Gazelle Bikes launches four new Dutch-style electric bikes in the US
Gazelle Bikes, the Holland-based electric bicycle manufacturer known for its more than a century of quality bike design, has just launched four new e-bike models in the US. This spring will see the rollout of the 2023 Gazelle Avignon C380, Arroyo C5, Ultimate C380, and Ultimate T10.
Just a few weeks ago I visited the Netherlands and had the opportunity to see Gazelle’s factory first hand as well as to ride several Gazelle e-bikes. I’ll be sharing the full writeup soon, but the spoiler is that these are high-quality e-bikes built with a combination of European engineering and a uniquely Dutch design ethos that pairs comfort with everyday riding utility.
Based on the first look at these new 2023 models, Gazelle has stuck to its playbook by highlighting those same features across the new e-bikes.
The new 2023 Avignon C380 HMB and Arroyo C5 are both built with comfortable city riding in mind. The Avignon is the company’s “most accessible frame to date” with an ultra-low and wide-entry step-through design. That makes it easier than ever to mount and dismount the bike.
The bike’s adjustable stem helps dial in the handlebars to the perfect distance and height for each rider. Combined with the upright riding posture that is quintessentially Dutch, the adjustable handlebars help give a tall view of the road ahead.
The Avignon C380 also includes an Enviolo stepless transmission with automatic shifting, meaning the CVT hub will automatically keep the bike in the right gear based on the rider’s speed and pedaling effort. That hub is fed by a Gates belt drive connecting it to a Bosch Performance Line mid-drive motor with 75 Nm of torque that gets paired with a 625 Wh Bosch battery.
The Avignon C380 is priced at US $4,999.
The Gazelle Arroyo C5 is another step-through model, though is a bit more of an all-around electric bike that can handle both easy leisure rides and longer distance touring rides through the countryside.
The bike comes with a Shimano Nexus 5 internally geared rear hub designed for e-bike power levels, which is good because it also gets that 75 Nm Bosch Performance Line mid-drive motor. A 500 Wh Bosch battery rounds out the powertrain.
The combination of a 5-speed hub instead of the automatic shifting step-less hub as well as the slightly smaller battery help drop the price of the Arroyo C5 to US $3,999.
Gazelle’s updated Ultimate C380 and Ultimate T10 add to the company’s best-selling Ultimate line of e-bikes built for both comfort and sport riding. The bikes use Bosch’s Smart System to provide “a seamless and intuitive riding experience, greater power delivery, and extended range to take on adventure with speed, power, and versatility.”
The Ultimate C380 uses a Gates belt drive combined with the Enviolo C380 stepless trekking hub for smooth shifting whether in motion or at a stop, while the Ultimate T10 offers a Shimano Deore derailleur-based transmission.
Both models include the same Bosch Performance Line mid-drive motor with 75 Nm of torque and Bosch’s 625 Wh batteries.
The Ultimate C380 is priced at US $4,749 and the Ultimate T10 is priced at US $4,249.
All of the models feature front suspension, hydraulic disc brakes, fenders and racks (including the popular MIK rack that accepts a wide range of attachments and accessories), GPS tracking through the Bosch Smart System, integrated LED lighting, and Dutch-style wheel locks for anti-theft protection.
As general manager for Gazelle North America explained, the four new models bring a long legacy of Dutch design to the US:
We’re thrilled to launch these four new models, which represent the very best of Gazelle. These bikes are built in the Netherlands with more than 130 years of experience and respond to changing consumer needs and feedback in this region. We’ve listened to our customers and created bikes that integrate the latest technology, platforms and accessories to meet their unique habits and desires, whether they’re commuting to work, touring the countryside, or looking for an exhilarating ride. These electric bikes embody our commitment to innovation, quality, and sustainability, and we can’t wait for riders to experience them.
The Gazelle Avignon C380, Ultimate C380, and Ultimate T10 will arrive in the US and Canada later this month, where they will be available from a wide network of Gazelle dealers. The Arroyo C5 is expected to make landfall in North America later next month.
Electrek’s Take
While Gazelle’s models are significantly more expensive than many of the leading direct-to-consumer e-bikes in the US, they also offer a combination of higher-quality parts and European manufacturing. Between the automatic shifting, Gates belt drives, Bosch powertrains, and in-house bike design, there’s a significant investment going into each of these models. Having ridden several of Gazelle’s e-bikes myself, I can feel the difference.
I still love cruising around on a $1,000 e-bike any day, but I don’t have the same peace of mind as I do on a much more refined e-bike with significantly higher-quality components.
But then again, you have to pay for that luxury. And coming from a European mindset where many riders completely replace a car with an e-bike, Gazelle has long adopted the viewpoint that higher quality is worth a higher price.
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Kia’s electric SUVs are taking over. The EV3 is the best-selling retail EV in the UK this year, giving Kia its strongest sales start since it arrived 34 years ago. And it’s not just in the UK. Kia just had its best first quarter globally since it started selling cars in 1962.
Kia EV3 is the best-selling EV in the UK through March
In March, Kia sold a record nearly 20,000 vehicles in the UK, making it the fourth best-selling brand. It was also the second top-seller of electrified vehicles (EVs, PHEVs, and HEVs), accounting for over 55% of sales.
The EV3 remained the best-selling retail EV in the UK last month. Including the EV6, three-row EV9, and Niro EV, electric vehicles represented 21% of Kia’s UK sales in March.
Kia said the EV3 “started with a bang” in January, darting out as the UK’s most popular EV in retail sales. Through March, Kia’s electric SUV has held on to the crown. With the EV3 rolling out, Kia sold over 7,000 electric cars through March, nearly 50% more than in Q1 2024.
The EV3 was the best-selling retail EV in the UK in the first quarter and the fourth best-selling EV overall, including commercial vehicles.
Starting at £33,005 ($42,500), Kia said it’s the “brand’s most affordable EV yet.” It’s available with two battery packs, 58.3 kWh or 81.48 kWh, good for 430 km (270 miles) and 599 km (375 miles) of WLTP range, respectively.
With new EVs on the way, this could be just the start. Kia is launching several new EVs in the UK this year, including the EV4 sedan (and hatchback) and EV5 SUV. It also confirmed that the first PV5 electric vans will be delivered to customers by the end of the year.
Electrek’s Take
Globally, Kia sold a record 772,351 vehicles in the first quarter, its best since it started selling cars in 1962. With the new EV4, the brand’s first electric sedan and hatchback, launching this year, Kia looks to build on its momentum in 2025.
Kia has also made it very clear that it wants to be a global leader in the electric van market with its new Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) business, starting with the PV5 later this year.
Earlier today, we learned Kia’s midsize electric SUV, the EV5, is the fourth best-selling EV in Australia through March, outselling every BYD vehicle (at least for now). The EV5 is rolling out to new markets this year, including Canada, the UK, South Korea, and Mexico. However, it will not arrive in the US.
For those in the US, there are still a few Kia EVs to look forward to. Kia is launching the EV4 globally, including in the US, later this year. Although no date has been set, Kia confirmed the EV3 is also coming. It’s expected to arrive in mid-2026.
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Environment
Podcast: Tesla’s disastrous deliveries, more Trump tariffs, EV delivery numbers, and more
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 Tesla’s disastrous deliveries, more Trump tariffs, EV delivery numbers, 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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Charging your EV in freezing weather could soon become dramatically faster, thanks to a big breakthrough from the University of Michigan engineers.
Neil Dasgupta, U-M associate professor of mechanical engineering and materials science and engineering and corresponding author of a study published in Joule, and his team have developed an innovative battery structure and coating that can boost lithium-ion EV battery charging speeds by a whopping 500%, even at frigid temperatures as low as 14F (-10C). “Charging an EV battery takes 30 to 40 minutes even for aggressive fast charging, and that time increases to over an hour in the winter,” Dasgupta explained. “This is the pain point we want to address.”
Freezing weather has traditionally been harsh on EV batteries because it slows down the movement of lithium ions, resulting in slower charging speeds and reduced battery life. Automakers have tried thickening battery electrodes to extend driving range, but this makes some of the lithium hard to access, making charging even slower.
Previously, Dasgupta’s group sped up battery charging using lasers to carve pathways around 40 microns in size into the graphite anode. This allowed lithium ions to reach deeper into the battery more quickly. However, cold-weather performance still lagged because a chemical layer formed on the electrodes, blocking the ions. Dasgupta compares this barrier to “trying to cut cold butter,” making charging inefficient.
To solve this, the team coated the battery with a thin, glassy material made of lithium borate-carbonate—only 20 nanometers thick—which prevented the problematic chemical layer from forming. Combined with the microscopic channels, the results were groundbreaking: the modified batteries retained 97% of their capacity even after 100 fast-charging cycles in freezing temperatures.
“We envision this approach as something that EV battery manufacturers could adopt without major changes to existing factories,” Dasgupta noted. “For the first time, we’ve shown a pathway to simultaneously achieve extreme fast charging at low temperatures, without sacrificing the energy density of the lithium-ion battery.”
This innovation could tackle one of the biggest concerns holding potential EV buyers back.
The new battery tech is moving closer to commercialization, supported by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Michigan Translational Research and Commercialization (MTRAC) Advanced Transportation Innovation Hub. The research devices were built at U-M’s Battery Lab and studied with help from the Michigan Center for Materials Characterization.
U-M Innovation Partnerships assisted the team in applying for patents, and Arbor Battery Innovations has licensed the technology for market deployment. Dasgupta and the University of Michigan hold financial stakes in Arbor Battery Innovations.
Read more: California now has nearly 50% more EV chargers than gas nozzles
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