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Yeah, I thought the same that you did when I first started covering the Babymaker 2. Here’s a new e-bike from some bike bros that’s got more of a provocative name than actual substance.

But I was wrong. Because after getting the chance to spin the pedals on the Babymaker 2 and put some good honest miles on the bike, I realized that this is actually a very nice e-bike for a certain segment of the population. And not just the keg stand segment.

Black Friday update: it is now priced at $1,499!

The Babymaker 2 improves upon FLX’s original Babymaker in several ways.

First, there’s a larger battery that gives over 40% more range by boosting the 36V battery from 7Ah to 10Ah. It also comes with a more powerful charger to fill that pack in just three hours.

The bike also sports fancy parts like a Gates carbon belt drive, a thru-axle for higher strength wheel/axle and improved longevity, and a set of Magura hydraulic disc brakes, which are probably overkill on a 35-pound (16 kg) bike but are very nice stoppers to see included.

There’s a more complete spec list below, just after my video review. And you definitely want to watch my video, right…?

Babymaker 2 e-bike video review

Babymaker 2 tech specs

  • Motor: 350W rear hub motor
  • Top speed: 25 mph (40 km/h)
  • Range: Claimed up to 70 miles (112 km)
  • Battery: 36V 10Ah (360Wh)
  • Weight: 35 lb. (15.8 kg)
  • Frame: Aluminum alloy 6061
  • Brakes: Magura hydraulic disc brakes
  • Extras: Gates carbon belt drive, minimalist LED display including speedometer, battery gauge and PAS level indicator, kickstand, four color options, two size options
  • Price: $1,749 (or $1,499 on Black Friday)

More than a name

It’s hard to look past the name, but let’s try. Because there’s a lot to like here.

The Babymaker 2 is so light and easy to ride that you’d swear it is more powerful than the 350W motor lets on (and the fact that the motor peaks at 500W might have something to do with it). But even with that tiny motor in back, the svelte e-bike simply hops up to speed easily and quickly.

It also does so silently. Every time I hopped on the Babymaker 2, I just couldn’t believe how quiet it was. Between the small motor and the Gates belt drive, there’s just nothing to make any sound. I could barely hear the bike.

I went back and replayed some of the video clips I had recorded while riding, and the only thing I could hear was wind noise. As far as stealthy bikes go, this is it. If a ninja needed an e-bike, this is the one he’d choose.

flx babymaker 2 electric bike
flx babymaker 2 electric bike gates belt drive

And speaking of that Gates belt drive, that thing is a beauty. It’s so smooth, so quiet, so simple, and just so perfect. I never have to oil it. I never have to clean it. I can just forget about it and it always works perfectly.

For a commuter bike that I use everyday and want to know I can rely on it even if I’m not the best about keeping up with maintenance, it’s hard to beat. And when you add in those Magura hydraulic disc brakes, the low-maintenance design of the bike is further underlined.

The only downside of the belt drive and rear hub motor combination is that it turns the bike into a single-speed. There’s no such thing as a deraileur for belt drives.

To switch gears you’d either need an internally geared hub (which you can’t have with a hub motor — usually), or you’d need a front gear box, which is a super expensive piece of kit.

flx babymaker 2 electric bike

Even so, I found that I didn’t miss the gears. To be honest, I usually just leave my e-bikes in the highest gear anyway. I mostly ride in either Florida or Tel Aviv, which are both known for the flat terrain and elevations that can be measured in the single digits.

If you live in a hillier area, then the lack of a low-gear option might be more noticeable. But remember that the electric assist usually makes up for the lack of a low gear by helping you power through those first few pedal rotations that can be a doozy without motor assist.

The front wheel also uses an actual thru-axle instead of a quick release skewer.

It’s still quick release so you can remove the wheel without a tool in a snap, but it’s a stronger axle with a better-quality design normally found on more expensive bikes.

Keep in mind that this is a Class 3 electric bike without a throttle, so if you’re used to throttles, you’ll be disappointed. As much as I love my throttle e-bikes, I must say that I still had a ton of fun riding around on the Babymaker 2 and pedaling up a storm.

If you’re even reasonably fit, then a medium level of pedal assist will be sufficient. For those that haven’t pedaled in a while, the higher level of pedal assist will help make acceleration and hill climbing much easier. And for cyclists who are used to doing all the work, even just pedal assist level 1 will give you a nice little tailwind all the time.

Just remember that you’re not going to get anywhere near the advertised range if you don’t keep the bike in pedal assist level 1. They say you can get up to 70 miles (112 km) of range, which is maaaaaaaybe true in level 1 where you’re doing most of the work. But few people will ride this e-bike in the lowest pedal assist power level. If you’re using the higher levels, it wouldn’t be surprising to cut that range in half.

But that’s par for the course with e-bike companies. Most advertise the best-case-scenario range when operated in low power, and very few give you realistic real-world range data for every power level.

flx babymaker 2 electric bike
flx babymaker 2 electric bike

The bike now also comes with a ‘logo delete’ option that removes the giant Babymaker 2 name printed on the frame. I don’t have any evidence for this, but I’m guessing they offered that option because there was enough demand from folks that wanted the bike but didn’t want the name plastered on the side for everyone to see.

One last thing I love about the bike that has nothing to do with its nice ride and its surprisingly decent power are the options you get for size and colors. Most e-bikes, especially at this price level, come in a single size. The ones that offer multiple color options usually give two choices. If you’re lucky, there’s a third option. But the Babymaker 2 gives you four color options and two sizes to choose from. For a bike that will be pedaled 100% of the time, multiple size options are important to ensure you fit the bike as closely to optimal as possible.

Does that make up for the lack of included fenders and lights? Ehhh, I’m not sure. As a commuter e-bike, I always feel like those parts should come standard. Even if not the fenders, then the lights should be included as mandatory safety equipment.

You can add the company’s “touring package” to get lights, fenders, a rear rack, a bottle holder, and a phone holder – but it’s going to be an extra couple hundred bucks (and the lights don’t even run off the bike’s main battery). So that’s a bummer in my opinion.

flx babymaker 2 electric bike

But for $1,749, you’re still getting a lot of good parts here. That Gates carbon drive isn’t cheap. Neither are Magura hydraulic disc brakes, as Magura is one of the highest-quality brands on the market. On the other hand, the low-power Aikema motor and small 360 Wh battery actually are pretty cheap, at least in terms of what they cost the company. And so I could have seen the bike costing a bit less.

When it pre-launched at $1,222, that was a great deal. At the current sale price of $1,749, it’s still a pretty good option, but nowhere near as tempting as that launch deal. Black Friday update: now at $1,499!

Even so, there just aren’t too many e-bikes out there in this category of lightweight belt-drive commuter e-bikes. So if that’s what you’re looking for, the Babymaker 2 is still a good option to consider.

flx babymaker 2 electric bike

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Tesla announces Cybertruck expansion into South Korea

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Tesla announces Cybertruck expansion into South Korea

Tesla has announced that it is launching Cybertruck in South Korea, only the fourth market where the electric pickup truck becomes available and the first outside North America.

While Tesla took reservations worldwide when unveiling the Cybertruck in 2019, the automaker never confirmed plans to launch the vehicle outside North America.

The Cybertruck is currently only available in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

By any metric, it has been a total commercial flop.

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Tesla had accumulated over 1 million reservations for the vehicle and planned for a production capacity of 250,000 units per year, with CEO Elon Musk saying that it could be increased to 500,000 units.

After Tesla unveiled the production version for a much higher price than announced initially and a significantly shorter range, demand fell off a cliff, and now Tesla now has issues selling the truck at a rate of 25,000 units per year.

This quarter is expected to be better due to the end of the tax credit in the US pulling demand forward, but it could prove extremely difficult to move the Cybertruck in North America starting in October.

Tesla is now turning to South Korea to try to sell some Cybertrucks.

The American automaker has told South Korea reservation holders to confirm their orders over the next week, as it will start converting reservations into orders – something it hasn’t done since expanding into Canada and Mexico last year.

The announcement was made via X:

South Korea might sound like a strange, relatively small, distant market for the first expansion of the Cybertruck outside North America, but Tesla is extremely popular in South Korea.

In July, it sold a record number of more than 7,000 vehicles in a single month.

Tesla also has an extremely strong shareholder base in the country.

However, in South Korea, the Cybertruck is going to start at 145 million South Korean won, which is approximately $104,000 USD – making the Cybertruck about $24,000 more expensive than in the US.

It should not be easy to sell in significant volumes despite Tesla’s popularity in the market.

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Hyundai is plowing billions into building more cars in the US, including a new robot-run plant

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Hyundai is plowing billions into building more cars in the US, including a new robot-run plant

Hyundai wants to sell more vehicles in the US. The South Korean auto giant is investing an additional $5 billion to ramp up production. With billions more on the table, Hyundai will build a new robotics facility while ramping up production of Hyundai and Kia vehicles in the US. Here’s what’s coming next.

How Hyundai’s $26 billion investment will boost US sales

Have you noticed more Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis vehicles on the road lately? Over the past few years, the South Korean automakers have grown significantly in the US.

In the first half of 2025, Hyundai and Kia sold more vehicles than in any first half since entering the US market nearly 40 years ago.

Hyundai has no plans of slowing down after announcing another $5 billion investment on Tuesday, “significantly expanding the Group’s footprint in the US market.” The new funds will be used for several new projects, including a new state-of-the-art robotics facility and steel plant in Louisiana.

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The new funding is in addition to the $21 billion investment Hyundai announced just a few months ago, bringing the company’s total to a whopping $26 billion.

Hyundai-IONIQ-5
2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 at a Tesla Supercharger (Source: Hyundai)

Hyundai will use the investment over the next three years (2025 – 2028) to boost production, including Kia and Genesis vehicles.

It’s also building a new robotics innovation hub to design, manufacture, and deploy vehicles. Hyundai expects the advanced new facility will create about 25,000 jobs in the US over the next four years. It will have an annual production capacity of 30,000 units.

Hyundai-IONIQ-9
2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 (Source: Hyundai)

EVs and hybrids are driving growth

The new investment comes after Hyundai and Kia hit a milestone, selling a combined 1.5 million “eco-friendly” vehicles cumulatively in the US this week.

Hyundai’s Tucson Hybrid and the Kia Niro Hybrid are the brand’s top-selling eco-friendly cars. Meanwhile, the all-electric Hyundai IONIQ 5 remains one of the top-selling EVs in the US and is the brand’s fourth most popular eco-friendly vehicle.

Hyundai-Kia-EVs-US
Hyundai and Kia eco-friendly car sales in the US since 2011, including EV, hybrid, PHEV, and FCEV (Source: Hyundai)

With leases starting as low as $159 per month, the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 is one of the most affordable, efficient EVs on the market. Hyundai has upgraded its best-selling EV with more range (now up to 318 miles), a fresh new style, and a built-in NACS port, allowing you to recharge at Tesla Superchargers.

Hyundai-IONIQ-5-lease
2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 Limited (Source: Hyundai)

Hyundai’s new three-row IONIQ 9 is listed for lease as low as $299 per month, and that’s for a nearly $60,000 SUV.

Both the IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 9 are built at the massive new Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Georgia. Kia’s EV6 and EV9 are assembled at a separate plant in Georgia.

Looking to check one out for yourself? We can help you find vehicles in your area. You can use our links below to view Hyundai and Kia models near you.

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Major e-bike maker hits pause on US imports after new tariffs

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Major e-bike maker hits pause on US imports after new tariffs

In a move that underscores the growing instability in international e-bike trade, premium electric bike maker Riese & Müller has paused all e-bike shipments to the United States, citing unpredictable steel tariffs as the final straw.

The German brand, known for its high-end urban and cargo e-bikes, informed US dealers this week that it is halting exports for the foreseeable future. While the company pointed to the recent reinstatement of a 50% tariff on certain steel components from overseas, including Germany, the broader issue here seems to be the chaotic and ever-shifting tariff landscape surrounding e-bike imports.

“We need to take a few days to carefully evaluate this situation and its implications before proceeding with further steps,” explained the company in an email to its dealers in the US, according to Bicycle Retailer.

This isn’t the first time tariffs have disrupted the flow of electric two-wheelers into the US. The Trump administration’s Section 301 tariffs targeting Chinese goods initially shook up the industry during the administration’s first term, hitting Chinese-made e-bikes and components with 25% duties before being temporarily suspended. Those tariffs whipped back and forth as exclusions came and went, then became a double whammy after the Trump administration’s “reciprocal” tariffs added even more hardships to e-bike importers in the US. And now, as of July 1, additional steel tariffs have expanded the uncertainty.

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What’s unusual in Riese & Müller’s case is that most e-bikes – even expensive ones – use relatively little steel compared to aluminum. Frames, forks, wheels, and most structural components are increasingly made from aluminum alloys or carbon fiber. But with the tariff code system as vague and inconsistently enforced as it is, it seems R&M simply doesn’t want to take the risk of unexpected import costs – or the administrative mess that comes with it, including having to account for how much of a bike is produced from steel components and what the value of those components proves to be.

The impact on the US market will likely be minor in volume; Riese & Müller is a premium but somewhat boutique brand with a loyal yet small customer base. Still, this is a canary in the coal mine. If even premium brands are choosing to step away from the US market over tariff unpredictability, what happens when larger, mass-market brands start running into similar issues?

For now, dealers in the US are being told to sell through existing stock and not take additional orders until the company can determine whether it will be able to continue importing e-bikes into the US. But if the trade war tariffs contineu, this may not be the last premium brand to throw in the towel – at least temporarily.

Electrek’s Take

This isn’t just about one German e-bike brand putting things on pause – it’s a red flag for the industry. While Riese & Müller may be small in terms of US volume, their decision shows how unpredictable tariffs, even on seemingly minor components, can create enough uncertainty to shut down an entire market channel. Most e-bikes are made primarily from aluminum, not steel, but when customs enforcement can interpret tariff codes in vague or inconsistent ways, no brand wants to gamble on a five-figure shipment getting hit with a surprise 25-50% fee.

What’s more concerning is that this adds to a growing stack of trade policy hurdles facing e-bike makers: China-focused tariffs, broader “reciprocal” tariffs, battery import duties, and now steel restrictions hitting European brands too. There’s no coherent strategy here, just a patchwork of protectionist measures that hurt importers, confuse dealers, and raise prices for consumers. If the US wants to promote micromobility and clean transportation, it’s going to need smarter policies than this.

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