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Rad Power Bikes is the largest electric bicycle company in North America, meaning that when they make moves, the industry responds. And the latest move we could soon see from the Seattle, Washington-based e-bike manufacturer may be the introduction of a new low-cost electric bike to replace the RadMission.

Here’s why.

Current state of affairs

The current entry-level electric bike model from Rad Power Bikes is the RadMission.

The RadMission is a no-frills e-bike that eschewed fancier features like digital screens and multiple gears to hit the market at a more than reasonable $999 when it was introduced in the summer of 2020.

The price managed to walk up to $1,199 over the years, but the bike still offered great specs for an entry-level price. Hitting 20 mph (32 km/h) on throttle and pedal assist with a 500W motor made it a fun e-bike for the city, and a range of between 20-40 miles (32-64 km) cemented its place as a bare bones but well-made commuter e-bike.

radmission

I got one of the first RadMission e-bikes ever produced and have ridden it hard ever since, including using it as an out-of-character gravel bike for off-roading — a job it was never meant to do.

Now there are several clues that this crowd favorite could soon be replaced.

It’s been over two years

The RadMission was announced in June of 2020, right in the thick of the blossoming COVID-19 pandemic.

In e-bike time, that’s like a million years ago.

Rad’s own product cycle often refreshes e-bikes after around two years, as we saw with the RadRunner 2 that followed 28 months after the original RadRunner was announced.

How long has it been since the RadMission was unveiled? 28 months.

I’m not trying to go all Da Vinci code on you guys, but c’mon!

With the RadMission surpassing its two-year anniversary this past summer, the time is ripe for an update. And considering that low-cost electric bikes are rather simple to iterate thanks to their no-bells-and-whistles designs, it won’t take the company all too long to develop a replacement. At least not as long as a more complicated bike like Rad’s flagship RadRover 6 Plus, for example.

Rad just had a fire sale to tank its inventory

As I mentioned above, the RadMission usually sold for between $999 to $1,199.

It occasionally saw brief sales of $899, which caused us all to fawn over what a great deal it was.

But last month Rad shocked the entire industry when it abruptly dropped the RadMission’s price to just $499. Jaws hit the floor so hard around the country that orthognathic surgeons are probably on boat-buying sprees right now.

It was crazy. It was wild. I already had a RadMission and I was half ready to get another one as a spare just because the deal was that good.

Why on earth would Rad sell an e-bike for so little? That price has to be darn near at-cost for the company.

The only two reasons I could think of at the time were that the RadMission would soon be replaced and thus they needed to burn through existing inventory, or that the company massively overbought during the height of supply chain uncertainties and were now left with a warehouse full of bikes. But now the new evidence below makes it seem like the first option was correct…

The RadMission is gone and it ain’t coming back

Perhaps the most damning evidence that the RadMission is being replaced is that Rad Power Bikes almost comes right out and says it. Or at least they’ve revealed that the RadMission is finished. Kaput. Down for the count.

Now the company’s RadMission page has been updated to not only show that the bike is out of stock (that’s what a $499 sale will do!), but also that the bike will not be restocked.

Could they simply be sunsetting the RadMission? Maybe

But Rad doesn’t retire e-bikes very often. Though to be fair, it’s not unprecedented. That RadMini was recently deep-sixed when the RadExpand was unveiled as its replacement. But that was the exception at Rad, not the rule.

Generally speaking, Rad is known for pumping out new and improved versions of its e-bikes every few years, tacking on a new number. Meet the RadWagon 4, the RadRunner 2, the RadCity 5 Plus, etc.

So what could be the next low-cost Rad Power Bikes model?

That’s the question: What’s next?

Perhaps Rad really is saying goodbye to the low-cost RadMission and instead wants to focus on its higher-end electric bikes that likely come with cushier margins. Maybe low-cost competitors like Lectric eBikes have been eating Rad’s lunch on that end of the market and the brand is tired of it.

But Rad doesn’t seem like the type of company to shy away from competition. They’ve got an e-bike in just about every e-bike space: fat tire adventure e-bikes, folding e-bikes, cargo e-bikes, commuter e-bikes, utility e-bikes, etc. Just about the only thing they don’t do is a dedicated road e-bike, but that’s because its such a high-end niche that Rad doesn’t really want to touch the lycra crowd.

Instead, my best guess is that a RadMission 2 is coming. It’s just too awesome of a platform to abandon, and it opens the door to so many new riders that want a full-size electric bike without paying a full-size price.

But then again this is all merely conjecture. Only the folks on NW 52nd street know the real answer, and so far they aren’t talking.

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Toyota funded climate deniers and Fred says Elon fudged the FSD numbers

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Toyota funded climate deniers and Fred says Elon fudged the FSD numbers

On today’s episode of Quick Charge, we look into a new study revealing that Toyota outspends all other automakers when it comes to funding climate change denying politicians and Fred accuses Elon of misrepresenting the data behind Full Self Driving (again).

We’ve also got word that the recently redesigned Tesla Model Y is being built in Giga Berlin, Hyundai’s electrified lineup is leading a record export year for the brand, and a new study says cleantech investments will beat out conventional energy production for the first time in 2025.

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple PodcastsSpotifyTuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news!

Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.

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Amazon places its largest-ever order for electric semi trucks

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Amazon places its largest-ever order for electric semi trucks

Amazon is adding over 200 Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 electric semi trucks to its fleet later this year – its largest-ever order of electric heavy goods vehicles (eHGVs).

Amazon’s new electric semi trucks

These electric trucks will handle high-mileage routes across the UK and Germany, moving trailers between Amazon’s fulfillment centers, sorting centers, and delivery stations. 

The new eHGVs are expected to transport more than 350 million packages annually once fully operational.

Amazon is installing 360kW charging stations at key sites capable of powering the 40-tonne trucks from 20-80% in just over an hour. The company is also working with stakeholders to establish external charging locations to support longer routes.

The eActros 600 is Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ flagship electric long-hauler, with a battery capacity of more than 600 kWh and a range of 310 miles (500 km). Production of the eActros 600s recently began at Mercedes-Benz’s factory in Wörth, Germany.

Sustainable delivery across Europe

In the UK, Amazon has begun using the electric rail network for package transport at scale. It’s also rolling out on-foot delivery options in London, with associates using carts that can be restocked from nearby vans. In Germany, Amazon doubled its fleet of Rivian electric delivery vans to over 600, and electric cargo bikes delivered more than 1.5 million packages in Berlin alone last year.

By the end of 2024, Amazon plans to expand its micromobility hubs – locations supporting deliveries by foot and cargo bike – to Germany’s five largest cities and beyond. Across Europe, the company is investing more than €1 billion to further electrify and decarbonize its transportation network.

Amazon’s European network already includes 38 eHGVs, with 50 electric semis recently deployed in California. The company’s fleet of electric delivery vans in Europe has grown to over 3,000 and is expected to surpass 10,000 by the end of 2025. Micromobility hubs have also expanded from 20 cities in 2022 to more than 45 by the end of 2024, including new additions in Belfast, Madrid, Rome, and Vienna.

Electrek’s Take

Amazon says its latest electric semi truck order aligns with The Climate Pledge it announced in 2019, in which the company committed to achieving net zero across its operations by 2040. While The Climate Pledge initiative has garnered praise, it has also faced criticism and skepticism regarding its effectiveness and transparency.

In 2020, Amazon faced allegations of retaliating against employees who spoke out about the company’s environmental policies. The National Labor Relations Board found that Amazon had illegally fired workers who advocated for climate action and better safety measures.

Amazon is also donating $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund. Trump is a climate change denier who actively opposes renewables, and not just in the US. Earlier this month Trump demanded that the British government open up the North Sea to fossil fuel drilling and get rid of “windmills.”

Read more: It begins: Mercedes eActros 600 electric semi truck enters production


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Check out the new Genesis GV60 interior, it looks even more luxurious in blue [Video]

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Check out the new Genesis GV60 interior, it looks even more luxurious in blue [Video]

If you thought the current GV60 looked pretty inside, wait until you see the updated model. Genesis unveiled the new GV60 earlier this month, its first major redesign since launching in 2021. Here’s our first look at the interior of the new Genesis GV60.

Genesis GV60 interior gets an upgrade in the new model

Genesis launched the GV60 in October 2021 as its first dedicated EV. Less than four years later, the luxury electric SUV is already getting a new look.

The luxury brand unveiled the new GV60 last week for the first time. One of the biggest updates is to the front end.

Although the GV60 is already a sporty-looking EV, the redesigned front bumper with a new 3-D shape takes it up another level. Then, add the signature Genesis Two Line headlamps with Micro Lens Array (MLA) tech, and the refreshed GV60 is a head turner.

The revamped model now features 21″ wheels with a new five-spoke design, complementing its wide, low stance.

Inside, the upgraded GV60 features its new 27″ connected car Integrated Cockpit (ccIC) infotainment system. The design “eliminates the bezel” between the driver display and infotainment screens.

New-Genesis-GV60-EV
The updated Genesis GV60 (Source: Genesis)

The new Genesis GV60 interior also gains a redesigned three-spoke steering wheel for an even more sporty feel while you’re in the cockpit. Other popular features from the outgoing model, like the Crystal Sphere shift-by-wire system, are still included.

After revealing the updated model for the first time last week, we are already getting a look at the redesigned interior.

The updated interior of the Genesis GV60 in blue (Source: HealerTV)

A new video from Korea’s HealerTV gives us our first look at the Genesis GV60 interior in a new blue color. Although the reporter initially thought it was a performance model, he noted it was just a new color option. Other added design elements, like the large quilting pattern on the side panels, give it that Bentley or Rolls-Royce feel.

Last week, HealerTV posted a video revealing the first look at the updated Genesis GV60 exterior design. You can see the redesigned front and rear bumpers add to the GV60’s already impressive look.

Genesis GV60 update first look (Source: HealerTV)

In the US, the 2025 Genesis GV60 starts at $52,350. A new AWD trim was introduced this year, starting at $55,850.

The current mode gets up to 294 miles driving range, but a bigger battery is expected to push that number closer to 300 miles in the 2025MY. It’s expected to feature the same 84 kWh battery as the updated 2025 IONIQ 5, which provides up to 318 miles range. That’s up from 303 miles in the previous model with a 77.4 kWh battery.

2025 Genesis GV60 trim Range
(EPA-est)
Starting Price*
Standard RWD 294 miles $52,350
Standard AWD 264 miles $55,850
Advanced AWD 248 miles $60,900
Performance AWD 235 miles $69,900
2025 Genesis GV60 prices and range by trim (*excluding $1,350 destination fee)

Genesis will launch the updated GV60 in Korea in the first quarter of the year, with overseas markets following shortly after. Check back for more info, including prices and specs, closer to launch.

What do you think about the new GV60 design? Do you like the changes? What would you change? Let us know in the comments below.

Ready to check out the electric luxury SUV for yourself? With the 2025 models here, Genesis is offering clearance prices on the 2024 lineup while they are still in stock. You can use our link to find offers on 2024 and 2025 Genesis GV60 models at a dealer near you today.

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