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Dutch-based electric mobility company BREKR has just unveiled it’s newest model, and the first two-wheeler in the company’s line to come with pedals. The BREKR Model F may be classified as an e-bike, but it comes with true moped styling.

That certainly fits within BREKR’s DNA, as the company is best known for its Model B electric moped.

It’s a ride that we first covered back in 2019 and have kept tabs on as the company raised funding and expanded further into international markets.

The new BREKR Model F is the latest big move from the company, demonstrating the brand’s design chops on an entirely new class of vehicle.

Unlike the BREKR Model B that is classified as a moped, the BREKR Model F can slide in under electric bicycle designations thanks to its functional pedals.

But these aren’t some slap-on vestigial pedals — they’re part of a nicely designed belt-enabled drivetrain.

We’ve discussed the benefits of belt drives on e-bikes before, which help reduce maintenance and noise from the bike while also lasting longer than chain drives and even becoming more efficient in the long term.

BREKR Model F (left) and BREKR Model B (right)

The Model F maintains a similar design compared to the Model B with a main strut running down the length of the bike from the head tube to the rear axle.

But the e-bike also adds its own flair in the form of a mini-bike style rear bench seat supported by a tubular frame. The design has a real California mini-bike meets Dutch moped vibe to it.

Unlike the standard 20-inch wheels that are commonly found on these types of moped-inspired electric bikes, BREKR created a slightly larger 22-inch rim. As the company explained, “Fatbikes have the edge, but standard sized 20-inch wheels are too small for the average person, so we’ve created our own one of a kind 22-inch custom wheels.”

The bike doesn’t include traditional suspension, but BREKR says that its fat tires make up for that with a comfortable ride. As the company stated:

You might wonder why the Model F doesn’t have suspension. Fair point, we asked ourselves this as well. The thing with suspension is that it’s a really costly part to add to a bike, and that they mainly have function on bikes with thin and narrow tires that aren’t forgiving on rough surfaces.

The Brekr Model F however, is a fat bike. Which, you probably guessed it, has fat tires. They look cool, but they also absorb the majority of the bumps and shocks coming from the road surface you’re riding on. Next to that, the saddle has shock absorption built-in, so you’re ensured of a comfortable ride – without the added cost of suspension.

There aren’t traditional gears like on a typical e-bike, but the rear Bafang hub motor has a built-in automatic two-speed transmission to select between high and low gear. That should come in handy when climbing hills and searching for extra torque.

The higher gear is better for faster speeds, but don’t expect to be going too fast on the BREKR Model F. Because of Europe’s restrictive e-bike laws, the Model F is limited to just 25 km/h (15.5 mph). That’s not exactly going to be a thrilling ride, but you can thank EU regulators for that low speed limit.

Two battery options are available with either 540 or 700 Wh. The former nets riders 35-60 km (21-37 miles) of range while the latter offers a longer range of 45-75 km (28-47 miles) under real-world riding conditions. BREKR says that ideal conditions can actually score over 100 km (62 miles) of range.

brekr model b e-bike

The bike’s Launch Edition is already available to pre-order with a promotional price of €2,995 (US $3,190). Only 20 individually numbered Launch Edition units will be produced, and it will be available in Q3 2023. The First Edition will follow with a promotional price of €2,945 (US $3,135) and will be available in Q4 2023. Anyone who is not ready to plop down a full payment for one of the first two editions can place a €9 (US $9) deposit toward the next batch of bikes.

The BREKR Model F Launch Edition will be available only in the Netherlands, but the First Edition will be offered in Germany and Belgium as well. Other countries will be able to order future editions via their local dealer networks.

This isn’t the first Model F electric bicycle we’ve seen unveiled this year. That title goes to Electric Bike Company’s Model F, a folding beach cruiser-inspired electric bike that is built at the company’s California assembly factory. Though with hundreds of new e-bikes unveiled each year, there was bound to be some name overlap eventually.

Electrek’s Take

I’ve got conflicted feelings here. I really like the design (even if it’s sort of a Dutch SUPER73), but those European regulations that limit the speed to 25 km/h (15.5 mph) and power to 250W (0.33 horsepower) are killing me.

Electrek‘s publisher Seth Weintraub and I both had the chance to test out a pair of BREKR Model B e-mopeds last year. While I liked the moped itself, it was also limited in speed and power to conform to local regulations and that resulted in a muted experience.

It’s hard for me to fault the manufacturer when there’s not much they can do about the regulations, but it still leaves me wanting more.

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Exxon earnings beat, increases fourth-quarter dividend

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Exxon earnings beat, increases fourth-quarter dividend

An Exxon gas station is seen in the Brooklyn borough of New York City on Oct. 6, 2023.

Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images

Exxon Mobil beat third-quarter earnings expectations, as the oil major reached its highest liquids production level in more than four decades.

Here is what Exxon reported for the third quarter compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG: 

  • Earnings per share: $1.92 adjusted, vs. $1.88 per share expected.
  • Revenues: $90 billion, vs. $93.94 billion expected

The oil major booked net income of $8.61 billion in the quarter, or $1.92 per share, down about 5% compared to $9.1 billion, or $2.25 per share, in the year-ago period. Exxon’s profits have declined as refining margins and natural gas prices have pulled back from from historically high levels in 2023.

The company returned $9.8 billion to shareholders in the quarter and increased its fourth-quarter dividend to $0.99 per share.

Exxon said it has reached its high production level in more than 40 years at 3.2 million barrels per day.

The oil major’s stock rose about 1% in pre-market trading. Exxon shares have gained 16.8% this year.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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Chevron beats earnings expectations, returns more than $7 billion to shareholders

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Chevron beats earnings expectations, returns more than  billion to shareholders

Chevron beats earnings expectations, returns more than $7 billion to shareholders

Chevron beat third-quarter earnings and revenue expectations, returning a record amount of cash to shareholders.

Shares were up 2.6% in the premarket following the report’s release.

The oil major’s quarterly profit, however, declined substantially compared to the year-ago period due to lower margins on refined product sales, lower prices and the absence of favorable tax times.

Chevron is aiming to streamline its portfolio, with asset sales in Canada, Congo and Alaska expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2024. The company is also target $2 billion to $3 billion in cost reductions from 2024 through the end of 2026.

Here is what Chevron reported for the third quarter compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG: 

  • Earnings per share: $2.51 adjusted, vs. $2.43 expected
  • Revenue: $50.67 billion, vs. $48.99 billion expected

Chevron’s net income came in at $4.49 billion, or $2.48 per share, down 31% from $6.53 billion, or $3.48 per share, in the third quarter of 2023. When adjusted for foreign currency impacts, the company reported earnings of $2.51 per share, solidly topping Wall Street’s expectations for the quarter.

Chevron booked revenues of $50.67 billion, also beating Street expectations but declining 6% from the $54.1 billion reported in the third quarter last year.

The oil major returned a record $7.7 billion to shareholders in the quarter, including $4.7 billion in share buybacks and $2.9 billion in dividends.

Chevron produced 3.36 million oil-equivalent barrels per day in the quarter, a 7% increase over the third quarter of 2023, driven by record output in the Permian Basin.

Chevron’s stock is largely flat for the year, underperforming the S&P 500 energy sector which has gained more than 6%. Shares have struggled to gain ground as uncertainty looms over the company’s pending $53 billion acquisition of Hess.

The Federal Trade Commission has cleared the deal, though it prohibited John Hess from joining Chevron’s board.

Chevron remains locked in a dispute with Exxon Mobil, which is claiming a right of first refusal over Hess Corp.’s lucrative oil assets in Guyana. If an arbitration court rules in Exxon’s favor, Chevron’s acquisition of Hess would fail to close.

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China’s Zeekr reports EV deliveries in October nearly doubled, clocks its best monthly numbers

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China's Zeekr reports EV deliveries in October nearly doubled, clocks its best monthly numbers

ZEEKR EV cars are displayed at the 45th Bangkok International Motor Show in Bangkok, Thailand, March 25, 2024.

Chalinee Thirasupa | Reuters

Chinese electric carmaker Zeekr said Thursday its deliveries surged by 92% in October from a year ago, helping the company clock its best month at 25,049 vehicles.

That beat the prior record of 21,333 deliveries in September, bringing Zeekr’s total for the year to nearly 168,000.

The company has reportedly said that it expects to deliver 230,000 cars in 2024. With only two months left in the calendar year, that means Zeekr needs to deliver more than 31,000 cars in November and December each.

The Geely-backed automaker began deliveries of its new five-seat SUV Zeekr Mix on Oct. 23.

Xpeng also beat its personal best for a second straight month, delivering 23,917 vehicles in October. The deliveries included the company’s mass-market car, Mona M03, accounting for over 10,000 units.

Xpeng launched Mona M03 in late August with prices starting at $16,812.

Premium brand Nio said it delivered 20,976 cars in October, including 4,319 vehicles from its lower-priced brand Onvo, which was launched in September.

Li Auto, whose cars mostly come with a fuel tank to extend the battery’s driving range, delivered 51,443 cars, slightly lower than its record month in September.

BYD and Aito had not yet released their October deliveries as of Friday afternoon.

Earlier in the week, Chinese smartphone and home appliance company Xiaomi said it delivered more than 20,000 electric vehicles in October.

The company only launched its first car — the SU7 — in late March.

Xiaomi aims to deliver 100,000 electric cars by the end of November. The company has delivered more than 75,000 cars as of October.

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