New SONDORS Metacycle ‘credit’ drops the electric motorcycle’s price to just $4,000
If your main gripe against electric motorcycles has been “they’re just too expensive,” well then you’re going to need to start looking for another excuse. That’s because a new credit offered by SONDORS will reduce the effective price of the company’s Metacycle electric motorcycle to just $4,000.
The email rolled into my inbox today like so many others, touting a new announcement from SONDORS. But the bolded “$2,500 credit” certainly got my attention.
Was there a new tax credit for electric motorcycles that I had missed?
Not quite. Instead, SONDORS is offering their own purchase credit for its Metacycle electric motorcycle, at least if you’re prepared to put down a $500 deposit in the next two weeks.
According to the company, “the first 1,000 SONDORS Metacycle orders with $500 down receive $2,500 credit towards their new purchase.”
That would reduce the price of the Metacycle from the current $6,500 to just $4,000.
In order to qualify, the orders have to be placed between today and March 15th, 2023.
The bikes are slated for Q4 2023 delivery, which if recent SONDORS timeline accuracy is any indication, means that these are 2024 bikes.
It’s not an altogether unprecendented move in the electric motorcycle industry. Zero pulled a similar move recently, offering the equivalent of the expired federal motorcycle tax credit as a discount for new purchases.
But the SONDORS credit is significant for a few reasons.
First of all, without going all “would a rose by any other name smell as sweet” on you, the word “credit” is simply a fancy way of announcing a price drop, which has its own implications.
And this price drop is huge. The bike debuted at $5,000 over two years ago, and that was the promotional pricing. That price point was never expected to last, which was confirmed when it increased to $6,500. That was assumed to be a more sustainable price point for the company. But dropping the price to $4,000 puts the bike at 20% below what even the early adopters paid, and they were basically giving SONDORS an 18+ month interest-free loan.
What could this mean for customers who purchased a Metacycle yesterday for $6,500? Will they be able to cancel their order and claim the new credit by re-ordering? And what about those customers who funded the bike’s development and production?
Lastly, this has serious implications for SONDORS’ bottom line. Why make such a drastic price decrease? Is the demand for Metacycle faltering? Is the company trying to raise some quick cash after postponing an upcoming IPO? Or is there something else in the works?
Regardless the reason, it’s hard to ignore the significant deal this offers. The Metacycle, despite failing to deliver on some of the loftier original promises from its launch presentation, has proven itself to be a capable urban commuter bike that is still punchy enough for short jaunts at highway speeds.
I took the bike on one of its first public review rides (see my video review below) and found it to be a fun and nimble ride. I’d gladly own and ride it as a commuter bike, and I’d recommend it for that use case. My testing showed that the bike felt like the perfect upgrade for someone that comes from an electric bicycle background and is ready to upgrade to a motorcycle.
The scooter-style setup with modest power and acceleration as well as dual hand brake levers makes the bike easy to ride for newcomers to motorcycles. Yet it still has fun performance that you can’t get from a typical electric bicycle.
At $4,000, this thing is a steal. But with something of an opaque picture of SONDORS’ current financial footing after the postponed IPO, it’s hard to say whether or not it’s a risky steal.
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Massachusetts is launching a first-of-its-kind statewide vehicle-to-everything (V2X) pilot program. This two-year initiative, backed by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), aims to deploy 100 bidirectional chargers to homes, school buses, municipal, and commercial fleet participants across the state.
These bidirectional chargers will enable EVs to serve as mobile energy storage units, collectively providing an estimated 1.5 MW of new storage capacity. That means EVs won’t just be getting power – they’ll be giving it back to the grid, helping to balance demand and support renewable energy use. The program is also focused on ensuring that low-income and disadvantaged communities have access to this cutting-edge tech.
The Massachusetts pilot is one of the largest state-led V2X initiatives in the US and is designed to tackle key challenges in deploying bidirectional charging technology. By strategically placing these chargers in a variety of settings, the program aims to identify and resolve barriers to wider adoption of V2X technology.
Massachusetts EV owners and fleet operators enrolled in the program will get bidirectional chargers capable of both vehicle-to-grid (V2G) and backup power operations at no cost. Here’s what they stand to gain:
- No-cost charging infrastructure: Bidirectional charging stations and installation are fully covered for participants.
- Grid resilience: With an estimated 1.5 MW of new flexible and distributed storage assets, the program strengthens Massachusetts’ energy infrastructure.
- Clean energy integration: V2G technology allows EVs to charge when renewable energy is available and discharge stored energy when it’s not, supporting the state’s clean energy goals.
- Backup power: EV batteries can be used as backup power sources during outages.
- Revenue opportunities: Some participants can earn money by sending stored energy back to the grid.
Clean energy solutions firm Resource Innovations and vehicle-grid integration tech company The Mobility House are leading the program’s implementation. “With the charging infrastructure provided through this program, we’re eliminating financial barriers and enabling school districts, homeowners, and fleets to access reliable backup power,” said Kelly Helfrich of Resource Innovations. “We aim to create a scalable blueprint for V2X programs nationwide.”
“Bidirectional charging benefits vehicle owners by providing backup power and revenue opportunities while strengthening the grid for the entire community,” added Russell Vare of The Mobility House North America.
The program is open for enrollment now through June 2025. For more details, visit the MassCEC V2X Program webpage. A list of eligible bidirectional vehicles can be found on that page.
Read more: Cambridge’s new solar VPPA is the largest ever by any US city
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Compton, California, has unveiled 25 new electric school buses – the school district’s first – and 25 Tellus 180 kW DC fast chargers.
Compton Unified School District (CUSD) in southern Los Angeles County is putting 17 Thomas Built Type A and eight Thomas Built Type C electric school buses on the road this spring. In addition to working with Thomas Built, CUSD also collaborated with electrification-as-a-service provider Highland Electric Fleet, utility Southern California Edison, and school transportation provider Durham School Services.
Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program awarded funds for the vehicles in the program’s first round. EPA also awarded CUSD funds for the third round of the program and anticipates introducing an additional 25 EV school buses in the future.
“I can’t stress enough how vital grants like these are and the need for continued support from our partners in government at the state and federal level to fund additional grants for school districts and their transportation partners that are ready to deliver and operate zero-emission buses,” said Tim Wertner, CEO of Durham School Services.
CUSD, which serves Compton and parts of the cities of Carson and Los Angeles, currently serves more than 17,000 students at 36 sites. The district has a high school graduation rate of 93% and an 88% college acceptance rate. One in 11 children in Los Angeles County have asthma, which makes the need for emissions-free school transportation that much more pressing.
Read more: Thomas Built Buses debuts its next-gen electric school bus
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After cutting lease prices by $200 this month, the Rivian R1S is now surprisingly affordable. It may even be a better deal than the new Tesla Model Y.
Rivian cuts R1S lease prices by $200 per month
Rivian’s R1S is one of the hottest electric SUVs on the market. If you haven’t checked it out yet, you’re missing out.
With some of the best deals to date, now may be the time. Rivian lowered R1S lease prices earlier this month to just $599 for 36 months, with $8,493 due at signing (30,000 miles). The offer is for the new 2025 R1S Adventure Dual Standard, which starts at $75,900.
Before the price cut, the R1S was listed at $799 per month, with $8,694 due at signing. The electric SUV now has the same lease price as the R1T, despite costing $6,000 more.
The 2025 R1T Dual Motor starts at $69,900, essentially making it a free $6,000 upgrade. At that price, you may even want to consider it over the new Tesla Model Y.
Tesla’s new Model Y Launch Series arrived with lease prices of $699 for 36 months. With $4,393 due at signing, the effective rate is $821 per month, or just $13 less than the R1S at $834. However, the 2025 R1S costs nearly $15,000 more, with the Model Y Launch Series price at $59,990.
Rivian is also offering an “All-Electric Upgrade Offer” of up to $6,000 for those looking to trade-in their gas-powered car, but base models are not included.
| Starting Price | Range (EPA-est.) |
|
| 2025 Rivian R1S Dual Standard | $75,900 | 270 miles |
| 2026 Tesla Model Y Launch Series | $59,990 | 327 miles |
To take advantage of the Rivian R1S lease deal, you must order it before March 15 and take delivery on or before March 31, 2025.
The 2025 Rivian R1S Dual Standard Motor has an EPA-estimated range of up to 270 miles. Tesla’s new Model Y Launch Series gets up to 327 miles.
Which electric SUV would you choose? Rivian’s R1S or the new Tesla Model Y? If you’re ready to check them out for yourself, you can use our links below to find deals on the Rivian R1S and Tesla Model Y in your area.
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