I know, I know. Electric motorcycles are usually quite pricey. Compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) motorcycles, e-motorcycles usually carry a few thousand dollar premium. Their long list advantages usually makes it worth it, though that still might not ease the sting of sticker shock. But if you know where to look then you’ll find a surprising number of affordable options on the market in North America. All of the electric motorcycles featured here are either already rolling on America’s roads or are expected to become available in the coming months.
And while we’re at it, let’s put terms like “low-cost” and “affordable” into perspective. In the same way that $17,000 for a bicycle is expensive while $17,000 for a house is pretty darn cheap, remember that all of these terms are relative.
So when we consider what makes a low-cost electric motorcycle affordable, we’re comparing to the current leaders of the industry, such as a $23,000 LiveWire One, a $24,000 Zero SR/F or a $26,000 Energica Experia. Considering those prices, the rest of the electric motorcycles on this list are downright budget-friendly.
$2,795 CSC City Slicker electric motorcycle
We’ll start with a bike that was actually one of my first low-cost electric motorcycles, the CSC City Slicker.
Keep in mind though that the City Slicker is true to its name — this is a city-optimized electric motorcycle. Some might even call it a scooter in the shape of a motorcycle.
It tops out at 46 mph (75 km/h), which may seem slow, but it still works great in the city. This of course isn’t an interstate vehicle – I did one exit on the freeway and considered those couple of miles as my contribution to scientific-testing. But for local riding, it’s a great little urban vehicle.
The City Slicker can ride 2-up (as my wife can confirm), puts out around 4 kW of peak power, and gets around 30 miles (50 km) of range before you have to lug its removable battery inside for charging (or leave it on the bike if you’re lucky enough to have a garage to charge in).
The dealer fees push the final price closer to $3,200, but the company ships for free all over the US from their Azusa, California, headquarters.
Micah Toll taking a spin on a CSC City Slicker electric motorcycle
And while they aren’t full motorcycles, CSC also offers a couple different seated electric scooters known as the CSC Monterey and CSC Wiz. Both are worth checking out!
If you’re into a more utility-oriented electric scooter, you’ll want to take a look at the Wiz. It’s super affordable at just $2,245.
The Wiz gets up to around 43 mph and is another perfect city commuter vehicle, especially considering it comes with an included rear cargo box.
If style is more your thing, the CSC Monterey is a beautiful scooter with styling that was stolen borrowed from the classic Honda Cub.
It’s a bit slower with a top speed of around 32 mph, but it turns heads everywhere it goes! It’s also an absolute steal at $1,945. There are plenty of electric bicycles that cost more than that!
Both the Wiz and the Monterey can seat two passengers, though you might end up a couple miles per hour short of the top speed when riding 2-up.
While we’re talking about CSC, I’ve got to mention the CSC RX1E. This adventure-looking bike is really more of an urban commuter, though it’s got the performance to hit the highways too.
I had the chance to test one near LA, and it was so much more impressive than I was expecting. I did a mix of highway and city riding, and the bike performed admirably in both cases.
There’s also more to the bike than meets the eye. I’m talking, ABS, included luggage racks, belt drive, roomy glove box in the “tank” area, and more. It’s the only one on this list with a liquid-cooled motor, which is part of what helps it hit a top speed of 80 mph (130 km/h) without stressing the motor too hard or overheating. It’s got a range of 112 miles (180 km) at slower speeds thanks to that 6.4 kWh battery, and it can pretty much handle any commute you can throw at it.
It’s also got that super comfortable adventure bike setup, even though it’s really more of an urban commuter. Basically, this is a pretty awesome e-moto with surprisingly good value.
Check out my video review below to see the bike in action.
Ryvid Anthem
The Ryvid Anthem might not be available yet, but it is expected to roll out this coming summer. Riders can already put down a deposit towards the $7,800 purchase price, or get to the front of the line for a Launch Edition of the bike by paying in full already.
The Ryvid Anthem is quite different from most of the bikes on this list. Not only does it have an eye-catching design, but the mechanics are just as innovative as the appearance.
The frame uses a unique folded metal design, there’s a removable battery feature that lets you bring the pack inside for charging, and the bike’s seat can even be adjusted up and down by as much as 4 inches — even while riding!
The performance specs put it in classic commuter territory with a top speed in the 70’s of mph, though there’s a higher torque gearing option that drops the top speed slightly in favor of quicker acceleration.
I rode around LA for a couple days on an Anthem prototype with the company’s founder Dong Tran, which you can read about here or check out my test ride video below.
They have a couple of side-by-side electric UTVs planned for later this year and next year, but they’ll be launching their first electric motorcycle in the next few months.
The Volcon Grunt debuted at $5,999, though the price increased to $7,999 earlier this year. But there’s good news — the price is back at $5,999 for a limited time as part of a year end sale.
The Grunt is an off-road electric motorcycle sporting a top speed of 60 mph (96 km/h). Its 35 kW (50 hp) motor is quite powerful for all sorts of dirt riding, and the bike’s fat tires will feel right at home in loose terrain.
And if you’re looking for a Grunt for your kids, the company also created a 35 mph (56 km/h) version known as the Runt.
Huck Cycles electric mopeds
Huck Cycles builds bikes that are somewhere between mopeds and electric motorcycles. They have classic moped styling and inspiration, yet can reach speeds approaching 55 mph (99 km/h), so I’m tempted to just lump Huck’s bikes in together with other small electric motorcycles.
Huck Cycles is a North Carolina-based and veteran-owned moped company that was founded in early 2020. They build their electric mopeds locally, starting from the ground up with their own frame design.
Last year they moved into a larger 5,000-square-foot production facility and have been rapidly expanding production including new models like the Huck Overland and Huck Stinger.
The company highlights its customization process, which ensures that nearly no two bikes produced are the same. Depending on how you outfit the various models, prices range from around $6,000 to $8,500 or more.
ONYX RCR
The ONYX RCR is another electric moped that qualifies as an electric motorcycle thanks to its 60 mph (96 km/h) top speed.
The bike takes on a distinctly retro vibe and incorporates genuine wood panels into its design.
I had the chance to visit ONYX’s southern California factory where they assemble the bikes. There I witnessed the build process in action and had the opportunity to do some fun canyon road riding, which you can see in the video below.
The Zero FXE replaced my previous favorite of Zero’s budget lineup, the FXS. The FXE comes with a new body design but incorporates much of what we knew and loved in the FXS. It may be one of the most expensive bikes on this list at $13,000, but it’s worth a look.
The Zero FXE is fully highway-capable with a top speed of around 85 mph (137 km/h).
In my experience it likes to sit closer to the mid 70s when cruising, but it can do that top speed if you really punch it. The bike is something of a supermoto mashed together with a commuter bike, and that makes it great for more than just cruising around town. You can do some light trail riding on it (which I did on its FXS ancestor), though you’ll want the more off-road optimized FX if you want to get really down and dirty.
The bike has a modest 7.2 kWh battery giving it a city range of 100 miles (160 km) and a mixed range of 75 miles (121 km). Cruise a constant 70 mph though and you’ll be lucky to get 40 miles (64 km) of range, so don’t expect this to be a great touring bike. But as a commuter motorcycle that can ride in the left lane for short jaunts, that range isn’t so bad. Again, that’s viewing it under the lens of riding to work – not canyon carving.
The bike actually has some slightly Zero FXE-ish knock-off vibes, though at an obviously lower price. The ES1 Pro carries an MSRP of $6,995. There’s also an off-road model that offers more FX-ish vibes.
With 70+ mph speeds, the Kollter ES1 can hang out on the highway, though it may be limited to the right lane depending on the scenario.
It doesn’t have quite as nice styling as the bikes it imitates, but it has great value for an around the town e-moto that is fast enough for short hops on the highway.
Just don’t spend too long on the highway or your range will suffer. The bike comes with a city range rating of 65 miles (105 km), so you can imagine how short the highway range must be.
Check out my video review of the Kollter ES1 Pro below.
If you’re a fan of electric motorcycles then you’ve surely heard of the SONDORS Metacycle by now.
The bike made waves upon its announcement in early 2021 and its bombshell low price of just $5,000. The price has since been increased to $6,500, but that still keeps it in the low-cost end of the electric motorcycle pricing spectrum.
The low price doesn’t mean low performance. SONDORS says the bike will offer an 80 mph (130 km/h) top speed and 80 mile (130 km) range, though in my testing I found that the top speed is reachable only when engaging a turbo boost button, and max cruising speed is closer to 60-70 mph (96-112 km/h).
Even so, it’s a great ride for around the city or short hops on the highway. I had it up to max speed on California highways during my test ride and it felt just as good at the top end as it did at the bottom end. But with a smaller 4 kWh battery, it’s a good idea not to ride too fast for too long or you’ll be looking for a charging outlet quickly.
A range test performed by the company put the real-world range when measured at higher speeds at closer to 60 miles, though many early owners have reported much lower ranges at high speed.
Any way you slice it, the 4,000 Wh battery pack isn’t terribly large, but is also bigger than most small-format electric motorcycles like the CSC City Slicker. And an expected 3 kWh auxiliary battery will be provided as an option to fill that negative space in the frame, offering more range. A storage compartment and a Level 2 charger will also be made available as accessory plugs for the frame window. There’s no estimated delivery date for those accessories though, so don’t think you’ll be able to add them in the next few weeks.
You can check out my test ride article on the Metacycle, or watch my video below.
NIU NGT electric scooter
I’m not sure if this one technically belongs in this list since it’s a scooter, but this is my article, so screw it!
I just reviewed the NIU NGT and this is one awesome smart scooter. The 3,500 kW peak-rated Bosch hub motor gives the bike 125cc-ish performance and tops out at just shy of 80 km/h (50 mph).
The electric scooter also comes with one of the best phone apps I’ve seen, giving you tons of information about your scooter remotely, plus offering GPS tracking and anti-theft features.
The pair of 2.1 kWh batteries provide a stated range of 140 km (87 mi), though in highest power mode, I end up getting more like 100 km (62 mi) of range.
All in all this is a great option if you’re looking for something more utilitarian in the scooter format. Priced at around $4,500 in the US, it costs more than some e-scooters but also offers a nicer package with more features and definitely more range. Though if you don’t need 60-80 miles of range for city commutes, there are lower range versions that cost significantly less.
More to come!
There you have it, the current best options in the US for low-cost electric motorcycles.
Venmo, long a centerpiece of PayPal‘s growth story but often criticized for its lack of monetization, is becoming a bigger contributor to the business.
PayPal said Tuesday in its first-quarter earnings release that revenue at Venmo increased 20% year-over-year in the first quarter, though the company didn’t provide a dollar figure. PayPal acquired Venmo in 2013 through the acquisition of parent company Braintree.
While it’s long been a popular consumer service for sending money to friends, Venmo’s ability to drive meaningful revenue has been a major question mark for investors, especially as competition from rivals like Zelle and Square Cash has intensified.
Venmo’s total payment volume rose 10% from a year earlier, but revenue grew twice as fast, reflecting the business opportunity. Venmo only gets revenue from specific products like Pay with Venmo at online checkout, Venmo debit cards, and instant transfers, but not from peer-to-peer payments.
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Ahead of the earnings report, Jefferies analysts noted that Venmo revenue growth appeared to be “accelerating sharply” and flagged its rising contribution to branded checkout as a key area to watch. Compass Point analysts similarly said that while competition from Zelle and Square Cash remains fierce, Venmo’s traction with debit cards and online checkout could “open up new monetization avenues” if adoption trends continue.
The company added nearly 2 million first-time PayPal and Venmo debit card users during the quarter, and total debit card payment volume across PayPal and Venmo climbed more than 60%. Meanwhile, Pay with Venmo transaction volume surged 50% year over year, and Venmo debit card monthly active users grew about 40%.
PayPal reported better-than-expected earnings for the quarter but missed on revenue. The company reaffirmed its full-year guidance, citing macroeconomic uncertainty.
CEO of PayPal Alex Chriss speaks during the Semafor 2025 World Economy Summit at Conrad Washington on April 24, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Alex Wong | Getty Images
PayPalreported better-than-expected earnings for the first quarter, but the company missed on revenue and reaffirmed its guidance for 2025 due to macro uncertainty. The stock fell about 2% in pre-market trading.
Here’s how the company did compared with Wall Street estimates, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG:
Earnings per share: $1.33, adjusted vs. $1.16 expected
Revenue: $7.79 billion vs. $7.85 billion expected
While sales increased just 1% from $7.7 billion a year earlier, PayPal said the results reflect a strategy to prioritize profitability over volume, rolling off lower-margin revenue streams.
Transaction margin dollars, the company’s key measure of profitability, grew 7% to $3.7 billion, marking the company’s fifth consecutive quarter of profitable growth under CEO Alex Chriss.
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PayPal shares are down 24% this year, while the Nasdaq has dropped 10%
Total payment volume, an indication of how digital payments are faring in the broader economy, missed estimates, coming in at $417.2 billion, versus the nearly $418 billion analysts projected. The number of active accounts rose 2% from a year earlier to 436 million.
Venmo revenue rose 20% year over year, though the company didn’t provide a dollar figure. Total payment volume for Venmo increased 10% to $75.9 billion. Pay with Venmo transaction volume climbed 50% in the quarter and Venmo debit card monthly active users increased by about 40%.
Chriss has focused on better monetizing key acquisitions like Braintree and Venmo. DoorDash,Starbucksand Ticketmaster are among businesses now accepting Venmo as one way that consumers can pay.
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Ahead of PayPal’s earnings report, some analysts had struck a cautious tone despite the company’s focus on margin expansion. Morgan Stanley analysts warned in a note on Monday that investor sentiment remained bearish due to the potential impact of tariffs, competitive pressure from Apple and Shopify, and the risk of a long-term slowdown in branded checkout growth.
Jefferies analysts highlighted PayPal’s China cross-border exposure as an emerging risk tied to potential new tariffs and changes to the de minimis exemption.
For the second quarter, PayPal issued better-than-expected guidance, forecasting adjusted earnings per share of $1.29 to $1.31, above the average analyst estimate of $1.21. Transaction margin dollars will increase 4% to 5% to between $3.75 billion and $3.8 billion, the company said.
However, for the full year, PayPal chose to reaffirm its guidance, citing “global macroeconomic uncertainty.” The company expects earnings per share of $4.95 to $5.10 for the year and free cash flow in the range of $6 billion to $7 billion.
PayPal shares are down 24% this year, while the Nasdaq has dropped 10%.
British oil and gasoline company BP (British Petroleum) signage is being pictured in Warsaw, Poland, on July 29, 2024.
Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images
British oil giant BP on Tuesday posted slightly weaker-than-expected first-quarter net profit, following a recent strategic reset and a slump in crude prices.
The beleaguered oil and gas major posted underlying replacement cost profit, used as a proxy for net profit, of $1.38 billion for the first three months of the year. That missed analyst expectations of $1.6 billion, according to an LSEG-compiled consensus.
BP’s net profit had hit $2.7 billion a year earlier and $1.2 billion in the final three months of 2024.
The results come as the energy major faces fresh pressure from activist investors less than two months after announcing a strategic reset.
Seeking to rebuild investor confidence, BP in February pledged to slash renewable spending and boost annual expenditure on its core business of oil and gas.
BP CEO Murray Auchincloss told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe” on Tuesday that the firm was “off to a great start” in delivering on its strategic reset.
“We had a great operational quarter. We had our highest upstream operating efficiency in history. Our refineries in the first quarter ran at the best they’ve run in 24 years. We had six exploration discoveries in a row, which is really unusual and we started out three major projects,” Auchincloss said.
For the first quarter, BP announced a dividend per ordinary share of 8 cents and a share buyback of $750 million.
Net debt rose to $26.97 billion in the January-March period, up from $22.99 billion at the end of the fourth quarter. BP had previously warned of lower reported upstream production and higher net debt in the first quarter, when compared to the final three months of last year.
Shares of BP fell 3.3% on Tuesday morning. The firm is down roughly 8% year-to-date.
Activist pressure
BP’s green strategy U-turn does not appear to have gone far enough for the likes of activist investor Elliott Management, which went public last week with a stake of more than 5% in the London-listed firm.
The disclosure makes the U.S. hedge fund BP’s second-largest shareholder after BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, according to LSEG data.
Elliott was first reported to have assumed a position in the oil and gas company back in February, driving a share price rally amid expectations that its involvement could pressure BP to shift gears back toward its oil and gas businesses.
BP’s Auchincloss declined to comment on interactions with investors when asked whether the firm was under pressure from the likes of Elliott to go beyond the plans announced in its February pivot.
Notably, BP suffered a shareholder rebellion at its annual general meeting earlier this month. Almost a quarter (24.3%) of investors voted against the re-election of outgoing Chair Helge Lund, a symbolic result that reflected a sense of deep frustration among the firm’s shareholders.
Mark van Baal, founder of Dutch activist investor Follow This, told CNBC last week that he hoped the shareholder revolt means Amanda Blanc, who is leading the process to find Lund’s successor, will look for a new chair who is “climate competent” and “will not respond to short-term activists so quickly.”
Lund is expected to step down from his role next year.
Takeover candidate
BP’s underperformance relative to industry peers such as Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Shell has thrust the energy major into the spotlight as a prime takeover candidate. Energy analysts have questioned, however, whether any of the likeliest suitors will rise to the occasion.
BP’s Auchincloss on Tuesday said that he wouldn’t speculate on whether the company is a takeover target, but confirmed the oil major had not asked for any sort of protection from the British government.
“What I will say is we’re a strong, independent company and we’ve got sector-leading growth. And if we can deliver the sector-leading growth, and the first quarter is a fantastic example of that, then I have no concerns. I think we’re going to do great,” Auchincloss said.
Murray Auchincloss, chief executive officer of BP, during the “CERAWeek by S&P Global” conference in Houston, Texas, on March 11, 2025.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Oil prices have fallen in recent months on demand fears. International benchmark Brent crude futures with June delivery traded at $65.19 per barrel on Tuesday morning, down more than 1% for the session. That’s lower from around $84 per barrel a year ago.
Asked whether weaker crude prices could put the some of the firm’s reset plans in jeopardy, Auchincloss said, “Not really. We have a balance of products that we think about that generate revenue for us. So, oil, natural gas and refined products as well.”
— CNBC’s Ruxandra Iordache contributed to this report.