Connect with us

Published

on

The Ride1Up Revv1 e-bike was just unveiled this morning, rolling out in all of its moped-style electric bike glory. And in doing so, the new e-bike proved once again that Ride1Up is not content to rest on its laurels in the commuter e-bike category, but rather is serious about expanding its reputation for building high-value e-bikes in other market segments as well.

When Ride1Up CEO Daniel Urbino first showed me the Revv1 concept, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The bike was such a stark departure from the typical electric commuters we’ve come to know and love from the San Diego-based electric bike maker that it blew my mind.

Urbino explained to me that the goal of the Revv1 was to reach more riders than just its existing base that were interested in commuter e-bikes, such as those that wanted more adrenaline-pumping types of electric bikes. And I get it, but it’s just such a departure for the brand.

Though then again, I guess I should have seen the writing on the wall. Last year Ride1Up revealed its first mid-drive e-bike known as the Prodigy and then followed it up with a beach cruiser meets commuter called the Cafe Cruiser. So the company’s expanding aspirations shouldn’t come as a complete surprise.

What is surprising though is how well Ride1Up seems to have nailed the moped-style electric bike design on their first try.

ride1up revv1 e-bike

We often refer to these as SUPER73-style e-bikes, which I think is fair based on that brand’s early success in popularizing the retro-themed electric bike design that bridges moped and mini-bike styles from the 1970s and 80s. And in the process, they’ve created a dedicated community of riders with incredible brand loyalty.

But while we’ve seen SUPER73’s prices slowly walk up over the years, Ride1Up has managed to either keep prices stable or even lower them. And the new Ride1Up Revv1 follows the same strategy with attractive pricing for a slick-looking e-bike.

The Revv1 starts at $1,899 for the front suspension version or $2,399 for the full-suspension model.

The two versions of the e-bike both feature 750W motors and ship in Class 2 mode allowing them to reach 20 mph (32 km/h) on throttle or pedal assist.

In reality, the bikes are actually capable of higher power up to 1,500 watts and a higher top speed of at least 28 mph (45 km/h), but it’s not something that owners can simply unlock on their own. To modify the e-bike for higher speed intended for off-road usage, riders will need to contact Ride1Up support. It’s a move that’s likely designed to make it harder for the e-bike to be souped-up by younger riders or anyone that isn’t ready for that responsibility, and is likely one more chance for support to explain the reason they call it “Off-Road Mode.”

ride1up revv1 e-bike

The Ride1Up Revv1 will sport a 52V and 20Ah battery that uses Samsung battery cells and offers 1,040Wh of capacity. That’s one of the largest e-bike batteries we’ve seen in the industry, and should offer exceptional range even when used in throttle-only mode. And let’s get real, most of these moped-style electric bikes spend the majority of their lives in throttle mode.

Front and rear LED lights come standard, including a large motorcycle-style headlight separating a pair of front turn signals. Fenders in the front and rear help shield those 20″ x 4″ fat tires outfitted with what looks like a dual-sport tread for both street and trail use.

The bike uses Bafang’s cast wheels that remove wire spokes (and the spoke maintenance that normally goes with them), and the hydraulic disc brakes further help reduce the Revv1’s maintenance load.

It’s not clear yet what type of suspension will be used in the rear, but both models have a dual crown front suspension fork that helps lend even more motorcycle-inspired vibes to the e-bike.

A planned storage cage accessory will be added in the coming months, allowing riders to add storage into the empty space in the box frame. Foot pegs, a rear rack, and a rear handle are also planned additions to the accessory list.

The moped-style e-bike space certainly isn’t lacking options and variety, but the industry leaders have been fairly pricey. While the Revv1 can’t match the 2,000 watts of peak power offered by e-bikes like the SUPER73-RX, it still provides a highly capable 1,500 watt full-suspension alternative for at least $1,500 less.

The Juiced Scrambler may compare well with the hardtail version of the Revv1, but there too the Ride1Up version has some significant advantages such as the larger battery and more sophisticated lighting.

This is definitely new territory for Ride1Up, which is something that the company’s founder Kevin Dugger doesn’t deny:

“Electric mopeds are not my first choice in micro-mobility, but they are a fun and unique way to experience the e-bike revolution. They offer options and a ride experience that traditional e-bikes (or bikes) don’t. The Revv1 turns more heads than any e-bike I have ridden and is a perfect all-surface option for cruising. We want all of our models to be the best-in-class, and the Revv1 is no exception. Looking forward, we plan to bring our model of quality, style, and direct to consumer prices to a wider audience of riders.”

To me that sounds like Ride1Up has its sights set on even more product expansions. And that’s a pretty exciting prospect for a company that’s had some serious hits on its hands so far.

What do you think of the Ride1Up Revv1 e-bike? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments section below!

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Caterpillar is putting MASSIVE 240-ton electric haul truck to work in Vale mine

Published

on

By

Caterpillar is putting MASSIVE 240-ton electric haul truck to work in Vale mine

Mining company Vale is turning to Caterpillar to provide this massive, 240-ton battery-electric haul truck in a bid to slash carbon emissions at its mines by 2030.

Caterpillar and Vale have signed an agreement that will see the Brazilian mining company test severe-duty battery electric mining trucks like the 793 BEV (above), as well as V2G/V2x energy transfer systems and alcohol-powered trucks. The test will help Vale make better equipment choices as it works to achieve its goals of reducing direct and indirect carbon emissions 33% by 2030 and eliminating 100% of its net emissions by 2050.

If that sounds weird, consider that most cars and trucks in Brazil run on either pure ethyl alcohol/ethanol (E100) or “gasohol” (E25).

“We are developing a portfolio of options to decarbonize Vale’s operations, including electrification and the use of alternative fuels in the mines. The most viable solutions will be adopted,” explains Ludmila Nascimento, energy and decarbonization director Vale. “We believe that ethanol has great potential to contribute to the 2030 target because it is a fuel that has already been adopted on a large scale in Brazil, with an established supply network, and which requires an active partnership with manufacturers. We stand together to support them in this goal.”

Vale will test a 240-ton Cat 793 battery-electric haul truck at its operations in Minas Gerais, and put energy transfer solutions to a similar tests at Vale’s operations in Pará over the next two-three years. Caterpillar and Vale have also agreed to a joint study on the viability of a dual-fuel (ethanol/diesel) solution for existing ICE-powered assets.

Vale claims to be the world’s largest producer of iron ore and nickel, and says it’s committed to an investment of between $4 billion to $6 billion to meet its 2030 goal.

Cat 793 electric haul truck

During its debut in 2022, the Cat 793 haul truck was shown on a 4.3-mile test course at the company’s Tucson proving grounds. There, the 240-ton truck was able to achieve a top speed of over 37 mph (60 km/h) fully loaded. Further tests involved the loaded truck climbing a 10% grade for a full kilometer miles at 7.5 mph before unloading and turning around for the descent, using regenerative braking to put energy back into the battery on the way down.

Despite not giving out detailed specs, Caterpillar reps reported that the 793 still had enough charge in its batteries for to complete more testing cycles.

Electrek’s Take

Caterpillar-electric-mining-truck
Cat 793 EV at 2022 launch; via Caterpillar.

Electric equipment and mining to together like peanut butter and jelly. In confined spaces, the carbon emissions and ear-splitting noise of conventional mining equipment can create dangerous circumstances for miners and operators, and that can lead to injury or long-term disability that’s just going to exacerbate a mining operation’s ability to keep people working and minerals coming out of the ground.

By working with companies like Vale to prove that forward-looking electric equipment can do the job as well as well as (if not better than) their internal combustion counterparts, Caterpillar will go a long way towards converting the ICE faithful.

SOURCES | IMAGES: Caterpillar, Construction Equipment, and E&MJ.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Argonne Nat’l Lab is spending big bucks to study BIG hydrogen vehicles

Published

on

By

Argonne Nat'l Lab is spending big bucks to study BIG hydrogen vehicles

Argonne National Laboratory is building a new research and development facility to independently test large-scale hydrogen fuel cell systems for heavy-duty and off-road applications with funding from the US Department of Energy.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) is hoping Argonne Nat’l Lab’s extensive fuel cell research experience, which dates back to 1996, will give it unique insights as it evaluates new polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems ranging from 150 to 600 kilowatts for use in industrial vehicle and stationary power generation applications.

The new Argonne test facility will help prove (or, it should be said, disprove) the validity of hydrogen as a viable fuel for transportation applications including heavy trucks, railroad locomotives, marine vessels, and heavy machines used in the agriculture, construction, and mining industries.

“The facility will serve as a national resource for analysis and testing of heavy-duty fuel cell systems for developers, technology integrators and end-users in heavy-duty transportation applications including [OTR] trucks, railroad locomotives, marine vessels, aircraft and vehicles used in the agriculture, construction and mining industries,” explains Ted Krause, laboratory relationship manager for Argonne’s hydrogen and fuel cell programs. “The testing infrastructure will help advance fuel cell performance and pave the way toward integrating the technology into all of these transportation applications.”

The Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) of DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is dedicating about $4 million to help build the new Argonne facility, which is set to come online next fall.

Electrek’s Take

Medium-sized Hydrogen FC excavator concept; via Komatsu.

It’s going to be hard to convince me that the concentrated push for a technology as inefficient as hydrogen fuel cells has more to do with any real consumer or climate benefit than it does keeping the throngs of people it will take to manufacture, capture, transport, store, house, and effectively dispense hydrogen gainfully employed through the next election cycle.

As such, while case studies like the hydrogen combustion-powered heavy trucks that have been trialed at Anglo American’s Mogalakwena mine since 2021 (at top) and fuel cell-powered concepts like Komatsu’s medium-sized excavator (above) have proven that hydrogen as a fuel can definitely work on a job site level while producing far fewer harmful emissions than diesel, I think swappable batteries like the ones being shown off by Moog Construction and Firstgreen have a far brighter future.

Speaking of Moog, we talked to some of the engineers being their ZQuip modular battery systems on a HEP-isode of The Heavy Equipment Podcast a few months back. I’ve included it, below, in case that’s something you’d like to check out.

SOURCES | IMAGES: ANL, Komatsu, and NPROXX.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Environment

Velocity truck rental adds 47 high-speed truck chargers to California dealer network

Published

on

By

Velocity truck rental adds 47 high-speed truck chargers to California dealer network

Velocity truck rental is doing its part to help commercial fleets electrify by energizing 47 high-powered charging stations at four strategic dealer locations across Southern California. And they’re doing it now.

The new Velocity Truck Rental & Leasing (VTRL) charging network isn’t some far-off goal being announced for PR purposes. The company says its new chargers are already in the ground, and set to be fully online and energized by the end of this month at at VTRL facilities in Rancho Dominguez (17), Fontana (14), the City of Industry (14), and San Diego (2).

45 120 kW Detroit e-Fill chargers make up the bulk of VTRL’s infrastructure project, while two DCFC stations from ChargePoint get them to 47. All of the chargers, however, where chosen specifically to cater to the needs of medium and heavy-duty battery electric work trucks.

The company says it chose the Detroit e-Fill commercial-grade chargers because they’ve already proven themselves in Daimler-heavy fleets with their ability to bring Class 8 Freightliner eCascadias, Class 6 and 7 Freightliner eM2 box trucks, and RIZON Class 4 and 5 cabover trucks, “to 80% state of charge in just 90 minutes or less.”

At Velocity, we are not just reacting to the shift towards electric mobility; we are at the forefront with our customers and actively shaping it. By integrating high-powered, commercial-grade charging solutions along key transit corridors, we are ensuring that our customers have the support they need today. This charging infrastructure investment is a testament to our commitment to helping our customers transition smoothly to electromobility solutions and to prepare for compliance with the Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF) regulations.

David Deon, velocity president

Velocity plans to offer flexible charging options to accommodate the needs of different fleets, including both managed, “charging as a service” subscription plans and self-managed/opportunity charging during daily routes. While trucks are charging, drivers and operators will be able to relax in comfortable break rooms equipped with WIFI, television, snacks, water, and restrooms.

Electrek’s Take

Image via DTNA.

While it feels a bit underwhelming to write about trucking companies simply following the letter of the law in California, the rollout of an all-electric, zero-emission commercial trucking fleet remains something that, I think, should be celebrated.

As such, I’m celebrating it. I hope you are, too.

SOURCE | IMAGES: Global Newswire; Daimler Trucks.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Continue Reading

Trending