Review: Pedego’s City Commuter Platinum rides dreamy, but the best part isn’t even the bike
Normally when we get review e-bikes here at Electrek, they are pushed off the back of a FedEx truck in a beat up box for us to assemble ourselves. That’s the typical e-bike introduction, unfortunately.
The experience at Pedego with the City Commuter Platinum that I’ve been riding for the past few months couldn’t be more different and less daunting – and I think that’s one of the biggest differentiators about Pedego bikes. So, let’s talk not just about how impressive the bike is but also acknowledge the whole experience.
I know a lot of you want the Pedego City Commuter Platinum specs first and nuance later, so I’ll just link up a nice PDF from Pedego. It’s top shelf all around, including the price, which starts over $4000.
I arrived at the local Pedego store in Croton on Hudson NY run by Riley Mueller and the City Commuter Platinum was waiting for me. I’m used to (and don’t mind) putting bikes together off the back of a truck, but I have to say this was refreshing, and dare I say, pampering!
Not only is the bike put together, but it is tuned nicely and, probably most important of all, there’s an expert to take you through all of the features and nuances of your bike. The Pedego City Commuter Platinum has lots to talk about.
To lay it all out, this is a Dutch-style commuter/cruiser bike with a powerful 750W/1100W motor, 52V/17.5Ah nearly 1kWh battery, and lots and lots of add-ons. While a lot of fly-by-night bike companies will let you go beyond the limits of regulations, Pedego sticks pretty firmly on regulations with Class 2 twist throttle with speeds up to 20mph. The limiter can be taken off to go pedal assist class 3 up to 28mph.
At first touch, you’ll notice there are stylish soft faux leather grips that are both nice to look at but also very functional. Probably most innovative is the slide out rear battery that also houses the controller and turn signal/lighting. That’s right, this bike has pretty effective turn signals, which I think can be a big safety addition, particularly riding on streets.
Safety’s a big big component of Pedego bikes, and it really shows itself here with reflective kevlar belted tires with self-sealing tubes. The ride is smooth thanks to a 60mm-travel, air-suspension fork with lockout. There’s even 40mm of travel on the suspension seat post.
I also really like the display, which shows which of the 5 levels of pedal assist you are in or how far through that big battery you’ve gone. The wide seat is built more for cruising that racing. But, you really never have to pedal if you don’t want to with over a kilowatt of power and an hour of battery to burn at that top power level. Realistically, at 20mph with some pedaling, you’ll see up to 50 miles of range with this big battery.
Admittedly, I’m not in this bike’s target audience. I don’t enjoy riding upright, which this classic cruiser/commuter geometry frame demands. I’m also a big pedaler, and the big soft comfy seat doesn’t seem to be built for fast moving thighs. The biggest downside for me is probably the rear weight distribution with the big battery up high over the back wheel with added cargo on top. Add the motor weight and all that rear weight is going to make steering a little bit less solid up front. The Platinum is heavy at just over 50lbs without the battery, so it won’t be doing any wheelies, either. I’m also concerned about that battery taking a beating, though in my few months of testing, it did fine.
Altogether the bike is a great package, and it is just lovely for long casual scenic rides or commutes. The wheel guards even make wet roads a pleasure.
Pedego Stores are like Apple Stores for E-Bikes
I’ve only been to a few Pedego Stores, but those have improved dramatically in my experience. Riley’s store, opened this Spring, felt like an Apple Store for bikes. Not only are the bikes creatively displayed throughout the store, but the shelves are filled with really nice accessories, most of which can work on any bike, not just Pedegos (and not just electric bikes).
There isn’t a Genius Bar, but there are bike experts to help you with e-bike issues. While they specialize in Pedego bikes, they are often nice enough to help out folks with other brands of bikes.
These are the same bike experts who can help you pick out a bike, including size and variety, and then introduce you to your bike and give a full run though. Then, after a few weeks they can also make adjustments to brake cables and such.
Pedego also rents e-bikes, and now that we have a store in town, we often see people coming up from NYC on the train hop off and onto bikes to explore our town and the surrounding area.
Pedego Bikes evolution/revolution
A few years ago you could have said that Pedego’s selection of e-bikes was pretty mediocre. The bikes were similar to drop-ship Chinese e-bikes with a healthy markup. But I was always a big fan of the company because it had lots of physical stores/boots on the ground and would put butts in e-bike seats. A ton of e-bike addicts got their first “hit” from a Pedego rental or hands-on trial with an Pedego e-bike expert.
But looking at today’s selection, Pedego now has a lot of unique bikes that the rest of the industry is trying to copy. For instance, the Pedego Element (below) was the first mass-market BMX fat tire e-bike, and it was quickly followed by some of the drop-ship makers. It is super fun and very portable. There’s also the wildly configurable Avenue starting under $2000. But I digress.
Electrek’s Take
Admittedly, at $4500, The Pedego City Commuter Platinum isn’t the cheapest commuter bike you could find. And, frankly you could probably piece something similar together from Alibaba for much less. You might not be able to find such high end components, and obviously they aren’t going to work together as well nor be assembled upon delivery.
But, you aren’t just buying a well designed and put together e-bike. You are buying the Pedego brand, which includes a nearby store and a network of Pedego locations around the United States. That means whenever something goes wrong, you’ve got a place to go. Bike makes a weird sound? Get on the phone or take it in for a checkup. Need new brakes or an upgrade? Maybe you just want a sportier helmet or winter bike clothing. Just head to your local Pedego shop.
For a lot of people, having that peace of mind is easily worth the price premium that Pedego charges and much more. And, if their prices are a little out of your league, your local Pedego also offers used bikes and bike rentals.
Note: Special Thanks to Riley at Pedego Croton for donating this bike to a New Era Creative Space (NECS) fundraiser where it is currently listed at $1500 if you are in the NYC/Tristate area.
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Despite hyping the product for a year and half, it is fairly clear that Tesla doesn’t want to sell its new cheaper Model Y. At least, in the US.
Here’s why.
Remember the Cybertruck RWD?
Tesla launched the new cheaper version of the Cybertruck in April for $10,000 less than the AWD and about $20,000 worth of features removed.
By September, Tesla discontinued the model. It lasted a solid 6 months.
Many believed that Tesla wasn’t actually looking to sell the new version, which served more as making the Cybertruck AWD seemed like better value.
We might be witnessing a redo here witht the new standard Model Y that Tesla launched yesterday.
It costs $5,000 less than the Model Y Long Range RWD, which Tesla now calls “premium”, along with the AWD and Performance versions, while Tesla removed roughly $6,000-$8,000 worth of features.
The value proposition is not great, but that’s not the only reason why Tesla doesn’t seem to want to sell it.
The automaker currently doesn’t offer a lease on the new version, which is not unusual after having just launched a new variant or model. For example, Tesla is still not offering leases on the Model Y Performance, which only recently launched in the US.
But more importantly, Tesla is financing the new Model Y Standard at an APR almost 30% higher than for the cheaper “Premium” version.
The result is only $72 difference in monthly payments between the two versions:
The difference is virtually the same as between the Premium RWD and AWD, but you get a whole additional motor for that.
Electrek’s Take
We have been anticipating a situation like this, but it is honestly even worse than we thought.
For example, we didn’t anticipate Tesla removing Autopilot as standard. That alone is a few thousands dollars of value removed before even accounting for the hardware changes, such as the cloth interior, cheaper seats, or even the power folding mirrors.
Then, there are the honestly quite lazy changes, like not actually removing the glass roof, but covering it inside with a headliner.
The only really good thing I see from this launch is that it is very efficient EV and Tesla still has a lead on that front over most.
However, I have to reiterate that it is getting lazy with this lead.
The standard version is only 125 lbs lighter than the premium despite Tesla seemingly using the same battery pack with a few cells removed. When you add up all the features removal, the weight loss should be much more significant, but that’s harder to do when you make decision such as covering the glass roof rather removing it.
Tesla has to know that the value proposition here is not good.
It’s a bummer that Tesla went with that rather than a new smaller and less expensive vehicle as originally planned.
Especially when you consider that the decision was made to try to increase the utilization rate of Tesla’s current production lines, which appears to be running at about 60% amid this demand slump.
I don’t think this, and the new standard Model 3, which is better value to be fair, solve this situation.
As I previously stated, I believe this boost demand between 10-15% and that’s after Tesla either drops the price or introduces 0% interest financing, which I expect before the end of the quarter.
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On today’s incredibly frustrating episode of Quick Charge, Tesla is making it easier than ever to make fun of them by rolling out a new, “affordable” Model Y that costs $2,000 more than the “expensive” one did last week, thanks to the cancellation of the $7,500 tax credit that Elon Musk (the guy who is so good at business that he’s allegedly worth $1 trillion) spent $200 million campaigning for.
We’ve also got the new, single-motor Volvo EX30 at a price that undercuts the cheap Tesla, but includes a full length glass roof that isn’t inexplicably covered in upholstery to punish poor people. All this and more – enjoy!
Source Links
Today’s episode is brought to you by Climate XChange, a nonpartisan nonprofit working to help states pass effective, equitable climate policies. The nonprofit just kicked off its 10th annual EV raffle, where participants have multiple opportunities to win their dream model. Visit CarbonRaffle.org/Electrek to learn more.
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Chevy’s electric SUV is now the best-selling EV in the US outside of Tesla. The 2026 Chevy Equinox EV is slightly more expensive than the outgoing model, but GM has added new style packages for you to choose from.
GM raises 2026 Chevy Equinox EV price, adds options
The Chevy Equinox EV doesn’t need much help. Starting at just $34,995, the 2025 Chevy Equinox quickly became one of the best-selling electric vehicles in the US.
Entering its third year, the Equinox EV remains GM’s most affordable EV, with starting prices slightly higher at $36,495. That includes the $1,395 destination fee.
Since it’s a carryover model, there aren’t too many changes, but buyers will have several new style packages to choose from.
The 2026 Chevy Equinox LT gains a new Midnight Package, which adds black emblems, bowtie, badging, wheel caps, and 19″ black painted aluminum wheels, for $595.
There’s also a new Tech Bronze Package available on the LT and RS trims. The new option includes a Tech Bronze decal, a black nameplate, a black bowtie emblem, and 21″ Tech Bronze wheels. It costs an extra $3,595.
The 2026 Chevy Equinox EV is now listed on GM’s website. It’s still available in LT1, LT2, and RS trims with Front Wheel Drive (FWD) and All Wheel Drive (AWD) powertrain options.
The base 2026 LT FWD trim starts at $36,495 with up to 319 miles of range, including a $1,395 destination fee. Upgrading to AWD costs an extra $5,300, with a slightly shorter range of 307 miles.
| Chevy Equinox EV trim | 2025 Starting Price | 2026 Starting Price | EPA-estimated Range |
| LT 1 FWD | $34,995 | $36,495 | 319 miles |
| LT 1 AWD | $38,295 | $39,795 | 307 miles |
| LT 2 FWD | $43,295 | $43,295 | 319 miles |
| LT 2 AWD | $46,595 | $46,595 | 307 miles |
| RS FWD | $44,795 | $45,595 | 319 miles |
| RS AWD | $48,095 | $48,895 | 307 miles |
Following another record quarter of EV sales in Q3, GM said that the Chevy Equinox EV was the best-selling non-Tesla electric vehicle in the US.
With several new affordable EVs arriving, including the new Nissan LEAF, will the Equinox continue to be a top seller in 2026? It will be interesting to see where the rankings end up at this time next year.
Wondering if Chevy’s electric SUV lives up to the hype? You can use our link to find 2025 and 2026 Chevy Equinox EV models near you and try it out for yourself.
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