Check out this new electric bike that was ‘designed for millennials and zoomers’
With the massive rollout of electric bicycles that has witnessed dozens of new product launches each month, it’s no surprise that we’re starting to see ever more specialized designs and marketing trying to reach new niches in the industry. But the recently released ENVO Stax is a new one to me – an e-bike that is self-described as being designed for millennials and Gen Z, also known as zoomers.
If you’re scratching your head a bit, I did the math for you. That basically means anyone from age 13-42, give or take a bit.
According to the Canadian electric bicycle maker ENVO, that’s the group that it has targeted with the Stax electric bike.
As the company explained:
ENVO Stax is designed to provide riders with a natural and familiar riding experience akin to that of a traditional bicycle, which makes it an excellent option for millennials and Gen Z riders who are looking for a good-looking, sleek, electric bike that is premium yet affordable.
Unless the bike is about to co-sign my rental agreement or somehow crash the economy so I can buy a house, I’m not quite sure how it’s specifically designed for millennials. But okay, I’ll bite. Let’s dig in here and see what’s under the skin.
Basically, the ENVO Stax looks like a hub motor-powered street bike with a fairly sporty stance, a seatpost-integrated battery, and a fairly lightweight design at just 19 kg (42 lb.). I know that seems heavy compared to your beater Huffy, but that’s pretty darn lightweight by e-bike standards.
The company describes the lightweight design as essential for “making it effortless to carry up stairs or maneuver around tight spaces.” Basically, they know we live in tiny apartments and that none of us has a garage to charge in. Best-case scenario, we’ve got a locked bicycle room in the building and we can then pop the seat out to bring it upstairs to charge the battery.
Speaking of charging a battery in your apartment, there’s good safety news here too. The battery is UL-listed, which is becoming a growing trend among e-bike manufacturers focused on safe and reliable battery construction methods. That means you can sleep soundly at night when you ignore the “don’t charge this battery unattended” warning label.
The battery may not be too heavy to lug upstairs by itself because it just isn’t very big. At 36V and 12.8Ah, there’s just 461 Wh of capacity. They say that will net you 100 km (62 miles) of range, but that’s got to be the low-power pedal assist figure. Zipping around on throttle at the bike’s top speed of 32 km/h (20 mph) is surely going to get you closer to half that range.
That throttle leaves me with a few questions though. The bike is described as a Class 1 e-bike, meaning pedal assist only (no throttle). But there’s clearly a thumb throttle on the left handlebar in the product images. There’s another head scratcher for you.
The ENVO Stax comes standard with 500W of power, hydraulic disc brakes, built-in LED lighting, and an 8-speed Shimano transmission.
It also comes with a fairly steep price of $2,479. Sure, the frame is nicely welded with smooth joints. And there are some decently nice parts like the hydraulic brakes. But that’s a significantly more expensive entry price than a lot of other higher-performing e-bikes out there.
So the price doesn’t feel very millennial or Gen Z friendly, though apparently, it’s more about what’s inside.
According to ENVO’s CEO Ali Kazemkhani, the millennial and Gen Z focus is perhaps more related to the bike’s design and handling like an old-school pedal bike:
The ENVO Stax is aimed at millennials and Gen Z riders who want a good-looking, sleek, electric bike that is premium yet affordable. The most important thing for us when designing this ebike was to make sure that it rides and feels like a traditional bike so that user doesn’t have to compromise on ride feel for the added benefits of an ebike.
Electrek’s Take
The ENVO Stax looks like a nice bike. There’s nothing wrong with it. 500W, fairly lightweight, good brakes, built-in lighting, smooth welds for an attractive design. Sounds good.
But that price is killing me. I don’t know where the justification is coming from.
For that much, it better also come with a rear rack, included fenders, and a pamphlet explaining why a credit score is important. Then it’d be a bit more Gen Z-friendly.
For now though, this millennial is going to keep wiggling his discontinued RadMission into his apartment complex’s elevator, one wheel waving carefree in the air.
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![This electric excavator has battery swap tech that lets it recharge in minutes [update]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/electric-excavator.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
The electric construction equipment experts at XCMG just released a new, 25 ton electric crawler excavator ahead of bauma 2025 – and they have their eye on the global urban construction, mine operations, and logistical material handling markets.
UPDATE: telematics announcement.
Powered by a high-capacity 400 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery capable of delivering up to 8 hours of continuous operation, the XE215EV electric excavator promises uninterrupted operation at a lower cost of ownership and with even less downtime than its diesel counterparts.
XCMG is delivering on part of that reduced downtime promise with the lower maintenance and easier repair needs of electric equipment, and delivering on the rest of it with lickety-quick DC fast charging that can recharge the machine’s massive battery in 1.5-2 hours … but that’s not the slick bit. The XCMG XE125EV can be powered up without leaving the job site thanks to its BYD battery swap technology.
We first covered XCMG and its battery swap technology back in January, and covered similar battery-swap tech being developed by MOOG Construction offshoot ZQUIP, as well – but while XCMG’s battery tech has been in production for several years, it’s still not widely known about in the West (even within the industry).
XCMG showed off its latest electric equipment at the December 2024 bauma China, including an updated version of its of its 85-ton autonomous electric mining truck that features a fully cab-less design – meaning there isn’t even a place for an operator to sit, let alone operate. And that’s too bad, because what operator wouldn’t want to experience an electric truck putting down 1070 hp more than 16,000 lb-ft of torque!?
Easy in, easy out
The best part? All of the company’s heavy equipment assets – from excavators to terminal tractors to dump trucks and wheel loaders – all use the same 400 kWh BYD battery packs, Milwaukee tool style. That means an equipment fleet can utilize x number of vehicles with a fraction of the total battery capacity and material needs of other asset brands. That’s not just a smart use of limited materials, it’s a smarter use of energy.
You can check out all the XE215EV’s specs at this tear sheet, and get an in-person look at the Chinese company’s latest electric excavator this week in Munich, Germany.
Telematics announcement at bauma
Earlier today, XCMG launched its next-generation Xrea Global Telematics Platform, integrating IoT, big data, cloud computing, and AI to enable what it’s caling, “seamless cross-border fleet management.”
The new telematics platform supports a dozen languages via PC and mobile interfaces, and offers real-time diagnostics, predictive maintenance, and data-driven optimization of both the vehicle and the vehicle’s batteries, empowering equipment managers and fleet operators to track fleets across town, or across time zones.
“XCMG remains committed to advancing engineering technology to empower a sustainable future. Our mission is to deliver efficient, intelligent, and eco-friendly lifecycle solutions for global clients,” said Mr. Yang Dongsheng, Chairman of XCMG Group and XCMG Machinery. “Today, 19% of our product portfolio comprises green innovations under our ‘Green Mountain’ new energy line, with full electrification across all series underway.”
SOURCE | IMAGES: XCMG; via PR Newswire.
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![A vast 600 MW Texas solar farm just hit a major milestone [update]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/01/Hornet-Solar-Texas-2.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Renewable developer Vesper Energy has cut the ribbon on Hornet Solar in Swisher County, Texas, one of the largest single-phase solar farms in the US.
As Electrek reported in January, the 600-megawatt (MW) Hornet Solar includes over 1.36 million modules covering more than 6 square miles. The project will contribute more than $100 million in new tax revenue to Swisher County and deliver 600 MWac of energy–enough to power 160,000 homes annually.
January 30, 2025: “The seamless coordination between our team and our EPC partner, Blattner, has enabled us to remain ahead of schedule and on budget while ensuring quality throughout the process,” said Juan Suarez, co-CEO of Irving-based Vesper Energy.
Hornet Solar uses bifacial solar panels mounted on a single-axis tracking system to maximize efficiency. The solar farm is connected to Oncor Electric’s transmission system within ERCOT and is contracted to provide power to four off-take partners through individual Virtual Power Purchase Agreements (VPPAs).
The Hornet Solar project in the Texas Panhandle is on track to be fully online by spring 2025.
Texas is a utility-scale solar leader in the US, with a ranking of No. 2 and 37,713 MW currently installed. It’s projected to install 51,144 MW over the next five years and move into the No. 1 spot, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). The total solar investment in the state is $45.2 billion.
On January 21, the SEIA, Conservative Texans for Energy Innovation (CTEI), Advanced Power Alliance (APA), and the Texas Solar + Storage Association (TSSA) reported that existing and expected utility-scale solar, wind, and battery storage projects will contribute over $20 billion in total tax revenue – and pay Texas landowners $29.5 billion – over the projects’ lifetimes.
Read more: Texas just became No 1 in the US for most utility-scale solar
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