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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Are you wondering what kind of results you’d get if you added a home solar system to your roof? Homeowners are sharing their results online — and the real-world data might surprise you!
In a recent post to r/Solar, a Reddit user going by DontBuyBitcoin shared a screenshot indicating that their newly-installed ~11.5 kW system produced over 1,700 kWh of electricity in October. “Pretty surprised by the production of the system I got,” writes DontBuyBitcoin. “11.48KW. I cant wait to see what JUNE-AUGUST [2026] going to look like 😍 I wish SolarEdge will make their app better looking with more functionality”
Home solar energy chart
Other Redditors were quick to share in the enthusiasm. “Congratulations!!! Great numbers,” wrote LegalNet4337. “We got 1.6 MWh with a 14.45 kW system. East and West facing panels in SoCal.”
That 1,700 kWh is nothing to sneeze at. Based on the current national average electricity price of about $0.17/kWh (in AUG2025), DontBuyBitcoin’s admittedly large-ish system translates to ~$290 of potential savings. In a higher rate state like Illinois, with a projected 2026 kWh rate that’s closer to $0.18/kWh, that’s ~$306/mo.
We expect retail electricity prices to residential customers will average 17 cents per kilowatthour (kWh) nationwide in 2025, a 4% increase over 2024, and then rise to approximately 18 cents/kWh in 2026. This rise continues a trend in which residential electricity prices have increased at an average annual rate of 5% each year since the COVID-19 pandemic. The increase in retail electricity prices this year comes as the cost of natural gas to the electric power sector was up more than 40% in 1H25 compared with a year earlier, with similar year-over-year increases forecast for the remainder of 2025. The average cost of natural gas for power generation in our forecast increases another 17% in 2026.
Those are big numbers, but 11-15 kW rooftop solar systems are big. Significantly bigger, in fact, than the US average, ~6.6 kW in 2024 – but you don’t have to have a big system in order to post big numbers. Superior weather conditions and perfect PV panel placement can also get the job done, as another Redditor found.
“The last 2 days we have had perfect weather here in South Florida and I have been able to get over 30 kWh from a 5 kW system with a 3.8 kW inverter. This is the highest I have seen since getting PTO in September,” wrote Redditor dlewis23, who shared another SolarEdge graph. “I am super happy with seeing over 30 kWh in a single day.”
30 kW/day from home solar
Taken altogether, these real-world snapshots prove that whether it’s a modest 5 kW array or a beefy 10+ kW setup, homeowners out in the real world are seeing meaningful, measurable differences from their home solar installations. And, with retail electricity prices projected to keep on rising through the decade, every kilowatt counts.
Electrek’s Take
When we ran our “Why did you choose to go solar?” survey back in September, only 32.6% of respondents chose, “Lowering my monthly utility bills” as their primary motivation to go solar. That result proved, in my mind, that Electrek readers are just better people than most, and seem to be willing to spend a little more to do something positive for their environment and their community.
That said, wasn’t it no less a thinker than Albert Einstein who said, “Compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe” (Google it.)? And, with a 5% rate hike compounding every year from now until the AI and data center bubbles burst, the impact energy rates may have on all our pocketbooks may be enough to put “Lowering my monthly utility bills” back on top.
If and when that happens: be smart, get several quotes, and understand the difference between buying and leasing your PV system (especially if you plan on selling your home in the foreseeable future).
SOURCES: Reddit, EIA; featured image via Tesla.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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It seems like the writing was already on the wall last week when Volvo moved to make its Luminar-supplied LiDAR system an option – there are now reports that the Swedish car brand is set to ditch LiDAR tech entirely in 2026.
In a recent SEC filing following a missed interest payment on its 2L notes, Luminar confirmed that Volvo’s new ES90 and EX90 flagship models (along with the new Polestar 3) would no longer be offered with LiDAR from Luminar. The move signals a full reversal on the safety tech that had started as standard equipment, then became an option, and is now (according to reports from CarScoops) gone altogether.
In a statement, a Volvo Cars USA spokesperson added the decision was reportedly made, “to limit the company’s supply chain risk exposure, and it is a direct result of Luminar’s failure to meet its contractual obligations to Volvo Cars.”
This is what Luminar had to say about the current, icy state of the two companies’ relationship as of the 31OCT filing:
The Company’s largest customer, Volvo Cars (“Volvo”), has informed us that, beginning in April 2026, Volvo will no longer make our Iris LiDAR standard on its EX90 and ES90 vehicles (although Iris will remain an option). Volvo also informed the Company that it has deferred the decision as to whether to include LiDAR, including Halo (Luminar’s next generation LiDAR under development), in its next generation of vehicles from 2027 to 2029 at the earliest. As a result of these actions, the Company has made a claim against Volvo for significant damages and has suspended further commitments of Iris LiDAR products for Volvo pending resolution of the dispute. The Company is in discussions with Volvo concerning the dispute; however, there can be no assurance that the dispute will be resolved favorably or at all. Furthermore, there can be no guarantee that any claim or litigation against Volvo will be successful or that the Company will be able to recover damages from Volvo.
As a result of the foregoing, the Company is suspending its guidance for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025.
On November 14, Luminar confirmed that Volvo had terminated its contract altogether, in a blow that could leave Luminar rethinking its long-term future and planning litigation against its biggest ex-customer.
The news follows a host of significant upgrades to the EX90 that include a new, more dependable electronic control module (ECM) and 800V system architecture for faster charging and upgraded ADAS that improves the automatic emergency steering functions and Park Pilot assistant.
Electrek’s Take
You can’t spend years telling everyone you’re miles ahead because you have LiDAR, then ditch LiDAR, and pretend no one is going to call you out on it. They had better hope they don’t up on Mark Rober’s YouTube channel doing a Wile E. Coyote impression (above).
That said, it’ll be interesting to see if ditching the LiDAR has a negative impact there. Or, frankly, whether ditching the LiDAR and its heavy compute loads will actually help mitigate some of the EX90’s niggling software issues. It could go either way, really – and I’m not quite sure which it will be. Let us know which way you think it’ll go in the comments.
SOURCE: Luminar, via SEC filing; featured image by Volvo.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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The new John Deere Z370RS Electric ZTrak zero turn electric riding mower promises all the power and performance Deere’s customers have come to expect from its quiet, maintenance-free electric offerings – but with an all new twist: removable batteries.
The latest residential ZT electric mower from John Deere features a 42″ AccelDeep mower deck for broad, capable cuts through up to 1.25 acres of lawn per charge, which is about what you’d expect from the current generation of battery-powered Deeres – but this is where the new Z370RS Electric ZTrak comes into its own.
Flip the lid behind the comfortably padded yellow seat and you’ll be greeted by six (6!) 56V ARC Lithium batteries from electric outdoor brand EGO. Those removable batteries can be swapped out of the Z370RS for fresh ones in seconds, getting you back to work in less time than it takes to gravity pour a tank of gas.
And, because they’re EGO batteries, they can be used in any 56V-powered EGO-brand tools and minibikes for unprecedented cross-brand interoperability. Tools and minibikes that, it should be noted, can be purchased at John Deere dealers across the country.
The upsell scripts write themselves, kids. And when you start your dialing, tell your prospective customers their new Z370RS Electric ZTrak electric mower lists for $6,499, and if you order now we can bundle it with EGO minibike for the kiddos – just in time for the holidays!
Electrek’s Take
When John Deere launched the first Z370R, Peter Johnson wrote that electrifying lawn equipment needs to be a priority, citing EPA data that showed gas-powered lawnmowers making up five percent of the total air pollution in the US (despite covering far less than 5% of the total miles driven on that gas). “Moreover,” he writes, “it takes about 800 million gallons of gasoline each year (with an additional 17 million gallons spilled) to fuel this equipment.”
It should go without saying, then, that states like California, which are banning small off-road combustion engines, have the right idea.
SOURCE | IMAGES: John Deere.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
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