Horwin makes US electric motorbike debut – but at a price
Horwin’s flashy flagship electric motorbike, the SENMENTI 0 production model, has just made its US debut at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Best classified as a maxiscooter, the SENMENTI 0 is likely to compete against other high-performance, futuristic-looking models such as the BMW CE 04 electric motorbike.
“Horwin comes to the market with a dream to disrupt, trailblazing with pioneering technologies that propel the mobility industry towards a sustainable future,” explained the company.
It’s true, Horwin has often helped embrace several new technologies and trends in the electric motorcycle industry, including being one of the first to roll out a multi-speed manual gearbox for light electric motorcycles several years ago.
But this time, the result is a bit pricier… to the tune of an expected US $16,800. That’s how much the Horwin SENMENTI 0 is expected to retail for in the US. Order books are already open and a $100 deposit snags prospective riders three years of free charging. Details on how that perk will work are scarce, but considering the bike’s built-in 30-minute DC fast charging capabilities, it could mean a free pass at certain charging networks.
So what does $17k get you in an electric maxiscooter? For starters, there’s a massive 16.9 kWh battery. That’s larger than almost every flagship electric motorcycle out there these days. In fact, the company claims that it could offer a mixed highway/city range of up to 186 miles (300 km).
That big battery helps dump some serious power into the drivetrain, too. The 74 kW (100 hp) electric motor is powerful enough to offer a 0-60 mph time of just 2.8 seconds. It also gets the bike up to a top speed of 125 mph (200 km/h), though most riders will be unlikely ever to find a place to take advantage of that figure.
The 507 lb (230 kg) SENMENTI 0 also features an Advanced Rider Assistance System (ARAS) that is “designed to increase personalization as the system collects data to understand the rider, preventing accidents and enhancing rider protection and confidence.”
It’s not entirely clear when the bikes will be ready for deliveries, but test rides for reservation holders are expected to begin in Q3 2024.
The company also showed off two concept vehicles. The SENMENTI X Hyper GT is described as “the ultimate performance touring motorcycle” with a WLTP-estimated range of at least 250 miles (400 km), as well as the SENMENTI 11, which is described as an even higher performance motorcycle designed “for thrill-seekers and adventurers.”
As Horwin founder and CEO Wendsor Zhou Wei explained:
“We’re thrilled to introduce Horwin and tell our story to new audiences. The U.S. is obviously a critical sales market for any EV company. As vehicle manufacturers transition to an all-electric future, Horwin is already ahead of the curve, thanks to years of developing advanced 5G-enabled manufacturing processes enriched with artificial intelligence to pioneer a more sustainable future. We look forward to showing riders, from performance enthusiasts to first-timers, all the advantages of riding an electric motorcycle. We want people to think of Horwin like your smartphone – you can’t leave home without it.”
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Slate Auto, a new EV startup backed by Jeff Bezos, has poached a key Tesla manufacturing leader to build its electric pickup truck factory in Indiana.
Napoleon Reyes is a US Marine from Indiana who got a degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue after leaving the force.
He then worked a few years at Subaru and Wabash before joining Tesla’s manufacturing team at the Fremont Factory in 2020.
There, he became part of the Model Y production ramp and was quickly promoted to lead the Model Y General Assembly in Fremont in 2022.
Reyes led Model Y GA, one of the most critical parts of vehicle manufacturing, for more than a year before being promoted again to lead new pilot processes at the factory.
Most recently, he led the launch of the general assembly line for the Model Y refresh.
The new engineering manager announced this week that he is leaving Tesla to join Slate:
A bit late on the post but after nearly 5 years working at Tesla in Fremont, I made the difficult decision to leave the Company and move closer to home with my family. It was an incredible experience being part of multiple line expansions and multiple Model Y program launches. Leading and managing the Model Y Refresh launch for GA in Fremont this year tested me professionally however we ultimately succeeded due to our amazing cross functional team collaboration. It’s been an absolute pleasure working with such great people, and I will forever be proud and thankful for everything we accomplished together.
I will be taking on a new role as Senior Manager, Plant Vehicle Engineering at Slate Auto in Warsaw, In.
Slate emerged from stealth mode earlier this year to unveil a new type of electric pickup truck featuring modular customization and an affordable price.
The company raised over $700 million through two rounds of investments from several different investors, including Jeff Bezos. It is currently raising more, which basically guarantees that it will be able to reach production.
The startup acquired a former printing plant in Warsaw, Indiana. It is currently converting to manufacture its electric pickup with a team from legacy automakers and also several former engineers and leaders from Tesla.
Rich Schmidt, an early Tesla manufacturing director, is the head of manufacturing.
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Genesis is preparing to shake things up with its most luxurious SUV yet, the GV90. Thanks to a new patent filing, we are getting a detailed look at how its Rolls-Royce-style coach doors will work.
New patent reveals Genesis GV90 coach door system
When Genesis first unveiled the full-size SUV at the NY Auto Show last March, it wasn’t the stunning design or advanced tech that caught everyone’s attention. It was the coach doors.
Although we were worried it wouldn’t make it to the production model, like many concepts, the Genesis GV90 will be offered with coach doors.
The ultra-luxe electric SUV was first caught with coach doors earlier this year on a car carrier in South Korea. Just last month, the GV90 was spotted in California with a hinge at the rear to open the coach doors.
After several new patents were filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for new door latching devices, we are getting a sneak peek at how they are expected to work.
The patents, titled “Cinching Device For Door Latches in Vehicle,” and “Door Latch Device for Vehicles,” give a pretty detailed explanation of how the Genesis GV90’s coach doors will operate. The “Door Latch Device” uses a door striker on the lower side of the door, which is opened or closed by a hinge unit.
Unlike traditional doors, which use the B-pillar for support, the device is attached directly to the door itself, allowing for hinge-like movement.
The cinching device works in a similar way. It’s also attached to the door and part of the vehicle. However, unlike most of its kind, Genesis found a way to use a single cinching device to control multiple units. Again, the device is used for B-pillarless doors that swing open.
Genesis already said that B-pillarless coach doors are now feasible in production vehicles. The patent reveals a glimpse into how the luxury automaker could make it a reality.
Although the Genesis GV90 is expected to be offered with coach doors, they will likely not be standard. Other variants, with traditional door handles, have also been spotted testing in the US and South Korea.
Genesis is expected to launch the GV90 in mid-2026. It will be built at Hyundai’s Ulsan plant in South Korea. The flagship Genesis SUV is scheduled to debut on Hyundai’s new eM platform, which the company said will “provide 50% improvement in driving range.” It will also be loaded with the latest technology, software, connectivity, and Level 3 or higher autonomous driving capabilities.
Source: USPTO
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Environment
Podcast: Tesla Model YL, more Tesla probes and lawsuits, new Nissan Leaf pricing, and more
In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss the launch of the Tesla Model YL, more Tesla probes and lawsuits, new Nissan Leaf pricing, and more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
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Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:
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