This new folding electric motorcycle can fit in your car’s trunk
The Chinese motorcycle maker FELO has just unveiled its newest model at the Tokyo Motorcycle Show, and it’s basically a modern day take on an old classic from Honda known as the Motocompo. The new FELOTOO M One may just be the electric Motocompo you didn’t know you needed.
We’ve talked about the Honda Motocompo before on Electrek as we’ve watched other companies, as well as Honda itself, considering resurrecting the classic bike.
As a quick refresher, the Motocompo was an innovative compact motorcycle introduced by Honda in 1981. The goal was to create a unique solution for urban transportation. Designed to fit neatly into the trunk of small cars like the Honda City, the Motocompo featured a minimalist, boxy design with foldable handlebars and seat, making it easily portable and storable.
It was originally powered by a small 49cc two-stroke engine. Although production ceased in 1983, the Motocompo’s distinctive design and practicality have earned it a devoted fanbase and a lasting place in the history of innovative urban transportation solutions.
So it comes as no surprise that the design would be rehashed as new technologies allow for improvements. And with small electric powertrains replacing leaky engines, a trunk-sized folding motorcycle is ripe for a comeback.
Now FELO is taking a stab at the classic design with a surprisingly true-to-form interpretation. Called the M One, this modern day folding motorcycle is positively pint-sized. It weighs a mere 37 kg (82 lb). That’s even lighter than the original Motocompo’s 45 kg (99 lb) curb weight.
The M One uses a tiny full-suspension frame and replaces the original 49cc combustion engine with a 1,000W peak-rated electric motor. A 48V and 20Ah battery provides around 1 kWh of capacity, which the company claims is good for 100 km (62 miles) of range. That high range figure implies that the M One likely won’t be very fast, as you’d need to maintain an average speed of around 25 km/h (15 mph) to get that kind of range on an electric vehicle of this size and power level.
That might not sound very fast, but the original Motocompo wasn’t a crotch rocket either. Its speedometer went up to 50 km/h (31 mph), though most sources put the actual top speed at closer to 30 km/h (18 mph). Lighter riders were said to be able to eke out a tiny bit more top end speed.
But speed was never the point of a tiny folding motorcycle like the Motocompo, nor is it for M One. The whole point is to have a small format vehicle that can extend your range without needing to drive your car. Commuters could theoretically drive a small car in from the suburbs and park on the outskirts of a city. Then they could use the M One in their trunk like a dinghy on a sailboat, only they’d be cruising through city instead of rowing to shore.
Another interesting feature of the M One is that it will have V2L (vehicle to load) capabilities. With a 220VAC 50Hz power outlet, it can run household appliances directly from the motorcycle’s battery and inverter.
Some might argue the little two-wheeler’s classification as a motorcycle, instead preferring to lump it in with scooters or mopeds. Generally the scooter vs motorcycle debate boils down to whether or not the vehicle is straddled like a bike or step-through like a Vespa. In reality though, scooters and mopeds are simply subsets of the larger motorcycle world, making the M One one of the smallest electric motorcycles out there.
The M One is said to be priced at around US $2,900, though it looks like it will first debut in China and perhaps Japan. The little bike is said to become available in Q4 of this year, so we’ll have to keep our eye out for this one.
In the meantime, you can check out the slick unveiling video below to see how it folds.
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Wind energy powered 20% of all electricity consumed in Europe (19% in the EU) in 2024, and the EU has set a goal to grow this share to 34% by 2030 and more than 50% by 2050.
To stay on track, the EU needs to install 30 GW of new wind farms annually, but it only managed 13 GW in 2024 – 11.4 GW onshore and 1.4 GW offshore. This is what’s holding the EU back from achieving its wind growth goals.
Three big problems holding Europe’s wind power back
Europe’s wind power growth is stalling for three key reasons:
Permitting delays. Many governments haven’t implemented the EU’s new permitting rules, making it harder for projects to move forward.
Grid connection bottlenecks. Over 500 GW(!) of potential wind capacity is stuck in grid connection queues.
Slow electrification. Europe’s economy isn’t electrifying fast enough to drive demand for more renewable energy.
Brussels-based trade association WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson summed it up: “The EU must urgently tackle all three problems. More wind means cheaper power, which means increased competitiveness.”
Permitting: Germany sets the standard
Permitting remains a massive roadblock, despite new EU rules aimed at streamlining the process. In fact, the situation worsened in 2024 in many countries. The bright spot? Germany. By embracing the EU’s permitting rules — with measures like binding deadlines and treating wind energy as a public interest priority — Germany approved a record 15 GW of new onshore wind in 2024. That’s seven times more than five years ago.
If other governments follow Germany’s lead, Europe could unlock the full potential of wind energy and bolster energy security.
Grid connections: a growing crisis
Access to the electricity grid is now the biggest obstacle to deploying wind energy. And it’s not just about long queues — Europe’s grid infrastructure isn’t expanding fast enough to keep up with demand. A glaring example is Germany’s 900-megawatt (MW) Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farm. The turbines are ready to go, but the grid connection won’t be in place until 2026.
This issue isn’t isolated. Governments need to accelerate grid expansion if they’re serious about meeting renewable energy targets.
Electrification: falling behind
Wind energy’s growth is also tied to how quickly Europe electrifies its economy. Right now, electricity accounts for just 23% of the EU’s total energy consumption. That needs to jump to 61% by 2050 to align with climate goals. However, electrification efforts in key sectors like transportation, heating, and industry are moving too slowly.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has tasked Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen with crafting an Electrification Action Plan. That can’t come soon enough.
More wind farms awarded, but challenges persist
On a positive note, governments across Europe awarded a record 37 GW of new wind capacity (29 GW in the EU) in 2024. But without faster permitting, better grid connections, and increased electrification, these awards won’t translate into the clean energy-producing wind farms Europe desperately needs.
Investments and corporate interest
Investments in wind energy totaled €31 billion in 2024, financing 19 GW of new capacity. While onshore wind investments remained strong at €24 billion, offshore wind funding saw a dip. Final investment decisions for offshore projects remain challenging due to slow permitting and grid delays.
Corporate consumers continue to show strong interest in wind energy. Half of all electricity contracted under Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in 2024 was wind. Dedicated wind PPAs were 4 GW out of a total of 12 GW of renewable PPAs.
Read more: Renewables could meet almost half of global electricity demand by 2030 – IEA
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In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss the official unveiling of the new Tesla Model Y, Mazda 6e, Aptera solar car production-intent, and more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
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Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET):
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The Chinese EV leader is launching a new flagship electric sedan. BYD’s new Han L EV leaked in China on Friday, revealing a potential Tesla Model S Plaid challenger.
What we know about the BYD Han L EV so far
We knew it was coming soon after BYD teased the Han L on social media a few days ago. Now, we are learning more about what to expect.
BYD’s new electric sedan appeared in China’s latest Ministry of Industry and Information Tech (MIIT) filing, a catalog of new vehicles that will soon be sold.
The filing revealed four versions, including two EV and two PHEV models. The Han L EV will be available in single- and dual-motor configurations. With a peak power of 580 kW (777 hp), the single-motor model packs more power than expected.
BYD’s dual-motor Han L gains an additional 230 kW (308 hp) front-mounted motor. As CnEVPost pointed out, the vehicle’s back has a “2.7S” badge, which suggests a 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) sprint time of just 2.7 seconds.
To put that into perspective, the Tesla Model S Plaid can accelerate from 0 to 100 km in 2.1 seconds. In China, the Model S Plaid starts at RBM 814,900, or over $110,000. Speaking of Tesla, the EV leader just unveiled its highly anticipated Model Y “Juniper” refresh in China on Thursday. It starts at RMB 263,500 ($36,000).
BYD already sells the Han EV in China, starting at around RMB 200,000. However, the single front motor, with a peak power of 180 kW, is much less potent than the “L” model. The Han EV can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds.
At 5,050 mm long, 1,960 mm wide, and 1,505 mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,970 mm, BYD’s new Han L is roughly the size of the Model Y (4,970 mm long, 1,964 mm wide, 1,445 mm tall, wheelbase of 2,960 mm).
Other than that it will use a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) pack from BYD’s FinDreams unit, no other battery specs were revealed. Check back soon for the full rundown.
Source: CnEVPost, China MIIT
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