Bike shop brands are finally giving e-bike riders what they want: throttles
To grossly oversimplify the e-bike market in the US, there are two types of electric bikes: those with hand throttles and those without. Traditional higher-end bike shop brands have long eschewed throttle-enable electric bikes, opting instead for pedal assist designs that only provide helping motor power when the rider also pedals. On the other hand, direct-to-consumer (D2C) e-bike companies have long embraced throttle e-bikes. As D2C brands scoop up more of the growing market, traditional bicycle brands are starting to take note.
Direct-to-consumer brands usually don’t have retail shops, and instead these D2C companies mostly sell bikes online that are shipped directly to riders. Brands like these, such as Rad Power Bikes, Lectric Ebikes, Ride1Up, Aventon, and others primarily target riders who weren’t traditionally cyclists but rather have taken to two-wheels thanks to the advent of easier-to-ride electric bikes.
Without the dealership markup, these D2C electric bikes are usually significantly cheaper than bike shop prices. And because they target riders who don’t come from the traditional bike shop culture, they also have one key difference: throttles.
Throttles e-bikes outsell pedal-assist-only e-bikes by a handy margin in the US. Many riders use their throttles to climb hills without the effort of pedaling, or to get rolling more easily from a stop, especially when there’s heavy cargo or a child on the bike’s rear rack. Other riders use throttles 100% of the time, treating their pedals like footrests and riding the bike like a mini-moped to cruise effortlessly to school or work. Still others find a happy balance, throttling when tired and using pedal assist when they want to get exercise or feel like a more involved part of the ride.
Traditional bicycle brands (think big names like Giant, Trek, Specialized, Cannondale, etc.) have long avoided throttles for several reasons, though key among them has been a prevailing perception among old-school cyclists that “throttles are cheating”. But now many of these very companies have finally come to a realization that riders aren’t competing; they’re commuting. And the addition of a hand throttle on an e-bike helps accomplish the very goal of that bike: getting more people out of cars and onto efficient two-wheeled vehicles.
Of course, the fact that throttle-less electric bikes have hit those companies in their pocketbooks has likely helped drive that case home even more clearly. There are simply more e-bike customers in North America looking for lower to mid-priced electric bikes with throttles than looking at $5,000 throttle-less electric bikes, no matter how sophisticated their engineering may be.
So now many of these same brands that have avoided throttles and more moderately-priced electric bikes in general are suddenly rushing to create more affordable throttle-enabled bikes. However, to avoid alienating their traditional cyclist communities or muddying their higher-end brand names, they’re often doing so under new sub-brands.
Take Giant Group, for example. Giant has long been a quality name brand in North American bike shops, but last year the company’s parent Giant Group created a new brand known as Momentum to offer more affordable e-bikes. This week the company launched its first throttle-enabled electric bike and is doing so under the Momentum brand. The new Momentum Cito E+ doesn’t only include a throttle but also features many of the hallmarks of today’s leading budget-priced electric bikes such as moto-inspired saddles and smaller-diameter fat tires.
The utility-oriented electric bike looks like nothing we’ve seen from Giant Group before, and that’s for a reason. The company appears to be jumping with both feet into current utility e-bikes trends.
As Giant Group’s Chief Branding Officer Phoebe Liu explained:
“The Cito E+’s impressive range and grip throttle gives riders the ability to go further than ever before—which is both energy saving and fun. Our design team purpose-built the bike to be a total utility solution that integrates motorcycle design and best-in-class technologies. Whether heading to work, getting groceries or exploring the outdoors, the Cito E+ offers a natural riding experience.”
Note the chunkier frame, lower saddle position, powerful 750W motor with 80Nm of torque, and fully upright riding stance – all features we rarely see from leading bike store brands. In fact, it looks like Giant Group took a page out of Rad Power Bikes’ playbook, notably the page with the RadRunner 3 Plus on it.
But unlike most budget brands, Momentum also brought higher quality components to the design, such as four-piston hydraulic disc brakes, a microSHIFT Acolyte 8-speed drivetrain, and combined torque and cadence sensors for smoother pedal assist. The company also included much higher performance than we normally see from bike shop brands, such as a large 780Wh battery and the ability to user-select between 20 mph and 28 mph speed limits (32 and 45 km/h).
At the same time though, Momentum tried to play it safe with the throttle, which is still new territory for the brand. Not only did they color it Poison Dart Frog red to presumably remind riders that that’s the dangerous end of the handlebars, but the throttle also only engages once the rider has reached at least 3.5 mph (5 km/h). I’d argue that removes a key benefit of the throttle – being able to get started from a stop – but at least the included torque sensor helps riders get smoother and quicker pedal assist from a stop.
This utility design is proving to be a common strategy for bike shop brands seeking to expand into the more popular and higher sales volume budget category.
Specialized made a similar move when it launched its more affordable Globe brand, starting with the Globe Haul ST as a similarly-styled short-tail cargo bike with utility properties.
In a now familiar strategy, Globe’s utility e-bike uses higher spec components than most budget brands, and most critically – it comes with a throttle.
And Specialized isn’t alone. Trek Bicycle Company also launched its first throttle-enabled electric bike, this time under its more budget-focused Electra brand. The new Electra Ponto Go! also uses the liberty granted to it when freed from its parent company’s conservative engineers to play with a moto-inspired design that generously grants riders a throttle for peak fun.
As more bike shop brands awaken to the massive money raked in by leading throttle-enabled budget electric bikes, an increasing number of similarly-styled e-bikes is all but a foregone conclusion.
That doesn’t mean Giant, Specialized, Trek, and others will stop selling $10,000 e-bikes. But their catalogs of $2,000-$3,500 e-bikes is likely to grow thicker each year.
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Environment
EcoFlow members can save up to 65% on power stations while supporting disaster relief during the 2025 Member’s Festival
Portable power station specialist EcoFlow is kicking off its third annual Member’s Festival this month and is offering a unique new rewards program to those who become EcoFlow members. The 2025 EcoFlow Member’s Festival will offer savings of up to 65% for its participating customers, and a portion of those funds will be allocated toward rescue power solutions for communities around the globe through the company’s “Power for All” fund.
EcoFlow remains one of the industry leaders in portable power solutions and continues to trek forward in its vision to power a new tech-driven, eco-conscious future. Per its website:
Our mission from day one is to provide smart and eco-friendly energy solutions for individuals, families, and society at large. We are, were, and will continue to be a reliable and trusted energy companion for users around the world.
To achieve such goals, EcoFlow has continued to expand its portfolio of sustainable energy solutions to its community members, including portable power stations, solar generators, and mountable solar panels. While EcoFlow is doing plenty to support its growing customer base, it has expanded its reach by giving back to disaster-affected communities by helping bolster global disaster response efforts the best way it knows how– with portable power solutions.
EcoFlow and its members look to provide “Power for All”
Since 2023, EcoFlow has collaborated with organizations worldwide as part of its “Power for All” mission. This initiative aims to ensure access to reliable and timely power to disaster-affected communities across the globe, including rescue agencies, affected hospitals, and shelters, to support rescue and recovery efforts.
This fund most recently provided aid for communities affected by the recent Los Angeles wildfires, assistance to the Special Forces Charitable Trust (SFCT) in North Carolina following severe hurricanes, and support for non-profits engaged in hurricane preparedness in Florida and the Gulf Coast. Per Jodi Burns, CEO of the Special Forces Charitable Trust:
In the wake of devastating storms in Western North Carolina, reliable power was a critical need for the families we serve. Thanks to EcoFlow’s generous donation of generators, we were able to provide immediate relief, ensuring these families and their communities had access to power when they needed it most. We are so impressed with EcoFlow’s commitment to disaster response through their ‘Power for All’ program. It has made a tangible impact, and we are deeply grateful for their support and partnership in helping these families recover and rebuild.
In 2024, the US experienced 27 weather and climate events, each causing losses exceeding $1 billion, marking the second-highest annual total on record, according to National Centers for Environmental Information. The increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters underscore the critical need for reliable and timely power solutions during emergencies, much like EcoFlow and its members are helping provide through the “Power For All” initiative.
To support new and existing EcoFlow members, the company is celebrating its third annual Member’s Festival throughout April to offer a do-not-miss discount on its products and donate a portion of all sales to the “Power for All” fund to provide rescue power to those in need in the future. Learn how it all works below.
Save big and give back during the 2025 Member’s Festival
As of April 1st, you can now sign up to become an EcoFlow member to participate in the company’s exclusive 2025 Member Festival.
As a member, you can earn “EcoFlow Power Points” by completing tasks like registration, referrals, and product purchases and tracking your individual efforts toward disaster preparedness and recovery.
Beginning April 4, EcoFlow members will also be able to take advantage of exclusive discounts of up to 65% off select portable power stations, including the DELTA Pro Ultra, DELTA Pro 3, DELTA 2 Max, DELTA 3 Plus, RIVER 3 Plus, and more. However, these sale prices only last through April 25, so you’ll want to move quickly!
Click here to learn more about EcoFlow’s “Power for All” campaign. To register for EcoFlow’s 2025 Member Festival in the US, visit the EcoFlow website. To register as a member in Canada, visit here.
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Tesla is losing another top talent: its long-time head of software, David Lau, has reportedly told co-workers that he is exiting the automaker.
Tesla changed how the entire auto industry looks at software.
Before Tesla, it was an afterthought; user interfaces were rudimentary, and you had to go to a dealership to get a software update on your systems.
When Tesla launched the Model S in 2012, it all changed. Your car would get better through software updates like your phone, the large center display was responsive with a UI that actually made sense and was closer to an iPad experience than a car.
Tesla also integrated its software into its retail experience, service, and manufacturing.
David Lau deserves a lot of the credit for that.
He joined Tesla in 2012 as a senior manager of firmware engineering and quickly rose through the ranks. By 2014, he was promoted to director of firmware engineering and system integration, and in 2017, he became Vice President of software.
Lau listed the responsibilities of his team on his LinkedIn:
- Vehicle Software:
- Firmware for the powertrain, traction/stability control, HV electronics, battery management, and body control systems
- UI software and underlying Embedded Linux platforms
- Navigation and routing
- iOS and Android Mobile apps
- Distributed Systems:
- Server-side software and infrastructure that provides telemetry, diagnostics, over-the-air updates, and configuration/lifecycle management
- Data engineering and analytics platforms that power technical and business insights for an increasingly diverse set of customers across the company
- Diagnostic tools and fleet management, Manufacturing and Automation:
- Automation controls (PLC, robot)
- Server-side manufacturing execution systems that power all of Tesla’s production operations
- Product Security and Red Team for software, services, and systems across Tesla
Bloomberg reported today that Lau told his team he is leaving Tesla. The report didn’t include reasons for his stepping down.
Electrek’s Take
Twelve years at any company is a great run. At Tesla, it’s heroic. Congrats, David, on a great run. You undoubtedly had a significant impact on Tesla and software advancements in the broader auto industry.
He is another significant loss for Tesla, which has been losing a lot of top talent following a big wave of layoffs around this time last year.
I wonder who will take over. Michael Rizkalla, senior director of software engineering and vehicle firmware, is one of the most senior software engineers after Lau. He has been at Tesla for 7 years, and Tesla likes to promote within rather than hire outsiders.
There are also a lot of senior software execs working on AI at Tesla. Musk has been favoring them lately and he could fold Lau’s responsibilities under them.
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Kia’s electric SUVs are taking over. The EV3 is the best-selling retail EV in the UK this year, giving Kia its strongest sales start since it arrived 34 years ago. And it’s not just in the UK. Kia just had its best first quarter globally since it started selling cars in 1962.
Kia EV3 is the best-selling EV in the UK through March
In March, Kia sold a record nearly 20,000 vehicles in the UK, making it the fourth best-selling brand. It was also the second top-seller of electrified vehicles (EVs, PHEVs, and HEVs), accounting for over 55% of sales.
The EV3 remained the best-selling retail EV in the UK last month. Including the EV6, three-row EV9, and Niro EV, electric vehicles represented 21% of Kia’s UK sales in March.
Kia said the EV3 “started with a bang” in January, darting out as the UK’s most popular EV in retail sales. Through March, Kia’s electric SUV has held on to the crown. With the EV3 rolling out, Kia sold over 7,000 electric cars through March, nearly 50% more than in Q1 2024.
The EV3 was the best-selling retail EV in the UK in the first quarter and the fourth best-selling EV overall, including commercial vehicles.
Starting at £33,005 ($42,500), Kia said it’s the “brand’s most affordable EV yet.” It’s available with two battery packs, 58.3 kWh or 81.48 kWh, good for 430 km (270 miles) and 599 km (375 miles) of WLTP range, respectively.
With new EVs on the way, this could be just the start. Kia is launching several new EVs in the UK this year, including the EV4 sedan (and hatchback) and EV5 SUV. It also confirmed that the first PV5 electric vans will be delivered to customers by the end of the year.
Electrek’s Take
Globally, Kia sold a record 772,351 vehicles in the first quarter, its best since it started selling cars in 1962. With the new EV4, the brand’s first electric sedan and hatchback, launching this year, Kia looks to build on its momentum in 2025.
Kia has also made it very clear that it wants to be a global leader in the electric van market with its new Platform Beyond Vehicle (PBV) business, starting with the PV5 later this year.
Earlier today, we learned Kia’s midsize electric SUV, the EV5, is the fourth best-selling EV in Australia through March, outselling every BYD vehicle (at least for now). The EV5 is rolling out to new markets this year, including Canada, the UK, South Korea, and Mexico. However, it will not arrive in the US.
For those in the US, there are still a few Kia EVs to look forward to. Kia is launching the EV4 globally, including in the US, later this year. Although no date has been set, Kia confirmed the EV3 is also coming. It’s expected to arrive in mid-2026.
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