Segway unveils futuristic new electric bike and arguably electric motorcycle
Segway has taken to the Consumer Electronics Expo (CES) in Las Vegas to unveil a pair of new electric two-wheelers. The first is an electric bicycle called the Xafari, while the latter is a borderline electric motorcycle known as the Xyber.
Both bikes are ostensibly categorized as electric bicycles in the US, fitting within the legal definition of the category. The Xafari even feels like it fits nicely under the e-bike classification, though the Xyber seems to carry a bit more Sur Ron vibes than Schwinn vibes, if you get the idea.
Any way you slice them, both bikes mark a major push deeper into the industry for Segway as the company continues to expand in the micromobility category.
“We’re thrilled to introduce the launch of our Segway Xafari and Segway Xyber, representing a significant leap forward in electric bike innovation,” said Alan Zhao, Segway E-Bike Division General Manager. “These e-bikes embody Segway’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge technology and unparalleled performance to our riders. With adjustable features, remarkable stability and advanced connectivity, these bikes redefine what’s possible for off-road adventures.”
Both bikes show off several smart features including “active scene perception” that allows the bike to automatically take certain actions based on its surroundings, such as turning on and off the headlights, locking the bike, and adjusting the power level on the fly.
The bikes also integrate with mobile phone apps and allow data monitoring in real-time. They come with anti-theft measures such as hidden rear wheel hub locks, mobile alarms, GPS anti-theft functionality, and location-based alarms.
From there, things start to differ between the two models.
The Segway Xafari takes the form of a wide-tire adventure e-bike. It includes a step-through frame design with a frame-integrated yet still removable 913 Wh battery. Built with 21700-format battery cells, that capacity rating makes it one of the largest batteries available on this type of adventure-style electric bicycle.
For power, a rear 750W motor offers up to 80 Nm of torque, providing good climbing power and quick acceleration. There’s no word on top speed yet or whether the bike is a Class 2 (up to 20 mph) or Class 3 (up to 28 mph) model, though we expect to learn more performance parameters soon.
The frame of the Xafari hides more than just a large battery. There’s also hidden rear suspension just above the rear swingarm. That creates a full-suspension setup in a design that looks similar to most hard-tail adventure-style electric bikes on the market today. With 70mm of front suspension and 80mm of rear suspension, as well as 3-inch balloon tires, the Segway Xafari is well-equipped for trails and other off-road riding.
On the larger end of the e-bike spectrum is the Segway Xyber.
By including functional pedals, the Xyber technically checks the boxes for import and sale as an electric bicycle in the US, though it looks a bit more like a dedicated trail bike such as a Sur Ron or Talaria.
The motor is much torquier on the Xyber than the Xafari, providing up to 175 Nm of torque. Again, we don’t have any top speed figures to share, but we do have a clue found in the acceleration spec. Segway says the motor is powerful enough to offer a 0-20 mph acceleration time of 2.5 seconds. The top speed is likely higher, though we at least know it can hit 20 mph.
The base battery of 1,440 Wh can be paired up with a second battery to provide a total of 2,880 Wh. Segway says that’s enough for 95 miles (150 km) of range, though most riders likely won’t see that figure in real-world riding unless they stick to the lowest pedal assist level.
The dual suspension setup sees 120 mm of travel in both the front and rear, giving plenty of cushion for rougher riding.
In addition to a lack of complete performance specs for these two models, we’re also missing pricing details.
Hopefully, we’ll have more to share with you soon on both fronts. Until then, let’s hear your thoughts on the new Segway Xafari and Xyber in the comment section below!
via: Segway
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Germany’s largest offshore wind farm under construction, EnBW’s He Dreiht, just hit a big milestone: The first enormous turbine is now up in the North Sea.
He Dreiht – which means “it spins” in Low German – is using Vestas’s massive 15 megawatt (MW) turbines, the first project in the world to install them. Just one spin of one of the rotors can generate enough electricity to power four households for an entire day.
When it’s finished, He Dreiht will have 64 mega turbines cranking out 960 megawatts (MW) of clean power – enough to supply around 1.1 million homes. And it’s being built without any government subsidies.
EnBW, one of Germany’s major energy companies, has been working in offshore wind for more than 15 years, but He Dreiht is their biggest project yet. “It will play a key role in helping us to significantly grow our renewable energy output from 6.6 GW to over 10 GW by 2030,” said Michael Class, who heads up EnBW’s generation portfolio development.
The project is a win for Vestas, too. “With the installation of the first V236-15.0 MW, we have reached an important milestone for both the He Dreiht project and our offshore ramp-up, which helps Germany build a more secure, affordable, and sustainable energy system,” said Nils de Baar, president of Vestas Northern & Central Europe.
He Dreiht is located about 85 kilometers (53 miles) northwest of Borkum and 110 kilometers (68 miles) west of Helgoland. At peak times, more than 500 workers will be out at sea building the farm, using a fleet of more than 60 ships. EnBW’s offshore team in Hamburg is running the show.
The installation process is a major operation. The 64 foundations were already set in the seabed last year. Parts for the turbines are loaded onto the installation vessel Wind Orca in Esbjerg, Denmark, and shipped out in a 12-hour journey to the construction site. From there, the turbines are lifted into place. Meanwhile, crews are also working on internal wind farm cabling.
A partner consortium made up of Allianz Capital Partners, AIP, and Norges Bank Investment Management owns 49.9% of the shares in He Dreiht.
Read more: Trump admin halts $5 billion NY offshore wind project mid-build
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Tesla has released a quick update about its Tesla Semi factory in Nevada. It says that it is on track for volume production of the electric semi truck in 2026.
The Tesla Semi was first scheduled to go into production in 2019, but it has faced numerous delays.
Now, it appears that there is finally some momentum to bring it to volume production.
For the last two years, Tesla has been working to build a new factory next to Gigafactory Nevada, where it builds the battery packs and drive units for most of its electric vehicles built in North America.
Today, Tesla released a “progress update on the factory, confirming that it finished building and it’s now working on deploying the production lines:
Tesla had previously mentioned aiming for volume production by 2025, but it is now only talking about starting production toward the end of the year and ramping up next year.
The automaker reiterated its planned production capacity of 50,000 units.
We recently reported that an early Tesla Semi customer, Ryder, stated that the electric truck program is experiencing more delays and a price increase described as “dramatic.”
They now expect to take deliveries of their first trucks later in 2026 and said that the price has increased “dramatically,” leading them to scale back their pilot program from 42 to 18 Tesla Semi trucks.
When originally unveiling the Tesla Semi in 2017, the automaker mentioned prices of $150,000 for a 300-mile range truck and $180,000 for the 500-mile version. Tesla also took orders for a “Founder’s Series Semi” at $200,000.
However, Tesla didn’t update the prices when launching the “production version” of the truck in late 2022. Price increases have been speculated, but the company has never confirmed them.
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Vietnamese solar panel maker Boviet Solar just opened the doors to its first US factory — a huge new PV module plant in Greenville, North Carolina.
The company dropped $294 million into the state-of-the-art facility, which will pump out Boviet’s Gamma Series monofacial and Vega Series bifacial solar panels. They’re using advanced PERC and N-Type solar cell tech, which basically means these panels are built to deliver higher efficiency and better performance across residential, commercial, industrial, and utility-scale projects.
The Greenville factory’s first phase is now online with an annual PV module output capacity of 2 gigawatts (GW). For Phase 2, which is scheduled to come online in the second half of 2026, Boviet will invest another $100 million to add 600,000 square feet and ramp up to another 2 GW. It will make high-efficiency solar cells.
Once both phases are complete, Boviet’s campus will cover more than 1 million square feet of manufacturing and R&D space. It’s one of the biggest clean energy manufacturing projects North Carolina has ever seen.
The jobs impact is significant, too. The first phase will create 460 skilled local jobs. Phase 2 is expected to add another 908, bringing the total to over 1,300 direct jobs, plus nearly 2,000 more indirect jobs across the region. That’s good news for Pitt County’s economy, real estate market, and workforce training programs.
“This facility is not just creating jobs, but creating opportunity, innovation, and a stronger foundation for eastern North Carolina,” said Senator Kandie Smith. Governor Josh Stein added that Boviet Solar’s move shows how North Carolina is leading the way in clean energy growth.
Read more: Thomas Built Buses debuts its next-gen electric school bus
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