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The Fucare Taurus fat tire electric bike brings the same fun-loving, off-road riding you’ve seen with plenty of other adventure-style electric bikes. But this time it gives you full speed 28 mph (45 km/h) operation on throttle only!

Technically, that’s not street legal in many areas since it doesn’t fit the class 3 e-bike designation, which allows operation up to 28 mph without a throttle.

The good news is that this isn’t really an e-bike designed for street use. While you could certainly commute around on it, the Fucare Taurus e-bike is really meant for off-road riding and light trail duty.

It’s not a full-suspension bike, but it does feature front suspension as well as fat enough tires to make decently rough terrain manageable. It will never feel as smooth as a true full-suspension e-bike, but it also comes in at several hundred dollars below the cost of most full-suspension fat tire e-bikes.

Check out my testing in the video below, then keep scrolling for the rest of my review.

Fucare Taurus Video Review

Fucare Taurus Tech Specs

  • Motor: 750W rear geared hub motor (1,200W peak power, 85 Nm torque)
  • Top speed: Claimed 32 mph (51 km/h)
  • Range: Claimed 60-140 miles (96-225 km)
  • Batteries: 48V 25Ah 1,200 Wh
  • Weight: 92 pounds (41 kg)
  • Max capacity: 400 pounds (181 kg)
  • Wheels: 26-inch x 4.0-inch urban tires
  • Brakes: Hydraulic disc brakes
  • Extras: Large color LCD, LED headlight and taillight, included plastic fenders, 8-speed gearing, front suspension, kickstand
  • Price: $1,599 (at current sale price)

Off-road ready!

It’s been a little while since the last time I was on a Fucare e-bike, but the brand has proven itself as highly capable in the heavy-but-respectable category of Asian imported e-bikes. None of these bikes are going to win on maneuverability, ease of transport, or probably even customer service. But damn, if they aren’t fun to ride!

And the Fucare Taurus ratchets up the fun. Compared to the Fucare Libra, the last Fucare model I was on, the Fucare Taurus is less moped-ish and more off-road ready.

That means we’ve got big 4-inch fat tires in the full 26-inch diameter size. I’m normally a fan of 20-inch diameter fat tires since they usually prove to be a bit more nimble, but when you’re really heading off-road, there’s no substitute for large-diameter tires. The downside is they are heavier, bulkier, and slower to accelerate or turn. But the upside is the ability to roll over larger obstacles with less bouncing around on the bike.

The frame is an interesting truss-style frame that Fucare seems to be a fan of, having used similar styles on their other bikes. I’m not sure there’s any real benefit here, but it looks cool and gives the bike a unique appearance next to all the other cookie-cutter electric bikes out there!

There’s an interesting little feature in the lighting where the taillight is integrated into the rear seat stay. The odd thing, though, is that it’s placed on the right side. I assumed it would be on the left since if you do ever ride on the road, you’re more likely to be on the right side of the lane and, thus, showing cars the left rear side of your bike (in countries with roads laid out the correct way).

But the real claim to fame here is the performance, namely a big motor and an even bigger battery. The motor puts out 1,200 peak watts, and the battery is a massive 48V and 25Ah unit. That’s 1,200 Wh of capacity.

The company claims between 60 to 140 miles (96 to 225 km) of range, but that’s ridiculous – you’ll never get 140 miles. The 60-mile estimate is closer to reality for anyone who wants to use higher than level 1 pedal assist, though going throttle-only will also net you less than 60 miles.

However, a 48V and 25Ah battery is still one of the largest packs on the market, so you’re definitely going to get more range out of the Fucare Taurus than you would from most fat tire e-bikes.

And with the throttle operation up to 28 mph (45 km/h), you’re going to have a blast off-road. To be honest, I rarely got it going that fast on trails simply because it’s a big, heavy bike, and that’s a lot of mass to be moving that fast. I generally found that even 20 mph (32 km/h) felt perfectly fast on narrow trails and even wide-open dirt roads, especially when you hit the occasional washed-out section of road with ruts and bumps.

At the MSRP of $2,499, I would never recommend this bike. But the good news is that it’s on sale for $1,599, at which price I would absolutely recommend it! For that price, you’re getting tons of power and a massive battery, not to mention hydraulic disc brakes, fenders, LED lighting and an 8-speed transmission.

Sure, it’s freakishly heavy and too bulky to carry effectively, not that you’d ever want to carry it very far. And yea, it’s a bit sluggish in the turns from those massive tires. But it’s so much fun off-road with its impressive speed and power that I can look past those shortcomings thanks to the pretty darn good sale price.

fucare taurus electric bike

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Lectric Ebikes may be launching a new XP 4 this week, and it could change everything

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Lectric Ebikes may be launching a new XP 4 this week, and it could change everything

Lectric Ebikes appears to be preparing for a major new product launch, teasing what looks like the next evolution of its wildly popular folding fat tire electric bike. Based on the clues, it looks like a new Lectric XP 4 could be inbound.

In a social media post released over the weekend, the company shared a minimalist graphic reading “XP4” along with the message “Tune in 5.6.2025 9:30AM PT.” That date – this Tuesday – suggests we’re just hours away from the big reveal of the Lectric XP 4.

If true, this would mark the next generation of the most successful electric bike in the U.S. market. The current model, the Lectric XP 3.0, has become an icon of accessible, budget-friendly electric mobility. Starting at just $999, the XP 3.0 offers a foldable frame, fat tires, a 500W motor, a rear rack, lights, and hydraulic brakes – all packed into a highly shippable design that arrives fully assembled. It’s the kind of package that has helped Lectric claim the title of best-selling e-bike brand in the U.S. for several years in a row.

With the XP 3.0 still going strong, the teaser raises plenty of questions. Will the XP 4.0 be a modest update or a major leap forward? Could we see new features like torque-sensing pedal assist, a location tracking option, or upgraded performance? Or is Lectric preparing a more comfort-oriented variant, maybe even with upgraded suspension or even more accessories included standard?

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The teaser image, which features stylized stripes in grey, blue, and black, may hold some clues. One theory is that the colors represent new trim options or component upgrades. Another possibility is that Lectric is preparing multiple variants of the XP 4.0 – perhaps targeting commuters, adventurers, and off-road riders with purpose-built versions. We took the liberty of a bit of rampant speculation late last year, so perhaps that’s now worth a revisit.

At the same time though, Lectric’s penchant for launching new models at unbelievably affordable prices has never run up against such strong pricing headwinds as those posed by uncertainty in the current US-global trade war fueled by rapidly changing tariffs for imported goods.

lectric xp 3.0 hydraulic
Previous versions of the Lectric XP e-bike line have seen sky-high sales

Whatever the case, Lectric’s knack for surprising the industry with high-value, customer-focused e-bikes means expectations will be high. The brand has built a loyal following by delivering reliable performance at a price point that few can match, and any major update to the XP lineup is likely to ripple across the market.

As a young and energetic e-bike company, Lectric is also known for throwing impressive parties around the launch of new models. It looks like I may need to hop on a red-eye to Phoenix so I can see for myself – and so I can bring you all along, of course.

Be sure to tune in Tuesday at 9:30AM PT to see what Lectric has in store – and you can bet we’ll have all the details and first impressions as soon as they drop.

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U.S. crude oil prices fall more than 4% after OPEC+ agrees to surge production in June

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U.S. crude oil prices fall more than 4% after OPEC+ agrees to surge production in June

Logo of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

Andrey Rudakov | Bloomberg | Getty Images

U.S. crude oil futures fell more than 4% on Sunday, after OPEC+ agreed to surge production for a second month.

U.S. crude was down $2.49, or 4.27%, to $55.80 a barrel shortly after trading opened. Global benchmark Brent fell $2.39, or 3.9%, to $58.90 per barrel. Oil prices have fallen more than 20% this year.

The eight producers in the group, led by Saudi Arabia, agreed on Saturday to increase output by another 411,000 barrels per day in June. The decision comes a month after OPEC+ surprised the market by agreeing to surge production in May by the same amount.

The June production hike is nearly triple the 140,000 bpd that Goldman Sachs had originally forecast. OPEC+ is bringing more than 800,000 bpd of additional supply to the market over the course of two months.

Oil prices in April posted the biggest monthly loss since 2021, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs have raised fears of a recession that will slow demand at the same time that OPEC+ is quickly increasing supply.

Oilfield service firms such as Baker Hughes and SLB are expecting investment in exploration and production to decline this year due to the weak price environment.

“The prospects of an oversupplied oil market, rising tariffs, uncertainty in Mexico and activity weakness in Saudi Arabia are collectively constraining international upstream spending levels,” Baker Hughes CEO Lorenzo Simonelli said on the company’s first-quarter earnings call on April 25.

Oil majors Chevron and Exxon reported first-quarter earnings last week that fell compared to the same period in 2024 due to lower oil prices.

Goldman is forecasting that U.S. crude and Brent prices will average $59 and $63 per barrel, respectively, this year.

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Chicago plans more, and more equitable public charging as EV sales climb

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Chicago plans more, and more equitable public charging as EV sales climb

Electric vehicles’ share of the market continues to climb in America’s second city, with BEV registrations up more than 50% in the first quarter of 2025 compared with the same period last year. Great news, but charging hasn’t up – but a new plan from Chicago Department of Transportation aims to build up enough infrastructure for the city to keep up.

In a bid to keep up with the rapid growth of EVs, Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT is currently seeking public feedback on a plan called “Chicago Moves Electric Framework.” The city’s first such plan, it outlines initiatives that include a curbside charging pilot through the city’s utility, ComEd, and expanded charging access in key areas throughout the city.

Unlike other such plans, however, the new plan aims to focus on bringing electric vehicle charging to EIEC and low income communities, too.

“Through this framework, we are setting clear goals and identifying solutions that reflect the voices of our residents, communities, and regional partners,” said CDOT Commissioner Tom Carney. “By prioritizing equity and public input, we’re creating a roadmap for electric transportation that serves every neighborhood and helps drive down emissions across Chicago.”

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Neighborhoods on the south and west sides of Chicago experience a disproportionate amount of air pollution and diesel emissions, largely due to vehicle emissions according to CDOT. Despite that, most of Chicago’s public charging stations are clustered in higher-income areas while just 7.8% are in environmental justice neighborhoods that face higher environmental burdens.

“Too often, communities facing the greatest economic and transportation barriers also experience the most air pollution,” explains Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. “By prioritizing investments in historically underserved areas and making clean transportation options more affordable and accessible, we can improve both mobility and public health.”

The Framework identifies other near-term policy objectives, as well – such as streamlining the EV charger installation process for businesses and residents and implementing “Low-Emission Zones” in areas disproportionately impacted by air pollution by limiting, or even restricting, access to conventional medium- and heavy-duty vehicles during peak hours.

The Chicago Moves Electric Framework includes the installation of Level 2 and DC fast charging stations in public locations such as libraries and Chicago’s Midway Airport, “supporting not only personal EVs but also electric taxis, ride-hail and commercial fleets.”

Chicago has a goal of installing 2,500 public passenger EV charging stations and electrifying the city’s entire municipal vehicle fleet by 2035.

Electrek’s Take

Chicago Drives Electric | ComEd Press Conference
ComEd press conference at Chicago Drives Electric, 2024; by the author.

I hate to sound like a bed-wetting liberal here, guys, but Chicago is getting EVs absolutely right with big utility incentives on both vehicles and infrastructure, a governor willing to stand behind smart environmental policy, and a solid push for more and better infrastructure in the areas where they’ll do the most good. They’re even thinking of the children.

Here’s hoping more cities follow suit.

SOURCE: ComEd, via Smart Cities Dive; featured image by EVgo.

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