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Watt Wagons, a US-based manufacturer of high-power and high-end electric bicycles, has a new model designed for serious off-roaders and adventurers. In fact, the Watt Wagon HOUND has several keys specs that sound almost foreign in the electric bicycle industry, such as a 200-mile range and built-in chargers compatible with electric car charging stations.

The Watt Wagon HOUND is actually available in two models, the base model and the “Supercharged” model.

They share the same custom-developed frame that looks to be optimized for utility riding with an extra-long rear rack and features a fairly upright seating posture. The frame mounts a powerful mid-drive motor, a big battery, ultra-fat tires in 26″ x 4.7″ size, and quad-piston hydraulic disc brakes.

But just how big and powerful the motor and battery are will depend on the model.

The base level HOUND has a respectable 52V 17Ah battery with 884 Wh of capacity. That will offer a real-world throttle range of 30 miles (51 km) and a pedal assist range of 80 miles (130 km), according to the company.

But upgrading to the Supercharged model lands you a massive 52V 60Ah battery with 3,210 Wh of capacity. The company claims you’ll get 100 solid miles (160 km) on throttle-only riding or 200 miles (320 km) on pedal assist.

And not only do you get a massive battery, but you also get both a 52V 5A fast charger and an EV charger with a J1772 connector, giving you multiple options for quickly recharging that big battery.

At those levels, it rivals several other e-bikes that claim to be the longest-range models in the world.

When it comes to motors, there’s a similar disparity. The base model comes with a Bafang Ultra motor, which is already a highly respected drivetrain offering 1,000W of power.

But the Supercharged version of the Watt Wagon HOUND comes with an upgraded Bafang Ultra that replaces its stock controller with an X1 controller. That increases the power to 3 kW nominal and 3.5 kW peak.

If that doesn’t sound quite street-legal to you, then you’re not wrong. But the 750W power limit for e-bikes in the US only applies to use on public roads and cycleways, not off-roading. And that’s exactly the type of adventure riding that the HOUND was designed for.

As the company explained:

Built after extensive consultation with serious campers and hunters, the HOUND is the ultimate beast in the woods. With a super stable ground up design geared towards storage and hauling capabilities, belt drive to reduce impact of elements, the HOUND is a platform that enables almost every thinkable accessory for your adventure.

watt wagon hound

As you can imagine, a high-power and extremely long-range electric bike built by a US company isn’t going to come cheap. The base HOUND starts at US $5,499.

Upgrading to the Supercharged version also comes with a supercharged price of US $7,999.

Shipping is expected to begin sometime this month, so at least you won’t have to wait too long to set out on a 200-mile electric bike adventure ride.

What do you think of the new Watt Wagon HOUND? Is it the next big thing in e-bikes, or a bit too rich for your blood? Or both? Let us hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

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New electric bike license scheme to be tested on school-aged riders

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New electric bike license scheme to be tested on school-aged riders

Get ready, children. There’s a new electric bike licensing scheme that will soon be tested as one of several methods designed to help educate young riders on responsible road use and combat the growing concern of dangerous e-bike riding among youths around the world.

Known as the Student Bicycle License Scheme (SBLS), the proposal in New South Wales, Australia, will operate as a trial of a new licensing program for electric bike riders. The program targets school-aged e-bike riders in response to a growing number of accidents and misuse cases involving young riders.

The pilot program will require students to complete an online training course and pass a knowledge test before being issued a digital license to ride an e-bike or e-scooter. The scheme is expected to launch later this year in select schools, and if successful, could pave the way for a broader rollout.

Schools in Sutherland and Newcastle have reportedly expressed interest in joining the program, which leaves it up to individual schools to decide how they wish to use the new license program. For example, they can make it mandatory for students who want to ride to school or use secured bicycle parking facilities at the school.

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Police in Sydney stop an electric bike rider (image via: Reddit)

The trial will initially focus on education rather than enforcement. Students who complete the course will receive a digital “ride-ready” credential, but there are currently no plans to introduce fines or penalties for unlicensed riders during the pilot phase. The government is partnering with road safety experts and schools to develop the training materials, which will cover speed limits, helmet use, sidewalk etiquette, and proper intersection behavior.

Australia’s National Transport Research Organisation is also reviewing current electric micromobility laws, with a report expected by the end of the year. The Queensland trial is seen as a possible blueprint for other regions facing similar safety concerns.

The announcement comes as electric bikes become increasingly popular among Australian youth, not just as toys, but as practical transportation to and from school, work, and social events. With that growth has come scrutiny – several high-profile crashes, some involving modified or overpowered e-bikes, have pushed lawmakers to act.

The same phenomenon is playing out around the world, including in Europe and the US, where young riders have increasingly taken to electric bikes as an alternative form of transportation, though one that has raised concerns around road safety among a young populace who has yet to learn the rules of the road.

Electrek’s Take

This is one of several school-level educational outreach programs we’ve seen pop up lately, and I think these are great ideas.

While the idea of requiring a license to ride an e-bike might sound extreme in some places, Australia’s approach here is education-first, and it could actually be a smart move. It also seems like the license is designed to be effective without being a burden. If you can grasp the knowledge, you can pass the test. And since many of the issues surrounding young e-bike riders arise from a general ignorance of road rules, this could be an effective solution. Teaching young riders the rules of the road before they hit the pavement might help reduce injuries and improve public perception of micromobility. Plus, the fact that it is a digital license means that there would presumably be fewer costs involved, which will hopefully allow the program to be free of charge and further reduce the burden of the licensing process.

Of course this won’t do anything for the “hooligan” riders who know the rules and simply don’t care, but that’s where enforcement has to step in as the heavy-handed partner to education.

I think this is a great example of balanced e-bike regulation. A measured mix of education and enforcement is key to ensuring e-bikes remain safe while taking advantage of their myriad benefits to the public. And hey, it sure makes a lot more sense than NYC trying to cut the speed of all electric bikes in half overnight.

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California set to BAN Tesla sales, Vietnam leads the way, and VW value tanks

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California set to BAN Tesla sales, Vietnam leads the way, and VW value tanks

The State of California is moving to ban the sale of Tesla cars amid claims that the company and its CEO, Elon Musk, have misled buyers about the self-driving capabilities of their cars. We’ve also got market-leading news out of Vietnam and a pricey, pricey lesson for one VW ID.Buzz buyer on today’s lesson-learning episode of Quick Charge!

We also ask what this might mean for the recent Uber/Lucid autonomous taxi tie-up and go through a full rundown of the fastest depreciating EVs on the market (and yes, there are four Tesla models in the top 10 … because the Cybertruck was too new to qualify).

Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple PodcastsSpotifyTuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (most weeks, anyway). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.

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Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.


If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. 

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Sunrun’s 37,000 home batteries are bailing out Puerto Rico’s grid

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Sunrun’s 37,000 home batteries are bailing out Puerto Rico’s grid

Sunrun is putting tens of thousands of home batteries to work in Puerto Rico as the island’s electric grid faces a summer of high temperatures and energy shortfalls.

The company says it’s now dispatching energy from over 37,000 residential batteries to help grid operator LUMA keep the lights on. That stored power is being used to prevent rolling blackouts when demand spikes and centralized power plants can’t keep up.

Sunrun’s emergency power contribution has grown more than tenfold since last summer. LUMA expects more than 75 energy shortfall events between now and October, with each dispatch sending electricity to the grid for four consecutive hours. During several recent evenings, Sunrun and other virtual power plant (VPP) operators provided enough energy to offset a 50-megawatt generation gap, LUMA said.

Sunrun CEO Mary Powell said Puerto Rico’s aging infrastructure and intense weather patterns make home battery support increasingly critical:

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It’s going to be a very difficult summer, which is why Sunrun has ramped up our dispatch capabilities, using tens of thousands of home batteries to support the grid and people of Puerto Rico.

She added that distributed power plants like Sunrun’s serve the same role as natural gas peaker plants – offering fast, reliable power during high-demand moments – but with clean energy.

Sunrun customers enrolled in the VPP will get paid too. Each participating battery earns about $200 minimum for the season, and customers who allow more of their stored energy to go to the grid earn even more. Sunrun also earns revenue for operating the VPP.

Read more: The US’s largest virtual power plant now runs on 75,000 home batteries


The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. 

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

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