppliers.

Scottish startup Intra Drive is creating a new electric bike drive system. Dubbed the GD8, the new design combines a motor and eight-speed gearbox into a single mid-mounted assembly, eliminating exposed components and reducing maintenance.

We’ve seen bike camping trailers before, but none as high-tech as the CapsulBike from French company Tinyvroum. Starting at €3,900 ($4,230 USD), it includes 140-watt solar panels, a full kitchen set, and even a shower.

IIT Delhi-backed Surface Moto’s first product, the Surface C1, is now available throughout India. Starting at Rs 64,990 ($780 USD), the Surface C1 features a composite steel frame and can fast charge from 0-100% in just 2.3 hours.

Indian company Bajaj Auto has updated their flagship moped for 2024. Priced at ?1.15 lakh ($1,380 USD), the new Chetak Urbane is significantly cheaper than its predecessor with an increased range of 113 km (70 miles).

San Diego’s Juiced Bikes announced the Scrambler X2, an updated version of one of their most popular electric bikes. Retaining its iconic mini-bike styling, the X2 features an upgraded 1,000 watt hub motor and a hefty 811 watt-hour battery.

Royal Dutch Gazelle is the latest cycling manufacturer to endorse V2X (vehicle-to-everything technology). Intended to reduce vehicle-cyclist collisions, the technology uses built-in sensors that allow all vehicles - cars and PEVs included - to see each other on the road.

Mondraker has launched a range of eMTBs for kids, consisting of scaled-down versions of the brand’s adult models. Powered by the Mahle X35 hub motor, the range includes both hardtail and full suspension variants, as well as a balance bike.

Honda’s suitcase-sized Motocompacto scooter is impressive, but they’ve got serious competition from a rival Japanese scooter company. The Arma scooter weighs only ten pounds, has a top speed of 14.9 mph (24 km/h), and folds to the size of a lunchbox.

No one likes fixing flat tires. The SMART Tire Company hopes to eliminate them completely with METL, an airless tire that uses shape memory alloy technology borrowed from Mars rovers.

Austrian manufacturer Mag Bike unveiled the ET.1, its latest electric mountain bike. Weighing 30% less than its predecessor thanks to a magnesium frame, the ET.1 has an impressive 160mm of suspension travel on both wheels.

And finally, how about an electric delivery van that’s less than eight feet long? The RUNHORSE has been hiding on Alibaba for years before being discovered by Elektrek’s Micah Toll, powered by a 3,000 watt motor and even featuring an 800 watt heating system.

Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn | Instagram | Blog | Podcast