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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Tesla is talking about finally bringing the next-generation Roadster to production in new job listing.
However, you shouldn’t hold your breath.
The prototype for the next-generation Tesla Roadster was unveiled in 2017 and was supposed to enter production in 2020, but it has been delayed each year since then.
It has become a running gag in the Tesla community and an example of CEO Elon Musk’s tendency to stretch the truth about timelines.
Since missing its original 2020 production timeline, Musk has given six updated production timelines for the new electric supercar, and each has been wrong.
The latest timeline hasn’t even been about producing the vehicle. It has been about the unveiling of a new version of the next-generation as the last prototype of what is supposed to be a “next-gen” car was unveiled almost a decade ago.
Musk has been talking about an unveiling and demonstration of the New Roadster by the end of the year.
This week, Tesla has posted a new job listing for a ‘Manufacturing Engineer, Roadster‘. In the job description, Tesla mentions working on battery manufacturing equipment for the Roadster:
Tesla is looking to hire a Manufacturing Engineer to contribute to the concept development and launch of battery manufacturing equipment for our cutting-edge Roadster vehicle. In this role you will take large scale manufacturing systems for new battery products and architectures from the early concept development stage through equipment launch, optimization and handover to local operations teams. Battery development is at the heart of our company, and this is an exciting opportunity to work directly on the central challenges for the all-new Roadster product architecture while still in its early development stages.
The comment does point to Tesla starting to set up manufacturing for the production of the new Roadster.
Since this does sound like early manufacturing development work, it would be optimistic to hope to see new Roadsters rolling off the production line by the end of next year. More likely to be in 2027.
In its updated annual installed production capacity chart, Tesla listed Roadster production as still being in the “design development” phase as of last week:
The location of Roadster production is also listed as “to be determined.”
The new job listing for a manufacturing engineer on the Roadster program mentions being based in Fremont, which could mean Tesla plans to launch production at its California factory.
Tesla next-gen Roadster
As unveiled in 2017, the new Roadster was supposed to get 620 miles (1,000 km) of range and accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 1.9 seconds.
It was listed for $200,000, and a “Founder Series” was also offered for $250,000.
At the time, Tesla used the Roadster as a prize for its referral program when it badly needed to generate sales. A few dozen Tesla owners referred enough new sales to win one or two free new Roadsters each.
Some have suspected that Tesla didn’t want to bring the vehicle to production because it would have to deliver over 30 of them for free and hundreds more at heavy discounts due to its original referral program.
Others believe that updates to the vehicles have led to delays.
Shortly after the unveiling of the next-gen Roadster in 2017, Musk discussed adding cold-air thrusters to the supercar to deliver unprecedented racing performance and possibly even allow it to hover over the ground.
The CEO referenced demonstrating that the “Roadster can fly” on several occasions in the last few years.
Electrek’s Take
It looks like we are talking about the Roadster possibly coming to market in 2027—maybe late 2026 at the earliest.
That’s roughly 10 years after it was unveiled.
I’ll believe it when I see it. And if it does happen, I might have one or two flying Roasters for sale.
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Just like it says on the tine: TV brand SHARP is following Sony into the automotive space with the new LDK+ concept that transforms into a mobile movie theater. It’s a type of concept we’ve seen before – but not like this!
The SHARP LDK+ promises to be a Living room, a Dining room, and a Kitchen on wheels – and more (the plus, obviously), building off the decidedly more blobular™ concept first shown back in 2024. This updated version, however, takes the LDK concept and brings it significantly closer to reality by basing it on Foxconn’s “Model A EV by Hon Hai Technology Group” chassis.
And, now that it’s a little bit closer to some kind of reality, it might be time to climb on the SHARP hype train and take a minute to genuinely enjoy the movie/gaming environment the company is promising to deliver with the LDK+ concept.
Get hyped, kids
Not to be overly crude here, but if you roll in a van with a sliding projector table, opaque windows, and fully reclining seats, you probably hit the “family planning” section of your local Walgreens on a regular basis. Similarly, as more and more young people find themselves struggling to afford their own space, offering a vehicle that delivers a little privacy. And even if that’s more Netflix than chill, I think it’s bound to find a few buyers.
Whether I’m right or wrong about that will remain to be seen for a while, however. The official press release is light on specs, offering the following description of the LDK+ concept …
The second iteration of “LDK+” retains the original concept while featuring both high maneuverability with its compact body and a spacious, relaxing interior. Developed based on the“Model A” EV by Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn), this compact minivan model offers an expansive cabin layout.
When parked, the vehicle can be used as a theater room or a remote workspace. A console box equipped with a table and projector is placed between the driver’s and passenger’s seats. By swiveling the driver’s seat to face backward, it creates a living room-like atmosphere where you can sit around with the rear seats. Pulling down the screen installed above the rear seats allows you to enjoy movies or conduct online meetings on a large display. Through Sharp’s AIoT platform, which connects AI and home appliances, the vehicle links with household devices such as kitchen appliances, air conditioning, and laundry systems. The AI learns residents’ lifestyles and preferences, creating personalized new ways of living. In addition, the system can connect with V2H (Vehicle to Home) solutions, enabling efficient energy management by integrating solar power generation and residential storage batteries.
SHARP
… but skipping automotive basics like battery capacity, anticipated driving range, and the usual horsepower and torque figures. Pricing and, perhaps most importantly, when the vehicle might see the light of day weren’t revealed, either.
SHARP LDK+ concept
All of which is to say: they’re probably never going to actually build something like this – and that’s too bad, because a new-age Honda Element/Nissan Cube-style boxy little EV would absolutely sell like hotcakes.
SOURCE | IMAGES: SHARP, The Japan News.
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All those people who want you to believe mining for EV batteries is as dirty as drilling for oil? They don’t want you to know about recycling – and they really don’t want you to know about a new pilot recycling program is promising a radical leap in battery recycling efficiency, with recovery reportedly rates exceeding 99% for critical metals like nickel, cobalt, and manganese.
Thanks to a new, highly detailed, and (crucially) enforceable regulatory framework of 22 national standards backed by a newly formed national technical committee, a team of Chinese-led researchers is raising the bar when it comes to battery recycling efficiency.
These new standards brings together stakeholders from raw material supply, battery production, recycling and dismantling, and chemical processing disciplines to address battery recycling needs across automotive, marine, and energy storage applications. The rules feature titles like, “Vehicle power battery recycling and dismantling specification,” and, “Vehicle power battery remaining energy detection (standard),” and provide the nation’s auto industry with clear and uniform procedures for handling retired batteries.
The results of a single, standardized approach have been revolutionary, and companies adhering to the new protocols are, according to CarNewsChina, seeing recovery rates of 99.6% for nickel, cobalt, and manganese, and an impressive 96.5% for lithium – figures that were once considered a distant goal for the global industry.
Electrek’s Take
Despite being presented as an environmental liability, EV batteries represent a single sunk carbon cost that diminishes rapidly over time. Simply put: the more you use an EV battery, the greener it gets – and now that more than 99% of the battery materials can be recycled and reused in batteries that are as good as or better than they were the first time around, the batteries can become a predictable source of critical raw materials, generating significant economic value while drastically reducing the need for virgin mining and encouraging domestic job growth.
Too bad our own US policymakers can’t get this one right.
SOURCE | IMAGES: CarNewsChina; Enel.
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.
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.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
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