Yamaha launches special edition electric bike to celebrate 30 years of building e-bikes
Yamaha has just announced a new limited edition electric bicycle known as the 30th Anniversary Special Edition YDX-MORO 07.
The launch celebrates Yamaha’s 30 years of e-bike building, which made the company the first to bring a production e-bike to market. Technically there are electric bicycle patents going back around a century, but most were experimental prototypes, and none reached mass production. Similarly to the lengthy hiatus that electric cars suffered before rediscovering a broader audience, electric bikes largely disappeared for most of the 20th century until Yamaha brought its first e-bike model to market in 1993.
The rest, as they say, is history. And 30 years of history is as good a reason as any to celebrate, especially if it means a special edition of Yamaha’s most innovative electric mountain bike model to date.
The YDX-MORO e-MTB was first launched in the summer of 2020 and then refreshed in 2022 with several updates, including an advanced new motor.
The full-suspension e-bike uses a novel frame design known as a Dual Twin that divides both the down tube and top tube into two separate frame members. The patented design features air gaps between the tubes that provide space for the battery and rear suspension, creating a compact, lightweight frame that doesn’t skimp on performance.
It’s the kind of innovation you’d expect to see from a company with 30 years of e-bike design under its belt. According to National Sales and Marketing Manager Drew Engelmann, we should expect to see more of this type of advanced design and innovative tech from Yamaha Power Assist Bicycles:
Yamaha has been a pioneer in e-bikes for more than three decades, and this is an exciting time to be pushing the industry forward in the US. In 2023, we affirm our dedication to continue further advancing our technologies and offerings to bring riders in the U.S. e-bikes that make every day more fun and fulfilling.
The 30th Anniversary Special Edition YDX-MORO 07 features impressive range efficiency, higher torque, and Yamaha’s most advanced drive technology yet in the PW-X3 motor. That drive unit includes the Interface X control unit, Yamaha’s quad sensor system and what the company describes as “the smoothest delivery of assist felt on a power assist bicycle in a lighter and more powerful complete package.”
The new Special Edition model will also include a unique polished aluminum finish coat, Yamaha racing blue rocker link and headtube, a 30th Anniversary 3D badge on the top tube and a commemorative decal on the rear of the seat tube.
Yamaha has long produced its own electric bicycle motors, and the PW-X3 is the most advanced e-bike drive system in its lineup. The motor offers a major performance boost in a package that is both smaller and more powerful than previous Yamaha motors.
Don’t let its regulatory rating of 250W fool you – the mid-drive motor has a maximum torque of 85 Nm and comes with a 500W peak power rating in its highest power operation mode.
Those ride modes include Eco, Standard, High, MTB, Extra-Power, and Automatic-Mode, as well as a Walk-Assist mode. Yamaha’s Automatic Mode lets the bike intelligently select the power mode based on the rider’s climbing, descending or braking behavior, thus allowing the rider to focus entirely on the trail.
Yamaha’s Automatic Support Mode uses a quad-sensor system, which is more refined than a cadence or torque sensor. It allows the bike to select the right amount of assistance based on riding conditions, whether accelerating, braking, or climbing, and lets riders leave ride mode changes to the system so they can focus on the trail.
The 30th Anniversary Special Edition YDX-MORO 07 is priced at $6,499, which puts this commemorative piece of e-bike history at just a $100 premium over the existing YDX-MORO 07.
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Can Kia’s first electric sedan live up to the hype? After launching the EV4 in Korea, we are finally seeing it in action. A new test drive of the EV4 gives us a closer look at what to expect as Kia prepares to take it global. Here’s how it went down.
Kia EV4 test drive: The good, the bad, and the ugly
Kia claims the EV4 will “set a new standard in electric vehicles” with long-range capabilities, fast charging, and a sleek new design.
The electric sedan features a unique, almost sports-car-like profile with a long-tail silhouette and added roof spoiler.
Kia claims it is “the new look of a sedan fit for the era of electrification.” Despite its four-door design, the company is calling it a new type of sedan.
The design is not only eye-catching, but it’s also super efficient. With a drag coefficient of just 0.23, the EV4 is Kia’s most aerodynamic vehicle so far, enabling maximum driving range and efficiency.
Kia opened EV4 orders in South Korea in March, starting at about $29,000 (41.92 million won). It’s available with two battery options: 58.2 kWh and 81.4 kWh. The entry-level “Standard Air” model, powered by the 58.2 kWh battery, is rated with up to 237 miles of driving range.
The “Long-Range Air” variant starts at 46.29 million won ($31,800) and has a driving range of up to 331 miles (533 km) in Korea.
With charging speeds of up to 350 kW, the EV4 can charge from 10% to 80% in around 29 minutes. The long-range battery will take about 31 minutes.
The interior boasts Kia’s latest ccNC infotainment system with a 30″ Ultra-wide Panoramic Display. The setup includes dual 12.3″ driver displays, navigation screens, and a 5″ air conditioning panel.
With deliveries kicking off, we are seeing some of the first test drives come out. A review from HealerTV gives us a better idea of what it’s like to drive the EV4 in person.
Sitting next to Kia’s first pickup, the Tasman, the reviewer mentions the EV4 feels “particularly newer.” The test drive starts around the city with a ride quality similar to that of the K5, if not even better.
As you can see from the camera shaking, the ride feels “a bit uncomfortable” on rough roads. However, on normal surfaces and speed bumps, Kia’s electric sedan “feels neither too soft nor too hard,” just normal. The reviewer calls the EV4’s overall ride quality “quite ordinary” with “nothing particularly special about it.”
When accelerating, the electric car was smooth in the beginning but felt “a little lacking in later stages.” Overall, it should be enough for everyday use.
One of the biggest issues was that the rear window appeared too low. The rear brake lights also stick out, making it hard to see clearly through the rearview.
Keep in mind that the test drive was the Korean-spec EV4. Kia will launch the EV4 in Europe later this year and in the US in early 2026.
In the US, the EV4 will include a built-in NACS port for charging at Tesla Superchargers and a driving range of up to 330 (EPA-est) miles. Prices will be revealed closer to launch, but the EV4 is expected to start at around $35,000 to $40,000.
Would you buy Kia’s electric sedan for around $35,000? Or would you rather have the Tesla Model 3, which starts at $42,490 in the US and has up to 363 miles of range? Let us know in the comments.
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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 Tesla Model Y RWD in the US, Cybertruck bait-and-switch, Rivian earnings, 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:
We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
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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Hyundai’s 2026 IONIQ 9 EV is launching with a lease deal, affordable rates, and a big rebate, making the automaker’s largest EV a competitive choice.
Leasing a 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9
CarsDirect reports that, according to a bulletin sent to dealers, the 2026 Hyundai IONIQ 9 S is $419 for 36 months with $4,999 due at signing based on 10,000 miles a year. That makes the effective cost of the nationally available lease $558 monthly.
That’s slightly more expensive than the Model Y Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive, which debuted this week. It can be leased for $399 with $4,093 at signing or $513 per month. That’s a price difference of only $45 per month, potentially making the IONIQ 9 a better value, since Hyundai’s first three-row electric SUV gives you more car for the money.
The IONIQ 9 offers 335 miles of driving range, fast charging capabilities, room for seven, and prices start at $60,555.
Financing and incentives
Hyundai isn’t offering rebates on the IONIQ 9, but good news – it qualifies for the $7,500 federal EV tax credit because it’s manufactured in Georgia.
The IONIQ 9 has national financing rates as low as 1.99% APR for up to 60 months. For a lower monthly payment, there’s a 72-month option at 2.99%. Compare that to the most affordable 2026 Tesla Model Y, which has a 72-month option at 5.49% APR, and it shows what a good deal it is.
There’s also a $5,000 financing incentive available, but you have to choose a loan at a higher interest rate to get it. The $5,000 Dealer Choice Bonus helps lower prices if you finance at 5.99% for 60 months and 6.59% for 72 months.
However, it’s cheaper to opt for the 1.99% APR deal instead of the Dealer Choice Bonus and higher interest rate; CarsDirect found that the 1.99% APR could save IONIQ 9 buyers up to $2,200:
On a 5-year loan at 1.99%, we estimate the IONIQ 9 would cost $63,084. With the APR and rebate combo, it would cost $63,783. Here, opting for the lower rate would save buyers roughly $700. But that’s not the whole story. That’s because Dealer Choice offers, available on many Hyundais, allow a mark-up of up to 1%.
As a result, the $5,000 rebate and higher rate of 6.99% could cost buyers over $2,200 more than simply taking the lower rate to begin with.
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