
The coolest e-bikes, e-scooters, electric micro-cars, and more that we saw at Micromobility America
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3 years agoon
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adminMicromobility America returned to the San Francisco Bay Area earlier this month to showcase the latest micromobility products, highlight new releases, offer test rides, hear from insightful company leaders and politicians, and basically nerd out about electric mobility.
From new e-bikes and e-scooters to innovative electric roller skates and even electric micro-cars, there was a bit of everything under the sun.
And with a combination of company meet and greets, test rides, and speakers, the event had a wide range of engaging activities for anyone interested in the latest forms of micromobility and the policies that surround those devices and companies.
The event included some of the most interesting, innovative, and eye-catching mobility products out there, and I was on-site to take it all in over two days.
Here’s a collection of some of the coolest stuff I saw, listed in alphabetical order to avoid choosing favorites. (That’d be like asking who your favorite child is!)
Apollo Scooters
The team from Apollo was on site to show off their latest innovative electric scooters, including their newest models of the Apollo City and the Apollo Pro. Both of these scooters employ more of a ground-up design than we’ve seen from most electric scooter companies.
Instead of throwing together a bunch of à la carte parts, Apollo designs its scooters itself, ensuring they not only have the most unique e-scooters out there but that they also address the ever-growing mass of community feedback they receive from their tens of thousands of electric scooter customers.
I made sure to take a spin on the Apollo City Pro, having previously reviewed the slightly lower spec Apollo City. Both are fast and comfortable e-scooters that employ the company’s variable regenerative braking, meaning you can basically forgo touching the mechanical brakes entirely, instead relying on the motor’s regenerative braking to slow and stop the scooter. The Apollo Pro’s fancy features like wireless phone charging and surround lighting make it a standout in the industry — even before you consider the 43 mph (70 km/h) top speed!



Artful Design Group’s Airglide electric scooter
I’ve seen a lot of different types of micromobility products but never anything quite like this. While still a prototype, the Airglide electric cargo scooter was on site to show off what could be possible with a seated cargo e-scooter.
In addition to offering plenty of space for cargo in the front bucket, the scooter is designed with a saddle for comfortable seated riding and even collapses down into a cart that can be wheeled around through a grocery store to do your shopping.
Don’t expect to find this one in stores this year, but the future could see big things for a small-yet-mighty folding e-scooter like this.


Aventura X electric scooter
Vespa vibes without the Vespa price! The Aventura X electric scooter has all of the old-timey charms of a classic Piaggio-style scooter, yet with a $3,300 price tag that is around half the cost of a Vespa Elettrica electric scooter.
I had the chance to test ride one, which you can see in my video from the event above.
The scooter isn’t the fastest out there, maxing out at just 30 mph (48 km/h). But it’s a fun, smooth, and easy-to-manage ride that will have you enjoying the slower pace of life.
It’s just so much fun that you’re not thinking “I wish this thing went faster.” Instead, you’re mostly wishing you had a beautiful girl on back en route to a picnic in the Italian countryside.
I’m not sure it will rival a CSC Monterey, but it gets close.

Bo electric scooter
Bo’s electric scooter looks like the designers threw out the conventional Chinese electric scooter that everyone seems to build these days and, instead, drew up their own idea of how e-scooters should be built.
The head tube is basically as tall as the stem, giving them a much wider spacing between steering bearings and resulting in a much stiffer and safer-feeling scooter.
The body panels give it a sleeker appearance too, making it look as good as it feels.
Big props to the designers on this one!



Boaz Bikes
I had a blast meeting the team behind Boaz Bikes, and it was quite obvious that their passion for their product and service really shines through.
The takeaway message that they kept coming back to was safety. They operate as a rental service, but they also sell their micromobility vehicles to people that enjoy the unique form factor and want to own instead of rent.
Despite the name, these “bikes” are actually scooters. They have a low seating position that allows riders to feel stable, with a low center of gravity, and easily put both feet on the ground if they need to quickly regain their balance.
With suspension, baskets, lights, fenders, and disc brakes, the little scooters have basically everything a rider needs in a small utility scooter. Plus, the max speed of 30 mph on the private version makes these a fast urban vehicle that can easily replace a car.
I didn’t get a chance to hop on one of these at the show, and now I regret it. They look so awesome – I really need to try one out. Maybe I’ll get lucky after they read this, and they’ll want me to do a review on it in Florida. Fingers crossed!

Eli electric micro car
The Eli electric micro isn’t a car at all, but rather is listed as a quadricycle where it is already sold in Europe.
That puts it in a class of vehicles that fall somewhere between motorcycles and cars, enjoying the more lax regulatory environment of the former and the enclosed weather protection of the latter.
In the case of the Eli, it drives around at a max speed of around 25 mph (40 km/h) and offers a carlike interior, complete with a micro-trunk in the back for a couple of backpacks or other small cargo.

The Eli was definitely one of the largest electric vehicles at Micromobility America, but it was still quite small compared to real cars.
Interestingly, the glass doors give it a larger interior feeling than it deserves, making the cramped interior feel much roomier.
I had the chance to give one of the first Eli vehicles a quick test drive last year in Milan, which you can see in my brief video below.
Escend Blades electric roller skates
These Escend Blades are absolutely wild and push the lower end of the micromobility size spectrum even further.
The concept is simple. They’re like roller skates – but electric. That’s it. Small, light, effective.
They use electric skateboard parts, including an e-skate controller to wirelessly communicate with the skates. That gives riders a thumb-controlled throttle and brake dial in their hand, without requiring a tether or wired connection.
It seems like there are dedicated boot versions and also naked skate platforms like those old-school roller skates that strapped onto kids’ shoes from the 1950s.

Faction’s driverless Arcimoto
Faction was at Micromobility America with its driverless Arcimoto designed as an autonomous delivery vehicle.
It’s pretty trippy to look inside and realize that both seats have been replaced by a giant, open area for cargo and goods.
The Arcimoto FUV platform is already quite striking, but a robotic version is straight-up SciFi if you ask me.
More “normal” Arcimoto FUVs were also at the show, including one that the company let me borrow for a couple of days to use as my wheels while I was in San Francisco. Flying over the bridges at 80+ mph and getting looks from drivers around me was definitely a highlight of the trip, but I’ll have more on my few days of driving an Arcimoto FUV soon.

Hunter Boards
South American electric skateboard startup Hunter Boards showed off its latest highly-engineered electric skateboard at Micromobility America.
The board uses what appears to be a modified double wishbone suspension system that is more at home on large four-wheeled vehicles than skateboards.
It looks like a mechanical engineering student’s dream and gives the boards a futuristic yet still mechanical vibe.
Combined with the high performance and removable batteries, the design helps make these Hunter electric skateboards memorable in the industry.

JackRabbit
The JackRabbit brings a smile to my face every time I see one.
Referred to as a micro-bike, these are technically seated electric scooters due to the lack of pedals.
They may look funny with that short wheelbase, but they have pretty good performance.
They get up to 20 mph and have ranges of over 10 miles, despite their tiny batteries, meaning they’re great for short city commutes when riders want the stability of a bike but the size and lightweight design of a scooter.

I had the distinct pleasure of reviewing one of these earlier this year, where I learned just how much fun this micromobility device can be.
You can check it out in my video review below. Trust me, you’re going to want to see me ride this thing. It’s not a circus bear on a tricycle situation, but it’s not the farthest thing in the world from that either.
Nimbus One
This is another one of those “What is it?” type of micro-EVs. The Nimbus One falls somewhere in the Velo-bike/micro-car/leaning e-trike trifecta. It’s another example of a vehicle that pushes the limits of what we consider to be micromobility.
The enclosed design makes it great for inclement weather that would cause many people to leave their bikes in the garage. But the narrow size and leaning design mean it operates more like a bike than a car, which should appeal to car-shunning cyclists.
And of course, the electric drive makes it easy and, more importantly, environmentally sustainable, which everyone should appreciate.
I can’t say for sure what it’s actually like to pilot. But I can agree that it’s fun to look at!

Pytes batteries
These guys say they’re the third largest battery suppliers in the micromobility business.
Frankly, based on the list of e-bike companies they rattled off as their customers, I’m surprised they aren’t in the first or second spot.
They were on-site to show off their wide range of batteries for electric bikes, scooters, and other micromobility devices.
It seems they make just about every type of battery under the sun. And bonus points, they’re fans of my videos! From now on I’m going to tell people, “Yeah, well you may not have heard of me, but I’m big in China!”



Veo Apollo
Tons of companies offer shared electric scooters or e-bikes. Lime and Bird at the big ones for many people, but dozens of other companies compete in the space.
No one has a two-seater e-bike quite like Veo though, who just rolled out the Veo Apollo in a debut at Micromobility America.
The Class 2 e-bike has a 750W motor in the rear wheel and gets up to a top speed of 20 mph.
It makes it easy to avoid calling for an Uber or Lyft – instead, take a friend with you on the back of a shared micromobility device. Right on!

WAU Bikes
Sorry, WAU, you guys really screwed yourself when it comes to alphabetical order, getting left near the end of this post. That’s a shame because your bikes deserve to be at the top of so many lists.
Between the slick-looking battery case (with a 100-mile range battery!) and the neat frame-mounted rear lights, these are some awesome e-bikes that I really want to test out.
Those taillights even do double duty as turn signals and brake lights, and they are actually large and wide enough to serve those roles well, unlike many tiny gimmicky turn signals we’re starting to see on other e-bikes.

Weel
Last but definitely not least on the list is Weel, an innovative e-bike that offers something akin to Tesla Autopilot, but for e-bikes.
It’s designed to help riders who lack the skills or confidence to safely ride a bike and uses a steering tube motor to help adjust the steering for riders and keep the bike stable. Computer vision helps riders stay on course by tracking the edges of bike lanes and avoiding obstacles.
The bike is also designed to remove as many traditional hardware components from the bike as possible. For example, instead of a typical moving brake lever, the Weel bike’s brake lever is fixed and uses a strain gauge to measure how hard it is pulled.
It’s a wild and completely novel design. Time will tell whether or not the bike will be commercially viable when it eventually hits the market.

Make sure you check out my video of the event, embedded below. There, you’ll see all of these companies up close, plus even more!
And if you live across the pond, keep your calendar marked for June 8-9, 2023, when Micromobility Europe returns to Amsterdam!
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Environment
2025 Can-Am Origin test ride: a rugged, high-tech return to two-wheel fun
Published
1 hour agoon
July 19, 2025By
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The 2025 Can-Am Origin electric motorcycle is the pinnacle of fun, just as long as your good time can fit into 69 miles of riding between charges. What it lacks in long-distance range, it makes up for in versatility, rugged style, and instant torque that’s ready for the road and trail. Each twist of the throttle delivers immediate electric propulsion. Its futuristic design and stealthy motor hum make the Origin a dual-sport machine pulled from tomorrow that wonderfully celebrates Can-Am’s two-wheeled heritage of decades past. I also spent some time on the road with the more approachable Can-Am Pulse, a standard street bike with a slight range advantage.
Can-Am style and comfort through technology
The Can-Am Origin is unlike any electric motorbike that has entered my garage. Its tall stance, 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels, and high ground clearance practically beg to be taken off your routine street routes. Can-Am simultaneously delivers an infotainment system on a dual-sport bike that, respectfully, makes much more expensive electric motorcycles look like tech dinosaurs in comparison.
The Origin’s dashboard has specs that every electric motorcycle company should copy. Equipping this system to an electric dual-sport feels like a total luxury. The Origin features a giant 10.25-inch color touchscreen with BRP Connect and a clean user interface that automatically switches between light and dark mode and adjusts brightness. In addition to a digital speedometer, you can quickly switch between ride modes, view battery status, check estimated range, and more.

Ride modes include Normal, Sport, Rain, Eco, two different Off-Road modes. You can toggle traction control and fine-tune front and rear regenerative braking independently, each with Off, Mid, and Max settings. Controls are accessible via the touchscreen when parked or through handlebar-mounted thumb controls while riding.
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The UI adapts to show either large gauges or a split between speedometer and infotainment applets. Bluetooth connects the bike and your phone, and Can-Am has included built-in wifi for over-the-air software updates. These are the kinds of features you’d expect on a premium electric motorcycle in 2025, but they’re not guaranteed.
For iPhone users, there’s Apple CarPlay integration. Two caveats: first, the system uses USB-A instead of USB-C, so newer iPhones will require an adapter or a USB-A to USB-C cable that supports data, not just charging. Second, it only supports wired CarPlay, not wireless, despite the bike having both wifi and Bluetooth radios onboard.

Those two complaints aside, the CarPlay integration is next-level. The touchscreen is responsive when parked, and everything remains fully controllable through the handlebar controls while riding. Access to apps like Maps, Music, Messages, and Phone while on the move is a real convenience. There are also motorcycle- and EV-specific apps with CarPlay are right at home on the Can-Am system.
There are no built-in speakers, so Can-Am relies on Bluetooth audio outputs. The setup is clever, supporting two output channels: one for the rider and one for the passenger helmet comms systems. I experimented by tossing a Bluetooth speaker onto the handlebars and was surprised to find it worked well in sub 50 mph environments as an open-air audio solution.
My only real hardware gripe on a bike that otherwise outshines much of its competition is the lack of self-canceling turn signals. Not every bike has them, but every bike that lacks them is missing out. There’s nothing less cool than riding around with your blinker still flashing. Fortunately, the dash clearly displays active signals. Still, I initially thought the right indicator light on the dash wasn’t working until I realized a single cable runs directly in front of it from my seated position. It’s a small, oddly specific problem that may be specific to my loaner bike, but I can’t quite position the cable differently.

Overall, I give the look and tech a 9.75 out of 10 for delivering both style and features that I actually want and use.
How the Origin feels to ride
At 5’10” with a 30-inch inseam, I find the Origin’s seat height tall yet correct for a dual-sport bike. Throwing a leg over feels a bit like saddling up on a horse, and once I’m on, it’s immediately comfortable. I can straddle the bike confidently, with my left foot planted on the ground and the other hovering around the rear brake. Any taller, and it might feel like a stretch; any shorter, and the ride position wouldn’t feel as commanding. The elevated stance provides a clear, confident view of the road or trail ahead, and the headlight system works adequately. It sets the Origin apart from the lower, more compact feel of traditional street bikes.
With this bike, Can-Am delivers an awesome mix of rugged reality and futuristic aesthetic. The Origin’s angular black-and-white bodywork and tall riding position regularly invokes the feeling of a stormtrooper hovering through the moon forest of Endor on a speeder bike. That particular vibe is especially strong at speed, where the elevated stance and electric torque make it feel like you’re gliding just above the terrain. At lower speeds, the illusion shifts. The stealthy motor hum fades behind the subtle roll of tires on pavement, creating a sensation much like quietly cruising up on a skateboard. It’s stealthy, smooth, and serene.

In terms of performance, the Origin tops out at 79 mph for me, providing plenty of speed for highway rides. Can-Am rates the 0-60 mph acceleration at 4.3 seconds, but frankly this bike feels like it might toss you overboard if you push it that quickly. Can-Am estimates range of up to 90 city miles and 71 mixed environment miles. On one test ride, I ran the battery from 100 percent to 1 percent over the course of 2.3 hours, covering 58.7 miles at an average speed of 24 mph, according to the bike stats.
According to my stats, it was many more hours of fun in the sun with a break for lunch at the park by the water in between riding sessions. That ride was done entirely in Sport mode with regenerative braking turned off, and it returned an average energy consumption of 9 miles per kilowatt-hour. It’s a solid showing for an electric dual-sport, especially considering the aggressive mode and lack of regen for the most reactive and relaxed ride.
Sometimes I love the feel of regenerative braking on electric cars and motorcycles. It can add to the feeling of responsiveness. I found regen on this bike to feel a bit more tight and underpowered for my liking, but it’s there as an option for extending range. With regen turned off entirely, the Origin felt significantly more loose and natural to ride. On the Origin I consistently opted to leave both front and rear regen off. We’ll see how the Pulse feels when I test that model next.
I must have logged over 500 miles across four weeks with the Origin. The lasting impression is that when you gain muscle memory for how the bike responds to throttle spin and body movement, riding the Can-Am Origin feels like playing an amplified electric guitar. Every incremental finger and palm positioning has a result, and when you find your rhythm, suddenly you’re creating music.

The other piece of the Can-Am Origin experience that I didn’t anticipate is the conversational aspect. Electric vehicles are still novel to many, and electric motorcycles are an absolute enigma to most. “Can it get wet?” is still the classic question that many ask. But from day one to day 28 of test riding the Can-Am Origin, it was the brand itself that got people asking me about the bike.
My takeaway is that people have a real affinity for the Can-Am brand as well as a nostalgia for the days of two-wheeled Can-Am motorbikes. When they learn that Can-Am is back on two wheels in the form of a bad-ass looking electric dual-sport motorcycle, people react like they just met a the much younger version of a celebrity in their home town. It’s a fun thing to experience.
Can-Am has earned its place as an electric motorcycle brand to consider
The Can-Am Origin is an incredibly thoughtful and fun take on what an electric dual-sport can be. It pairs rugged styling with a high-tech, feature-rich interface, offers plenty of real-world performance, and never stops turning heads while doing it without trying. From its futuristic design and surprisingly refined touchscreen to the tall, confident riding position and intuitive handling, the Origin is a complete package, so long as your expectations around electric motorcycle range are in check.
Priced starting at $14,999, the Origin slots in competitively against other premium electric motorcycles, though it leans more toward adventure and off-road versatility than urban street performance. It doesn’t quite reach the power or fast-charging capability of more premium priced machines, yet it undercuts in price and adds very useful touches like Apple CarPlay, OTA updates, and dual regen tuning.

If money were no object, I’d gladly keep one in the garage. It’s just flat-out fun to ride. From quick errands and joyrides to weekend backroad escapes, the Origin is a thrill machine that leaves you smiling between rides. Can-Am has a huge selection of first-party accessories to customize your bike as well. This configuration above makes me drool.
Range will be the limiter on machines like this for a while, and while around 70 miles between charges is enough for plenty of use cases, it still has to be a part of the conversation when talking recommendations. But here’s the thing: despite that limitation, electric motorcycles are a ton of fun right now. And if you’ve got either a high pain tolerance for early adoption or healthy access to good charging infrastructure, you can absolutely push them further.

The Origin is compatible with both Level 1 (standard wall outlet) and Level 2 (240V) charging, but not Level 3 DC fast charging. Can-Am rates Level 2 charging at 0 to 80% in 1.5 hours and 0 to 100% in 3.5 hours. In practice, that translates to plugging in and waiting a few hours between fun sessions. For some riders, that’s no big deal, especially if spending time at your destination is part of the trip.
I certainly don’t live along the great electric freeway of California, but my coastal stretch of highway in South Mississippi is populated with electric charging stops.
In my testing, I used the Can-Am Origin for a roundtrip airport commute from home in Ocean Springs, MS to Gulfport, MS, and back. The airport was outside of the travel-there-and-back-without-charging range, but free charging infrastructure at the airport parking garage made it no problem. I rode there, parked, charged during my trip, and returned from the other side of the country to a full battery. So yes, it’s capable of handling local duties. But if long range is central to your riding lifestyle, it’s something to plan around. I think lower speeds and paid charging solutions along the way would allow me to reach New Orleans and return home, but I haven’t set out on that path with this bike.


The Origin isn’t perfect, but it’s arguably best in its category, well-executed, and just damn cool to experience. Can-Am absolutely executed on creating a great electric motorcycle experience despite not being solely focused on EVs or two-wheeled machines.
Can-Am Pulse experience
After 600+ miles on the Can-Am Origin, I had the chance to put some miles on a 2025 Can-Am Pulse electric motorcycle. My key takeaways? Both are excellent electric motorcycles with equally great CarPlay integration. The Pulse is more approachable with a low riding position and slightly more range. The larger storage capacity is also appreciated compared to the somewhat tight space on the Origin.

If I were choosing which to purchase without extensive riding experience, the Can-Am Pulse is absolutely the bike I would gravitate toward. It’s just a great standard street bike with awesome technology at a competitive price.

Above is a look at the redesigned CarPlay experience coming in September 2025 to iPhone in iOS 26, as seen on the Can-Am Pulse display. The new design flexibility makes CarPlay look more at home next to Can-Am’s UI that always appears on a third of the display. Since Can-Am supports CarPlay, the infotainment system will receive free upgrades as Apple enhances the iPhone-powered feature.
Can-Am also supports free over-the-air software updates to the bike itself. Updates are downloaded over wifi and installed using the built-in system on the bike. No visits to the dealership or firmware updates over USB drives required.
Here’s how both bikes compare on paper:
Feature | Can‑Am Origin | Can‑Am Pulse |
---|---|---|
Starting MSRP | $14,499 | $13,999 |
0–60 mph | 4.3 sec | 3.8 sec |
City range | 90 miles | 100 miles |
Combined range (WMTC) | 71 miles | 80 miles |
Charging (20→80 %) | 50 min (Level 2) | 50 min (Level 2) |
Peak power | 47 hp (35 kW) | 47 hp (35 kW) |
Continuous power | 27 hp (20 kW) | 27 hp (20 kW) |
Torque | 53 lb‑ft (72 Nm) | 53 lb‑ft (72 Nm) |
Dry weight | 412 lb (187 kg) | 390 lb (177 kg) |
Seat height | 34 in (865 mm) | 30.86 in (784 mm) |
Suspension travel | Front/rear 10 in (255 mm) | Front/rear 5.5 in (140 mm) |
Drive modes | 6 modes (Normal, ECO, Rain, Sport, Off‑Road, Off‑Road+) | 4 modes (Normal, ECO, Rain, Sport+) |
Find more about Can-Am Origin and Pulse electric motorcycles here.
Electrek’s Take
I still think the Can-Am Pulse is the easier recommendation for most people, and you can kit it out as much as the Origin. Yet after around a month with each bike, I can’t help but think more about the Pulse. Can-Am really built a fun machine with that bike, especially with its commanding riding position and rugged style.
I would love to see a version with Level 3 charging speeds and greater range to expand the road trip potential, but both machines are super if your commute or leisure route works with the specs.

For now, Can-Am has delivered more than any other electric motorcycle maker when it comes to a giant display with CarPlay integration, attention-grabbing style, and options for two different riding preferences.
Want to learn more about the world of electric motorcycles and other two-wheeled EVs? Catch up on expert Micah Toll’s constant coverage, and subscribe to Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast for weekly updates.
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Environment
This $2,400 eight-wheeled dump truck from China is the toy every man needs
Published
2 hours agoon
July 19, 2025By
admin

There’s something about the joy of playing around with Tonka trucks in a sandbox that men really never grow out of. Sure, we grow up, get real jobs, and most of us never take the toys back out of the dusty, long-forgotten box. But the desire is still there. And if you gave just about any former boy and reluctant adult the option, I’d be dollars to donuts they’d gladly play around with the life-sized version of their childhood construction toys in a heartbeat.
If that sounds like fun, then I’ve got good news for you. I just found the coolest grown-up toy construction vehicle and it’s unlike anything you’ve seen before. I’d argue that it slots in nicely as a perfect example of some of the coolest and weirdest things you can find from China’s endless supply of innovative EVs. So, for your viewing pleasure, I submit this week’s Awesomely Weird Alibaba Electric Vehicle of the Week: the Octo-dumper!
I really don’t know how to describe this vehicle. I’ve been at a loss for words before in this column, but at least there’s usually a general class of vehicle that these things fit into.
In this case, I’m hesitant to call it a dump truck – partly because it appears to be all dump and no truck.
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It’s remote-controlled, so you could call it an RC vehicle, but the fact that I’ve seen cars smaller than this rig makes me hesitant to lump it in with the remote-controlled toys.
Then there’s the 8×8 setup here. The last time I saw an eight-wheeled vehicle like this was, ironically, it was a mobile crane that was unloading one of my containers full of fun Alibaba construction equipment. Wow, I didn’t expect to come full circle there so quickly.

But despite being unable to quite classify this dumper, I still love everything about it, and I kind of want one.
Measuring around six feet long (197 cm), it seems capable of carrying a fairly large load. They rate it for 2,200 lb (1,000 kg) of cargo, and it looks every bit ready for it.
The top speed of 9 mph (15 km/h) might not hold up when fully laden, but this isn’t exactly a vehicle built for speed. Or comfort, for that matter. It’s built for by-god gettin’ stuff done! And with a claimed 5.4 kWh of battery capacity, it’s going to be quietly hauling your junk around for a good long time before it needs a recharge.

The cargo bed appears to have the classic pickup truck tailgate in the rear, though it also adds a pair of side gates like an old Corvair 95 Rampside pickup, except that the side gates run the full length. Finally, the front also has a tailgate–err, frontgate? Basically, it’s gates all around to turn this thing into a rolling flatbed capable of carrying just about any oversized junk you can think of!
Just don’t start tipping it up while you’ve got all those gates down or you might lose your load. That’s right, don’t forget that this is also a dumper! Not just a transporter around a job site, you can unload your dirt, mulch, gravel, friends, or whatever you carry in here with the push of a button.
Now I’m not exactly sure what I’d do with one of these if I owned one, but I’m sure I could find plenty of uses. You never realize what you can do with an octo-dumper until you own one, and then it’s suddenly like, “How did I ever manage without this thing!?”
Now it will set you back more than a Tonka truck. But I’d argue that the sticker price of $2,482 is a small price to pay in order to have the coolest vehicle in the neighborhood! Just try not to think yet about the thousands and thousands of dollars in fees, import charges, shipping, and other expenses of actually receiving one of these in the West. Instead, think of the fun hayrides you could give the neighborhood kids, at least assuming their parents signed the extensive liability waiver that this thing would probably require.
Speaking of liability though, before any of you get the bright idea to try one of these, please be warned that I’m telling you that’s a bad idea. As I always try to remind my readers during these fun tongue-in-cheek Alibaba articles: don’t actually try to buy one of these things. Seriously. These wild-looking Chinese EVs may be fun to look at, but this is just a lighthearted weekend column where I dig through Alibaba’s bizarre and fascinating collection of electric vehicles. While I’ve had a few successful (and fun) purchases from the site, I’ve also been burned more than once – so it’s definitely not for the faint of heart or anyone on a tight budget.
That’s not to say some brave (or stubborn) readers haven’t taken the plunge anyway, ignoring my caution and venturing into the unknown. But please don’t be the one who gambles and ends up with empty hands and a lighter wallet. Consider this your official heads-up – I’ve warned you!
For now, let’s enjoy how awesome it is that something like this octo-dumper exists, and leave it at that. Until next time, and until the next weird Alibaba EV, this is Micah signing off.

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Environment
It’s true: High-performance electric motorcycle brand Energica is back
Published
5 hours agoon
July 19, 2025By
admin

Italian electric motorcycle manufacturer Energica has just been handed a lifeline. Previously owned by US company Ideanomics, the famed motorcycle brand entered insolvency late last year after a period of financial duress prevented it from making payroll and continuing production.
Now, a new group of investors from Singapore has stepped in to take over.
The news was shared on Energica’s YouTube channel, and the company confirmed on LinkedIn that “The judicial process undergoing the sale of Energica has received an offer with a significant deposit from investors based in Singapore.” Energica says that the investors, who so far remain unnamed, “are enthusiasts that believe in, and share the common values of Energica.”
While it’s not certain how the buyout and revival will unfold, it appears that Energica is planning on getting the band back together. “If the process comes through successfully,” the company explained, “the same team behind Energica will be entrusted to run the operations, and we will continue creating cutting-edge technologies for our customers.”
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With many of Energica’s impressive electric motorcycles already in circulation from years of sales leading up to the 2024 bankruptcy, the company seems focused on starting by supporting those riders. ” Our first order of business is to support the customers and community. The judicial process will be completed in 60 days, and we will continue to share updates during the time.”

Energica rose to fame by building high-performance electric motorcycles in Modena, Italy, and was one of the early pioneers in the premium electric two-wheeler space. Its lineup includes models like the Experia electric touring bike and the Ego sportbike. The company previously supplied race bikes for the MotoE World Cup until Ducati took over the role in 2023.
After being acquired by US-based Ideanomics in 2021, Energica initially benefited from an injection of capital that helped expand production and dealer networks. But Ideanomics itself has faced serious financial trouble, becoming unable to invest in the future of Energica.
Energica’s future prospects seemed dim at the time of its insolvency in 2024, but the uncertainty appears to be clearing with the hope that new owners can breathe fresh life into the company.
Even so, Energica’s core competency is building the fastest, most powerful, and longest range production electric motorcycles the world has ever seen, and that’s not exactly an inexpensive enterprise. Combined with current market trends that favor smaller, lighter, and less expensive commuter-spec electric motorcycles, it begs the question of whether or not a newly revived Energica will find a receptive market, or whether the company will be forced to expand the scope of its products to match better the type of electric motorcycles that are selling today.
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