Specialized just released a 36 pound electric mountain bike, but it’s not for you
Specialized’s super lightweight electric mountain bike isn’t for you; it’s for your kids. The premium bicycle manufacturer’s newest model, the Levo SL Kids, is a slightly smaller version of its popular Levo SL electric mountain bike. It comes with a reduced frame size and 24″ wheels, among other child-friendly modifications, to get kids into the adrenaline-pumping sport of electric mountain biking.
I know what you’re thinking, “Kids and e-bikes? Just tell ’em to pedal!” I hear you, but perhaps you haven’t gone electric mountain biking before.
This isn’t an effortless recreational cruise along the boardwalk on your balloon tire Pedego (which is fun in its own right!). Electric mountain biking is fast, intense, and draining – even with the assistance of a battery between your knees.
Electric mountain bikes can help take the pain out of a long uphill climb on a pedal bike, but they still require the rider to be an active participant, churning away on those pedals and getting that heart pumping.
The new Specialized Levo SL Kids is designed to help get more kids into that sport and experiencing the fun of overcoming obstacles while exploring the trails. And part of its attraction is that it helps tame some of those steeper hills that younger riders might not have yet developed the muscle mass or stamina required to conquer.
It also gives them a chance to “keep up” with parents or more experienced riders without getting bogged down in the more arduous sections of many trails.
We’ve seen kids e-bikes before, but they’re generally more of the Walmart bike design, with cheap frames and cheap components.
That’s not the kind of bike that Specialized builds.
The Levo SL Kids uses many of the same components as the Levo SL for adult riders. It’s got the same Specialized SL 1.2 mid-drive motor and battery, which are designed to be both powerful and ultra lightweight.
The bike includes a dropper seat post, 100mm Reba air fork, a SRAM NX 11-speed drivetrain and adjustable reach SRAM Level T hydraulic brake levers to make sure smaller hands can comfortably and safely control the stoppers.
While the new ride features a number of high quality parts normally found on adult-oriented electric bikes, the fitment has been optimized for kids and shorter riders. That includes a lower standover height and slackened head tube angle. The shortened chainstays help provide more maneuverability and responsiveness, giving kids more control.
The company tells us that the same setup can fit kids from 48″ to 60″ (122 to 152 cm). A bike that can accommodate a six year old just as easily as a twelve year old means that it can grow with a kid, preventing the need to get a new model every year or two.
The bike is also quite lightweight, which the SL moniker should have already hinted at. While the adult version of the Levo SL is svelte itself at around 19 kg (41 lb), the new Levo SL Kids floats on the scale at just 16.6 kg (36.6 lb).
As far as range goes, Specialized seems to think that’s a non-issue:
“The same 320 wh battery and motor that powers the adult’s Levo SL drives the new Levo SL Kids. The full-size Levo SL, piloted by an adult, gives you up to 5 hours of range. With a much smaller rider on Levo SL Kids, the range goes up considerably. Trust us, the only juice you should be worried about running out of is the kind squeeze from a fruit.”
Speaking of that squeeze, your kid might need to put in a few extra hours at his or her lemonade stand. Pricing is set at US $3,800 in the United States (or in other markets: €4,000 in the EU, £3,500 in the UK and AUD $5,000 down under).
And as a nice little addendum, Specialized shared with us that in tandem with this launch, they will also be donating 500 kids bikes and helmets to local Outride programs so that young riders can harness the cognitive, socio-emotional, and physical well-being benefits of cycling.
Electrek’s Take
While that’s a bit more than tooth fairy money, this isn’t your typical kids e-bike. Specialized builds high quality bikes that are designed to last, and this is one of those bikes. Sure, it’s not quite as top tier as the adult version of the Specialized Levo SL, but it’s got most of the bells and whistles, plus all of the same electronics.
I think it’s great to see the company expand into kids e-bikes, especially since these are of course Class 1 e-bikes and don’t have throttles. That means kids are going to be getting a workout, no matter what power level they choose.
I got my nephews a pedal assist e-bike and they quickly learned that if they want the battery to last, eco mode is their friend (though it had less than half the battery capacity of this Specialized Levo SL Kids.) So I don’t think kids are going to be keeping this thing in higher power modes all the time unless they want to reach the next uphill section with no charge left.
For the growing sport of electric mountain biking, getting kids started out on a quality machine seems like a great way to begin… if the parents can afford it.
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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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