The Lectric XP 3.0 is already the best-selling electric bike model in the US. But when the team at Lectric eBikes announced they were planning to make it better than ever with the addition of hydraulic disc brakes, that was the proverbial cherry on top.
The Lectric XP 3.0 is widely considered to be the top bang-for-your-buck electric bike in the US. That hard-earned title is largely thanks to its low cost of just $999, and its surprisingly good reliability and feature set.
Now that the company has upgraded to more premium braking, the XP 3.0 is widening the gap in its lead over the competition.
In my opinion, this is the single best affordably-priced electric bike out there for getting someone back out on two wheels, replacing a car for daily tasks or just having fun outdoors.
Check out my testing of the latest edition of the hot-selling e-bike below, then keep reading for my full thoughts!
Lectric XP 3.0 video review
Lectric XP 3.0 tech specs
Motor: 500W (1,000W peak) geared hub
Top speed: 45 km/h (28 mph)
Range: Up to 72 km (45 mi)
Battery: 48V 10.4 Ah (460 Wh)
Weight: 29 kg (64 lb)
Max load: 150 kg (330 lb)
Brakes: Hydraulic disc brakes
Extras: Large LCD display with speedometer, wattmeter, battery meter, PAS level indicator, odometer and tripmeter, front and rear LED lights, 5 pedal assist speed settings with true current-based limits, half-twist throttle, removable and lockable battery, and robust rack & fenders included standard
We’ve talked before about the advantages of hydraulic brakes over mechanical brakes. Basically, they’re stronger and more reliable since they don’t require the same level of maintenance that mechanical cable brakes need.
Since there’s no cable to stretch, hydraulic disc brakes simply stay perfectly tuned. For sporadic and recreational riders, you might only need to change your brake pads once a year. For daily riders and commuters, that maintenance step may need to be taken 2-3x times a year depending on your mileage, but that’s still much better than 2-3x per month.
That reduced maintenance is a major upgrade over mechanical disc brakes that can sometimes need to be adjusted every couple of weeks when the bike is ridden often, especially with heavier riders that require more braking power at stops.
Impressively, Lectric eBikes didn’t increase the price of the XP when adding the higher end hydraulic disc brakes, keeping the price tag at the industry leading $999 figure that we’ve come to know and love.
But of course there’s so much more to the bike than just the new hydraulic brakes.
With a 500W motor that puts out a true 1,000W of peak power, the Lectric XP 3.0 offers excellent acceleration and hill climbing power. It comes out of the box with a 20 mph (32 km/h) speed limit, but you can unlock the Class 3 operation with 28 mph (45 km/h) of speed by adjusting the settings.
You’ll need to pedal a bit to go past 20 mph, since most states in the US require class 3 e-bikes to only surpass 20 mph when the rider is pedaling, not on throttle only. But even just throttling up to 20 mph is still plenty fast and a lot of fun; plus, it’s great for on those long rides when your legs are tired and you just want to head back home quickly.
The 500 Wh battery also offers decent range, though there’s a longer range battery that you can opt for with 40% capacity for just an extra $200.
The standard battery is still good for around 20 miles (32 km) on throttle only, but you’ll get closer to 30 miles (51 km) with the longer range battery. Of course you can stretch that range out even more if you pedal. You’ll get up to 45 miles of range with the standard battery or 65 miles of range with the long range battery if you keep it in pedal assist level 1, though that also means you’re doing most of the pedaling work.
That brings me to the Lectric XP 3.0’s pedal assist design. It’s still cadence sensor-based, so it’s not as fancy as having a true torque sensor (though not as pricey, either). But they sort of “cheated” their way to having performance similar to a torque sensor by using current-limiting programing for the pedal assist levels. That means the pedal assist feels less jerky and offers lower power in the lower settings, yet still gives good power in the higher settings. It’s a nicely executed model that feels great when you try it.
Next, check out all the features you get with this bike. The rear of the frame is actually the rack itself. That means there are no bolted connections, and you get the strongest construction for a rack. In fact, the rear rack is rated for 150 lb (68 kg). You can carry an adult back there. And I have!
When I first tested the Lectric XP 3.0, it was at Lectric’s headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona. The company’s CEO Levi Conlow took me for a spin on back, and then it was my turn to take the bars as he rode in the rear. For a relatively small and unassuming e-bike, it’s a great two-person ride. The optional passenger kit makes it easy to bring a friend, significant other or child (hopefully yours) with you.
Then there are all the other considerations. Full metal fenders so you don’t have cheap plastic bouncing around. LED lighting for visibility. Front suspension (and optional seat post suspension for your butt/spine). Front cargo mounting options. The list goes on and on.
Look, this isn’t the nicest quality e-bike out there. It’s decent, even quite good. It’s not great, and I never expected it to be. I’ve ridden $5,000 e-bikes that knock its socks off. But I also don’t really want to shell out $5k for an e-bike. For $1k, this is a steal of a deal. It’s all that most people need. And that’s its secret to having become the best-selling e-bike in the US. It’s not really a secret at all – just a good bike at a great price, matched with a helpful US-based team out in Phoenix to support it.
There’s something beautiful there in the simplicity. It works, and it works pretty darn well. It gets the job done, whether that’s commuting, utility riding, or just plain old fashioned recreational riding for fun. At $999, I really can’t complain about much here. Well played, Lectric.
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Lotus Cars’ compelling, high-performance electric sports sedan and SUV received a number of fresh updates earlier this week, but packs superior infotainment tech, styling tweaks, and (of course) a mind-bending 905 electric horsepower. (!)
The next update on the list is the addition of 22″, 10-spoke ultralight alloy wheels across the entire Eletre lineup. Both the 600 and 600 SE variants retain last year’s 6-piston fixed front and floating rear brake calipers, while the top-tier 900 model gets a high-performance, 10-piston, carbon-ceramic braking system that’s more than capable of hauling the Eletre SUV down from speed, lap after lap.
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They’ll need those brakes, too – because these things are fast, and getting faster with seemingly every new software update. “Things can always go faster,” reads the official Lotus copy. “The new Eletre and Emeya ‘900’ provide unmistakable evidence, representing superlatives in terms of performance. Both rely on a 675 kW (~915 hp) strong dual-motor powertrain.”
Both Lotus 900s can put that power to the ground effectively enough to rocket from 0-62 mph (100 km) in a well under 3.0 seconds on their way to an electronically-limited top speed of 155 mph (256 km/h) in the Eletre, and 160 mph (265 km/h) in the Emeya. The 600s aren’t exactly slow, either, packing 405 kW electric motors (~600 hp) good for 0-60 times in the mid 4s.
Inside, the Eletre and Emeya designs carries over without major changes. Lotus enhanced the features list on various trims. The 600 models now include 12-way power-adjustable front seats with heating and ventilation, as well as 15-speaker audio systems from KEF. The 600 SE further adds a PDLC smart panoramic sunroof, 20-way power-adjustable front seats, front seat massage function, and active rear-wheel steering.
CarNewsChina reports that the updated 900 model builds upon the 600 SE’s new offerings with an intelligent, active anti-roll control suspension system.
Pricing for the 2026 Lotus EVs starts at 538,000 yuan (74,800 USD) in China, and climbs to over 838,000 yuan (116,500 USD) for the top-shelf Lotus Eletre 900 SUV. All models carry the same two-speed transmission and 112 kWh battery (102 kWh in the UK), good for up to 610 km (~375 miles) of driving between charges.
It wasn’t that long ago that a 900+ hp car was a cammy, rough-riding mess of a machine that you could barely take through a drive thru, but could probably land on the cover of a car magazine. Today, that same 900 hp in a quiet, smooth, reliable EV hardly generates a headline. And, almost in defiance of the “everything just keeps getting more expensive” truism, these mind-bending supercars can be had for less than what cars like this used to cost with gas engines and a third of the power.
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The welding equipment experts at Lincoln Electric know a thing or two about high-voltage equipment. Now, they’re bringing that electrical expertise to a whole new market with a portable, self-contained, 50 kW DC fast charger designed to deliver a quick shot of range and get stranded drivers back on the road.
Lincoln Electric’s Velion 50 kW DC fast charger is pitched as a durable, compact mobile charging unit that’s perfect for tow truck operators and construction fleets dealing with vehicles and fleet assets that couldn’t quite make their way back to a charger. So, you’re looking at this and thinking of one of those red, 5-gallon gas tanks that helps get drivers off the highway and to the next exit, congratulations: you get it!
“[Velion is] Designed for flexible, mobile use,” said Bruce Chantry, Vice President, Electric Vehicle Solutions at Lincoln Electric, during a buzzword-packed introduction of the new machine. “Designed in collaboration with the market and leveraging decades of expertise in power electronics, our solution is engineered to provide the flexibility customers need today, with a future-ready design to meet the demands of tomorrow.”
Designed, engineered, and assembled in the United States with over 70% domestic content, the Velion charger meets all National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) and Build America, Buy America (BABA) requirements.
Lincoln Electric plans to sell the Velion DCFC to municipal fleets and state highway agencies, first, and envisions it being deployed in tough environments like construction sites, emergency response arenas, and complex fixed fleet depots. Car dealerships, museums, and probably ambulances too, could benefit – but I’m sure that’s just scratching the surface.
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Watch the Lincoln Electric launch video for the Velion from earlier this summer, below, then let us know how you’d like to see a mobile fast charger get deployed in the comments section at the bottom of the page.
Lincoln Electric Velion DCFC
Velion 50 kW mobile charger; via Lincoln Electric.
The company hasn’t announced pricing or battery energy capacity (in kWh) for the new Velion, but I’d guess it’s something higher than 15 kWh, but less than 20. If you guys have a better guess, I’d love to hear it!
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Electric vehicles have come a long way, but let’s be real—they still have their hangups: “range anxiety,” long charging times, and questions about safety and sustainability. But what if all those worries could be put to rest?
At IAA Mobility in Munich, CATL, one of the world’s biggest battery makers, unveiled a new technology that could revolutionize EVs.
Shenxing Pro: Go Far, Last Long
CATL debuted two versions of its next-gen Shenxing Pro battery. One is all about distance and durability. Picture this: a single charge gets you up to 758 km (or about 470 miles). That’s enough to drive from Houston to Memphis without a single stop. And it’s not just about the distance; this thing is built to last. It promises a lifespan of 12 years or 1,000,000 km, with only around 9% degradation after 200,000 km. That’s a huge leap from today’s EV batteries, which often lose up to 30% of their capacity over the same period.
Fast Charging, Even When It’s Freezing
Tired of waiting around for your car to charge? The second version of the Shenxing Pro is for you. It’s the Super Fast Charging model, designed to get you back on the road in minutes. CATL says it can add a whopping 478 km of range in just 10 minutes under perfect conditions. And here’s the best part: it holds its own in the cold. We all know how much cold weather messes with most EV batteries, but the Shenxing Pro still delivers up to 410 km of range in just 20 minutes at a chilling -20°C. That’s better than many EVs perform in normal temperatures!
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No Propagation 3.0: Safety First
Safety is a top concern with EV batteries, especially the risk of thermal runaway—that’s when one cell overheats and triggers a dangerous chain reaction. CATL’s new No Propagation 3.0 platform is engineered to stop that domino effect cold. It uses special fireproof coatings and a cell structure that quickly cools down and relieves pressure. In the rare event of a problem, the battery can still provide stable power for over an hour. That extra time is a lifeline, giving drivers the chance to get to safety and ensuring critical systems like advanced driver-assistance features stay online when you need them most.
Getting Greener, At Scale
CATL is also tackling the sustainability issue head-on. Through a new initiative called the Global Energy Circular Commitment (GECC), they aim to cut the use of new raw materials by half over the next two decades. They’re already a leader in this space, operating the world’s largest battery recycling network. Since 2024, they’ve recycled over 130,000 tons of used batteries, recovering 99.6% of crucial metals like nickel, cobalt, and manganese.
The Whole Package
What’s so impressive about the Shenxing Pro isn’t just one feature—it’s everything working together. By improving range, charging speed, safety, and sustainability all at once, CATL isn’t just fixing a single problem; they’re taking on the biggest obstacles to widespread EV adoption. If these batteries live up to the hype, the next wave of EVs could be more efficient, more reliable, and a whole lot greener.
The bottom line? CATL’s latest battery tech in tandem with other commitments could prove to be the building blocks for the next wave of EVs in Europe and beyond.
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