Rad Power Bikes launches RadTrike, first major e-bike maker with affordable 3-wheeler
Seattle-based electric bicycle manufacturer Rad Power Bikes has just unveiled its latest model, the RadTrike. Expanding upon Rad’s extensive line of diverse two-wheeled electric bicycles, the RadTrike offers a new three-wheeler option designed to open the door to a wider range of riders.
How much does the RadTrike cost?
Priced at $2,499, the RadTrike might not sound very budget-level when compared against the company’s other bikes starting at nearly half that price.
But compared to most electric trikes, it’s a deal.
I was recently riding a $3,100 electric trike, and my sister’s electric trike that she uses to tote around her kids costs an even pricier $3,800. Don’t even get me started on the fancier options that can easily range from $5K–$8K.
But not only is the new RadTrike perhaps the most affordable electric trike available from a major manufacturer, but it’s also finally offering what it says is “the single most requested model in Rad’s history.”
RadTrike launched as three-wheeled e-bike
The model has been a long time coming, as Rad Power Bikes founder and chairman Mike Radenbaugh explained:
The journey to the RadTrike began with one of my first customers who couldn’t ride a traditional bike due to health issues. Since that early interaction, I’ve had countless conversations with customers looking to Rad for more solutions. Fast forward to now, we’ve honed our expertise to create a high-value, purpose-built three-wheel option that will popularize another micromobility category. The RadTrike is the next big acceleration in our mission to make transportation energy efficient, enjoyable, and accessible to all.
Rad Power Bikes has long been a favorite among returning riders – those that enjoyed riding bicycles decades ago but have since given it up due to the exertion required.
Electric bicycles make it easier to ride thanks to an assist motor that lets riders use less pedaling effort (or no pedaling effort if they elect to use the hand throttle).
But for riders who lack not just the strength to pedal by themselves but also the balance required by a two-wheeled bike, electric trikes can be the perfect solution.
That was a big part of the inspiration behind the RadTrike, as Rad Power Bikes senior product manager Sarah Bruce Courtney explained:
To some, two wheels is daunting and prohibitive. That’s why we created RadTrike. It was engineered specifically for comfort and stability but designed for fun and adventure. It was thoughtfully crafted so those who simply haven’t ridden a bike in a while, struggle with balance, or face mobility challenges can ride Rad with friends and family. Now, these individuals can ride to the grocery store, cruise around their neighborhood, or pursue new outdoor activities.
Who is it for?
But the RadTrike isn’t just for older riders or those with mobility issues. As Mike Radenbaugh explained on a call with Electrek, he envisions the three-wheeler being used in a number of roles ranging from leisure to utility.
And with the ability to load up baskets on the front and back of the trike with heavy cargo (and not having to balance that tippy load on just two wheels), e-trikes have the added benefit of serving as ultra-stable cargo platforms.
The RadTrike is designed with that stability in mind. When looking at early pictures of the bike, I commented to Mike that it seemed to be wider in the rear than other e-trikes I’ve seen. He explained that they designed it to be as wide as possibility for stability while still fitting through a standard exterior door.
The 18″ wheels also offer a compromise between the compactness of 16″ wheels and the better ride quality of larger 20″ wheels.
Speaking of compactness, the RadTrike is designed to fold. That makes it easier to store in a tight space or transport in a vehicle. It can fold in half like a typical folding e-bike, but if riders only need to get it into the back of a minivan or SUV, then the handlebars can be folded down to lower the height of the bike during transport.
RadTrike design features
Other familiar e-bike parts that we’ve seen on other Rad bikes are the five levels of pedal assist as well as throttle control. Though on the RadTrike, pedal-assist level 1 is designed to be extra slow and match an average walking pace. That allows someone riding a RadTrike to pedal along while still keeping pace with their walking partner.
The single-speed setup is optimized for a more typical trike speed or around 8-12 mph (13-20 km/h), though the bike can reach a top speed of 14 mph (22.5 km/h). That might sound slow compared to the rest of Rad’s 20 mph (32 km/h) e-bikes, but trust me when I tell you that everything feels faster on a trike. In fact, everything feels tippier too, which is why the speed is lower. Slowing down for turns is an important part of riding a trike to ensure that all the wheels stay firmly planted on the ground. The extra wide design of the RadTrike combined with the smaller wheel size create a lower center of gravity that helps increase its stability, but that still doesn’t mean anyone should try to turn this thing at 20 mph.
Some other unique parts on the RadTrike are a reverse feature, a 750W front wheel motor, a parking brake (since the lack of a kickstand means it could theoretically roll away if parked on a hill) as well as a coaster brake in the rear. An updated design is implemented for the 48V 10.4Ah battery pack, including a more precise 10-segment state-of-charge readout on the battery case.
There’s no suspension on the bike, but it’s also designed for smoother paths. This certainly isn’t an off-roading trike with fat tires — it’s a bike lane trike. Plus the steel frame has more flex than rigid aluminum frames, which should add a bit more absorption on bumps.
The removable battery is said to offer a range of 20-35 miles (32-56 km), and the comfy seat with backrest should make those miles quite pleasurable as well.
With a payload capacity of 415 pounds (188 kg), the RadTrike can fit both larger riders and a pile of cargo. It is also compatible with a large amount of Rad’s existing accessory line, including many of the cargo basket accessories, so riders will be able to haul around groceries and gear right from the start.
They won’t have to wait long either, as the RadTrike is already available to order for $2,499 with inventory ready to ship out in mid-January. Those wanting to take a test ride can find the RadTrike in stock at Rad’s flagship stores in Seattle; Brooklyn, NY; Huntington Beach, CA; Salt Lake City; and soon in St. Petersburg, FL.
Electrek’s Take
Yes, sign me up! I know it might sound strange but I actually love electric trikes. I see them as the pickup trucks or the SUVs of the e-bike world (without the egregious waste of resources of those actual vehicles).
They take bicycle parts and combine them into something that can comfortably haul around so much more.
Rad is being very careful to shy away from calling the RadTrike a kid-carrying vehicle, which I understand from the liability side. But at the same time, that’s going to be a HUGE feature for something like this. Where I live in Tel Aviv, it’s common to see parents riding an e-trike for school drop-off with two or three kids on a bench on back. I’ve even seen four kids with a dad on an e-trike (the smallest child was on a front-mounted child seat). Around here e-trikes are just treated as an obvious choice for a second vehicle. If one parent is already out with the family car, then the other parent can do after-school pickup on the trike.
Obviously you have to ride extra safely when you have kids on board, but in that sense the RadTrike could be a huge opportunity to legitimately replace a second family car with an e-bike (err, e-trike).
And of course when you factor in all that cargo space for grocery runs and other gear-intensive trips, this thing is a no-brainer.
So while it’s definitely going to be a nice option for the elderly and balance-impaired, don’t count it out as a totally normal e-bike for those that just want a bigger pedal vehicle for carrying more stuff. Like I said, the RadTrike is the SUV of the e-bike world.
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Tesla has quietly removed the Cybertruck’s range extender from the options in its online configurator.
Does Tesla still plan to bring the product to market?
When Tesla unveiled the production version of the Cybertruck in late 2023, there were two main disappointments: the price and the range.
The tri-motor version, which was the most popular in reservation tallies, was supposed to have over 500 miles of range and start at $70,000.
Tesla now sells the tri-motor Cybertruck for $100,000 and only has a range of 320 miles.
As for the dual-motor Cybertruck, it was supposed to cost $50,000 and have over 300 miles of range. The reality is that it starts at $80,000, and it has 325 miles of range.
However, Tesla had devised a solution to bring the range closer to what it originally announced: a separate battery pack that sits in the truck’s bed. Tesla called it a “range extender.” It costs $16,000 and takes up a third of the Cybertruck’s bed.
Even though the Cybertruck has been in production for a year and a half at this point, the range extender has yet to launch.
Initially, Tesla said that it would come “early 2025”, but we reported that it was pushed to “mid-2025” late last year.
At the time, Tesla also reduced the range that the removable battery pack adds to the Cybertruck to “445+ miles” rather than “470+ miles” for the dual motor – a ~25-mile reduction in range.
Now, Tesla has removed the option from its online Cybertruck configurator. It used to take reservations for the range extender with a “$2,000 non-refundable deposit”, as seen on the image above, but now it’s not in the configurator at all at the time of writing.
It’s unclear if Tesla is not planning to launch the product anymore or if it is just pausing reservations.
In its specs page, Tesla still lists the achievable range of both versions of the Cybertruck with and without the range extender battery:
Electrek’s Take
I’m curious. Is it dead, or does Tesla just want to stop taking reservations for it?
At first, I was curious about the product even though I didn’t think it would make up for Tesla’s significant miss on Cybertruck specs.
However, after it was confirmed that it takes up 30% of your bed and that it needs to be installed and removed by Tesla at a service center, I think it’s pretty much dead on arrival at $16,000.
It’s going to be a product limited to only a few people at best. And now that’s if it makes it to market.
With the option being removed from the configurator, there’s no production timeline available. Again, the last one was “mid-2025”, which is soon.
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Environment
EcoFlow members can save up to 65% on power stations while supporting disaster relief during the 2025 Member’s Festival
Portable power station specialist EcoFlow is kicking off its third annual Member’s Festival this month and is offering a unique new rewards program to those who become EcoFlow members. The 2025 EcoFlow Member’s Festival will offer savings of up to 65% for its participating customers, and a portion of those funds will be allocated toward rescue power solutions for communities around the globe through the company’s “Power for All” fund.
EcoFlow remains one of the industry leaders in portable power solutions and continues to trek forward in its vision to power a new tech-driven, eco-conscious future. Per its website:
Our mission from day one is to provide smart and eco-friendly energy solutions for individuals, families, and society at large. We are, were, and will continue to be a reliable and trusted energy companion for users around the world.
To achieve such goals, EcoFlow has continued to expand its portfolio of sustainable energy solutions to its community members, including portable power stations, solar generators, and mountable solar panels. While EcoFlow is doing plenty to support its growing customer base, it has expanded its reach by giving back to disaster-affected communities by helping bolster global disaster response efforts the best way it knows how– with portable power solutions.
EcoFlow and its members look to provide “Power for All”
Since 2023, EcoFlow has collaborated with organizations worldwide as part of its “Power for All” mission. This initiative aims to ensure access to reliable and timely power to disaster-affected communities across the globe, including rescue agencies, affected hospitals, and shelters, to support rescue and recovery efforts.
This fund most recently provided aid for communities affected by the recent Los Angeles wildfires, assistance to the Special Forces Charitable Trust (SFCT) in North Carolina following severe hurricanes, and support for non-profits engaged in hurricane preparedness in Florida and the Gulf Coast. Per Jodi Burns, CEO of the Special Forces Charitable Trust:
In the wake of devastating storms in Western North Carolina, reliable power was a critical need for the families we serve. Thanks to EcoFlow’s generous donation of generators, we were able to provide immediate relief, ensuring these families and their communities had access to power when they needed it most. We are so impressed with EcoFlow’s commitment to disaster response through their ‘Power for All’ program. It has made a tangible impact, and we are deeply grateful for their support and partnership in helping these families recover and rebuild.
In 2024, the US experienced 27 weather and climate events, each causing losses exceeding $1 billion, marking the second-highest annual total on record, according to National Centers for Environmental Information. The increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters underscore the critical need for reliable and timely power solutions during emergencies, much like EcoFlow and its members are helping provide through the “Power For All” initiative.
To support new and existing EcoFlow members, the company is celebrating its third annual Member’s Festival throughout April to offer a do-not-miss discount on its products and donate a portion of all sales to the “Power for All” fund to provide rescue power to those in need in the future. Learn how it all works below.
Save big and give back during the 2025 Member’s Festival
As of April 1st, you can now sign up to become an EcoFlow member to participate in the company’s exclusive 2025 Member Festival.
As a member, you can earn “EcoFlow Power Points” by completing tasks like registration, referrals, and product purchases and tracking your individual efforts toward disaster preparedness and recovery.
Beginning April 4, EcoFlow members will also be able to take advantage of exclusive discounts of up to 65% off select portable power stations, including the DELTA Pro Ultra, DELTA Pro 3, DELTA 2 Max, DELTA 3 Plus, RIVER 3 Plus, and more. However, these sale prices only last through April 25, so you’ll want to move quickly!
Click here to learn more about EcoFlow’s “Power for All” campaign. To register for EcoFlow’s 2025 Member Festival in the US, visit the EcoFlow website. To register as a member in Canada, visit here.
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Tesla is losing another top talent: its long-time head of software, David Lau, has reportedly told co-workers that he is exiting the automaker.
Tesla changed how the entire auto industry looks at software.
Before Tesla, it was an afterthought; user interfaces were rudimentary, and you had to go to a dealership to get a software update on your systems.
When Tesla launched the Model S in 2012, it all changed. Your car would get better through software updates like your phone, the large center display was responsive with a UI that actually made sense and was closer to an iPad experience than a car.
Tesla also integrated its software into its retail experience, service, and manufacturing.
David Lau deserves a lot of the credit for that.
He joined Tesla in 2012 as a senior manager of firmware engineering and quickly rose through the ranks. By 2014, he was promoted to director of firmware engineering and system integration, and in 2017, he became Vice President of software.
Lau listed the responsibilities of his team on his LinkedIn:
- Vehicle Software:
- Firmware for the powertrain, traction/stability control, HV electronics, battery management, and body control systems
- UI software and underlying Embedded Linux platforms
- Navigation and routing
- iOS and Android Mobile apps
- Distributed Systems:
- Server-side software and infrastructure that provides telemetry, diagnostics, over-the-air updates, and configuration/lifecycle management
- Data engineering and analytics platforms that power technical and business insights for an increasingly diverse set of customers across the company
- Diagnostic tools and fleet management, Manufacturing and Automation:
- Automation controls (PLC, robot)
- Server-side manufacturing execution systems that power all of Tesla’s production operations
- Product Security and Red Team for software, services, and systems across Tesla
Bloomberg reported today that Lau told his team he is leaving Tesla. The report didn’t include reasons for his stepping down.
Electrek’s Take
Twelve years at any company is a great run. At Tesla, it’s heroic. Congrats, David, on a great run. You undoubtedly had a significant impact on Tesla and software advancements in the broader auto industry.
He is another significant loss for Tesla, which has been losing a lot of top talent following a big wave of layoffs around this time last year.
I wonder who will take over. Michael Rizkalla, senior director of software engineering and vehicle firmware, is one of the most senior software engineers after Lau. He has been at Tesla for 7 years, and Tesla likes to promote within rather than hire outsiders.
There are also a lot of senior software execs working on AI at Tesla. Musk has been favoring them lately and he could fold Lau’s responsibilities under them.
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