Fucare Libra review: Is this 30 MPH budget-level full-suspension electric moped worth it?
Prices for full-suspension electric moped-style e-bikes have been dropping over the last few years, but the Fucare Libra is now pushing them to all-time lows. At just $1,199, does this full-suspension e-bike have what it takes?
That’s exactly what I wanted to find out, so I tested one myself.
The Fucare Libra falls somewhere between a typical step-through electric bike and a moped-style electric bike. We often consider moped-style e-bikes to have small diameter yet wide tires, long bench seats, higher top speeds and less-than-optimal pedaling geometries.
The Fucare Libra checks the boxes for moped-style wheels, rear bench seat, coilover rear suspension and high speed. But it still has a traditional bike seat and actually feels decent for pedaling.
That puts it somewhere in the gray area between e-mopes and e-bicycles. But whatever you call it, the Libra offers some serious bang for your buck with higher performance and a modest $1,199 sticker price.
Check it out in full living color in my video review below. Then keep reading for the complete details.
Fucare Libra video review
Fucare Libra tech specs
- Motor: 750W rear geared hub motor (1,000W peak power, 80 Nm torque)
- Top speed: 31 mph (50 km/h)
- Range: 35-60 miles (60-95 km) on pedal assist
- Batteries: 48V 15Ah 720 Wh
- Weight: 80.5 lb (36.5 kg)
- Max capacity: 400 lb (181 kg)
- Wheels: 20-inch x 4.0-inch urban tires
- Brakes: Mechanical disc brakes
- Extras: Large color LCD, headlight and taillight, included padded rear rack and fenders, 7-speed gearing, front suspension and rear suspension, kickstand
- Price: $1,199
Power meets (low) price
This is one seriously fast e-bike, though it’s not quite as fast as it claims. Sure, you can get it up to 31 mph (50 km/h) based on the display (though that requires unlocking the top speed in the settings). But the speedometer on the Fucare Libra seems to run a tad bit fast, on the order or 2-3 mph high at the top end.
That means that you’re probably doing closer to 28 mph instead of an honest 31 mph. While that’s a bit of a bummer, it means the bike might slide in under questionably legal Class 3 operation (if we pretend like the throttle doesn’t get it up to full speed by itself, which it does). So perhaps there’s a silver lining in there somewhere.
Even if you lose a couple of mph compared to the displayed speed, it’s still darn fast for an e-bike. Zipping along at 28 mph (45 km/h) is thrilling for just about anyone. And as we’ve often discussed, many people actually feel safer at higher speeds since they can keep up with traffic instead of getting passed by it.
The powerful rear hub motor puts out 1,000 watts of peak power, meaning you’ll have good hill climbing in addition to just a high top speed. And with 80 Nm of torque coming out of that motor, no one can accuse this bike of looking more powerful than it is.
The 720 Wh battery isn’t particularly large but rather somewhere around average for these types of e-bikes. A couple of years ago, I might have said that was a pretty big battery, but these days, it’s par for the course on fast moped-style e-bikes.
You’ll get an honest 25 miles (40 km) or so from the Fucare Libra’s battery on throttle-only operation, and you can eke out even more range if you feel like pedaling. Don’t expect to see their advertised 60 miles (95 km) of range unless you’re planning to do most of the pedaling yourself, though. At least it’s comfortable to pedal, in case you wanted to try for that 60 miles!
The Fucare Libra’s surprisingly comfortable pedal operation was great to see, and of course, it will be important if you plan on being part of the power generation. But since most people will probably make ample use of the throttle, I’m not sure that will be a huge concern for many riders.
The bigger comfort priority is likely the suspension. The rear suspension is nice to have, but I found the front suspension fork to feel kind of cheap. It had a bit of flex to it when applying hard front braking, which is a telltale sign of a lower-budget fork. The last Fucare e-bike tested had a higher quality suspension fork, though it was also a more expensive hardtail model.
When you’ve got a nearly 30 mph e-bike priced at $1,199, I guess you’ve got to save money somewhere.
Another area for savings appears to be the brakes. They work fine, but they aren’t hydraulics. Instead, we’re looking at typical mechanical disc brakes. For a fast and heavy e-bike like the Fucare Libra (a whopping 80 pounds or 36 kg), I generally like to see hydraulic brakes that offer stronger repeated stopping power.
The only other complaint I had was that the frame area surrounding the battery is a bit wide and I would occasionally rub my ankles on it depending on how I had my feet positioned on the pedals. It’s the kind of thing where I’d certainly get used to it if the bike were my daily driver, but hopping from one bike to another makes it noticeable. You can see what I mean in my video review at the top of the article.
Aside from the heavy weight, slightly wide frame, and lack of hydraulic brakes, I find it hard to nitpick at much else. I mean, this is a rocket of an e-bike with full-suspension for just $1,199, for crying out loud!
I’d have loved to see some passenger pegs included so I could actually comfortably carry a kid on that padded rear rack. But I’ll just go ahead and say “thank you” for giving me that padded rear rack at all, especially at this price!
Being able to throttle up to fast speeds in a cool-looking bike with multiple color options just isn’t something we see very often in this price range. And there’s even the added cool factor of Fucare offering a limited-edition “Chameleon” color, which is basically a sparkly light blue. (It’s the bike in these pictures.) It sounds odd, but it looks really good. It’s only an extra $100, but it is limited to 50 units. Each one comes with an individually-numbered plate on the side to designate which of the 50 units it is.
I’m not saying these are going to become collectors units worthy of Leno’s garage one day. But it’s still pretty neat having an individually numbered vehicle as part of a limited edition run. And even when those are out, the yellow and gray colorways aren’t bad either.
So in closing, while I could have used some slightly higher quality components on the bike, it’s really hard to complain about much of anything at this price. The Fucare Libra offers seriously good performance for a budget-level price. It doesn’t have the amazing community of a SUPER73 or the monster power of an Ariel Rider, but it’s got something the others don’t: affordability.
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Environment
CNBC Daily Open: The U.S. tech-sell off extends to its second day — but don’t let it ruin your summer
Tesla has started offering leases of certified pre-owned cars, which is relatively rare in the industry, with $0 down as it desperately tries to move vehicles before the end of the quarter.
With the federal tax credit for electric vehicles set to expire at the end of the quarter, automakers in the US are all trying to optimize EV sales, as demand is being pulled forward.
This also applies to used EVs, as the $4,000 federal incentive for used electric vehicles will also expire on September 30th.
Now, leasing used vehicles is much less common than leasing new cars, but some automakers, or mainly dealers, do offer it.
Tesla is getting into this business for the first time.
In California and Texas, Tesla is now offering leases on certified pre-owned (aka used) Model 3 and Model Y vehicles.
These are reasonably priced and can be as low as $215 per month with $0 down for a 24-month lease and 10,000 miles per year.
Tesla also offers a 12-month lease and up to 15,000 miles annually. While there’s no down payment needed, there’s an “Acquisition Fee” of $695.
That, and the first month, is all you need to get in a used Tesla for the next year or two.
This is undoubtedly the cheapest way to get into a Tesla vehicle right now.
Tesla is trying to sell as many vehicles as possible in the US this quarter, as demand for EVs has been pulled forward due to the end of the tax credit. This is expected to result in a record quarter in the US, but it also going to create a few difficult ones in the future.
With demand being pulled forward and future buyers feeling like they missed out on EV discounts, the US EV market is expected to experience a significant slowdown over the next 12 to 18 months.
Tesla sales are down about 13% globally so far this year. While this quarter is expected to be better, many analysts still anticipate Tesla’s year-over-year performance to be down.
This year alone, Tesla added more than 50,000 electric vehicles to its inventory.
Used cars have also been piling up.
Tesla owners rushed to sell their vehicles as Tesla’s brand perception dived following its CEO’s involvement in politics.
We previously reported that the average used Tesla sale price has recently dipped below the overall average used car sale price in the US.
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Danish equipment makers HG build job site dumpers that help move sand, rocks, debris, construction waste, and building supplies across rugged, uneven urban job sites. And with the introduction of their newest E3000 model, they’re helping move more than three tons of that stuff without emissions and — just as crucially — without noise.
HG announced the E3000 electric site dumper just this week, adding the new 3 tonne capacity to its growing lineup of 1 and 2 tonne dumpers (that’s over 6,600 lbs., in “landed on the Moon” units). With a 180° swivel tip on the bucket as standard equipment and an optional high tip version available at launch, it should be able to handle just about anything a hard working construction crew can throw at it.
“With the HG E3000, we once again prove that electric dumpers are not only better for people and the environment. They are also more efficient, cheaper to operate, and can run more than a full working day on a single charge,” explains Nikolaj Birkerod, CEO of HG, told Power Progress. “With 3 tonne dumpers, we are proving, as we already have with 2 tonne dumpers, that we can deliver on both performance and reliability while enabling customers to save 15% per operating hour compared to a diesel dumper.”
Exact specs haven’t been released, but HG claims the E3000’s 29 kWh is good for 12 full hours of continuous, loaded operation, and that it can be fully recharged on a “standard” 220 charger (L2) in about four hours. If you’re curious about what has been released, I’ve got all that for you right here:
The only all-electric dumper on the market that gives you 12 working hours while carrying 3 tonnes payload.
Our latest addition to accelerate 100% machinery:
- 3-ton payload for high-capacity material handling
- 12-hour working – a full day’s work without recharging
- Optional high tip for quick and flexible unloading into containers and trucks
- 180° swivel tip as standard for precise placement of loads
- Fast charging: 0–100% in approx. 4 hours with the integrated charger
- Lithium 29 kWh battery with automatic heating for all-season use
- One-pedal drive for smooth and intuitive operation
The E3000 is built for contractors and rental companies who demand maximum productivity without compromising on environmental responsibility.
With a carrying capacity of 3 tonnes and an industry-leading 12 hours of effective runtime on a single charge, it’s proof that heavy-duty work and zero emissions can go hand in hand.
At the heart of the E3000 is HG’s patented articulated drivetrain with four independent in-wheel motors. This unique design delivers the most energy-efficient power transfer in the industry, using significantly less power than conventional electric system. This translates directly into lower operating costs and more hours on site between charges.
No word yet on pricing or whether or not the new dumper will eventually be sold outside the European market, but we do know that HG plans to deliver the first examples of its new machine to customers by early 2026.
Electrek’s Take
While there are a lot of people outside the urban construction space who may scoff at environmental concerns, the quest for improved efficiency and cost reduction among commercial fleet managers knows no political ideology. Add in more restrictive noise regulations and the side benefits of improved job site safety and fewer sick days, and electric equipment is a no-brainer.
Simply put: If it’s better or cheaper, fleets will buy it. If it’s better and cheaper, they’ll buy two — and battery powered equipment is proving to be consistently better, in a broader scope of use cases, than diesel.
SOURCES | IMAGES: HG Machines, Power Progress.
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